CalChamber Announces New Chief of Staff for Policy

This week, the California Chamber of Commerce announced that Ben Golombek will join the organization on January 17 as executive vice president and chief of staff for policy.

In that role, Golombek will head the CalChamber’s policy staff, providing strategic oversight and management of CalChamber’s legislative and regulatory priorities.

“Ben is a recognized leader who will be a great addition to CalChamber’s team,” said CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera in welcoming her successor. “Adding Ben’s wealth of experience and policy expertise to that of our very talented group of policy advocates will make CalChamber’s advocacy efforts stronger and more effective than ever.”

Most recently, Golombek served since 2016 as the West Region vice president for public affairs for AT&T, where he managed a team of 20 to create and implement legislative campaigns and media strategies to educate and influence lawmakers, regulators and consumers for eight states, including California.

Golombek has previous experience serving as chief of staff to three members of the California State Assembly, including the chairs of the Assembly Revenue and Taxation, and Assembly Appropriations committees.

Before his State Capitol experience, Golombek worked at Los Angeles City Hall, where he served as deputy city controller, communications director for a city councilmember and deputy press secretary for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Golombek graduated from Northwestern University, has an M.B.A. from the University of California, Davis, and completed the prestigious Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs.