Fall 2025 Fellow
Jim DeBoo is one of California’s most influential strategic affairs professionals, with more than 25 years of experience as a leader in corporate affairs, communications, elections, and executive management. DeBoo is known for his ability to guide corporations, elected officials, and associations through the critical existential issues they face.
He is the Founder of DeBoo Strategic Affairs (DSA), a consultancy firm which specializes in corporate strategy, strategic communications and media. DSA successfully has managed statewide initiatives with combined resources of over $350 million.
Prior to founding DSA, DeBoo served as Executive Secretary (Chief of Staff) to Governor Gavin Newsom. In this role, DeBoo led the Governor’s Office and the Newsom administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on businesses, schools, and the health and welfare of all Californians. During his tenure in the Governor’s Office, he helped construct California’s annual $300 billion budget, which provided fiscal relief to small businesses, tax credits to the film industry and rebates to Californians to help rebuild the economy as the state recovered from the pandemic. DeBoo also oversaw the communications and external affairs teams of the Governor’s Office. Most notably, DeBoo served as Executive Secretary and political advisor through the Gubernatorial Recall Election in 2021, helping to soundly defeat the effort by a wide margin, as well as the Governor’s re-election in 2022, which was won by a nearly 20-point margin.
DeBoo has also served in many other political roles including: Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez, Special Advisor to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, and Chief Legislative Representative to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
DeBoo served as Chair of Governor Newsom’s 2024 Inaugural Committee. He is regularly named as one of Capitol Weekly’s “Top 100” influential leaders and has twice been selected #1 – described as “a sort of renaissance man, the governor’s majordomo and the top administrative person in state government who handles politicos, bureaucrats and lobbyists, to name a few.”
He holds a B.A. in Political Science from the California State University, Chico, and lives in Sacramento with his wife Jacqui and sons Jace and Gavin.
Study Group: “Politics by Algorithms”
This study group examined the significant impact of algorithms on communicating with the electorate over the last ten years. The group discussed the fading reach of traditional media, considered future trends and innovation, and explored how students, as a future practitioners, should utilize technology for effective communications.
Fall 2025 Semester Recap
Jim DeBoo said this about his experience at USC’s Center for the Political Future: “What I appreciate most about CPF is the students. It was an incredible experience, and it was fun being around people who are genuinely passionate about the issues, want to learn, and are getting ready to go into the workforce.”
USC students in Jim’s study group shared this about their experience:
“The study group was a rare look into what it actually means to be in the room—reading the moment, making the hard calls, and navigating the real mechanics of political power. If you want to operate at a chief-of-staff level, this is the kind of unfiltered insight you need.”
Izzy Del Gaudio, Political Science
“The study group with Jim helped me gain a realistic insight into the world of political communication. From firsthand accounts of how algorithms work and how the media space is curated from professionals in the industry, this was the best crash course in the political media space I could ask for. I appreciate the realism that Jim kept with this group as he gave us honest insight into the world that he lives in. My favorite part of the study group was speaking with industry professionals from Meta, Tik Tok, and the governor’s office.”
Ranay Sah, Political Science, Communication, and Law History and Culture
“I learned so much about what politics looks like day-to-day from a wide range of speakers. Jim’s knowledge working under elected officials like Governor Newsom was not only timely, but extremely valuable in thinking about a career. My favorite part of this study group was that he brought in speakers he had a personal and professional relationship with, allowing us to really connect to these individuals beyond their career trajectories and goals.”
Jim shared his thoughts on the importance of politics, his first political experience, his advice for having respectful political discourse, and what he appreciates about CPF in his “Quick Takes: Q&A with CPF Fellow Jim DeBoo” video.