SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Diya TV) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Indian American public policy professional Vishesh Anand as senior advisor at the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. The appointment highlights Anand’s growing role in state leadership and his years of service in both local government and the private sector.
Anand, a Los Angeles native, has worked in the governor’s office since 2022. Most recently, he served as deputy director of special projects. Before that, he was deputy regional director of external affairs. In that role, he managed outreach for Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties. He also supported statewide projects aimed at improving communication and community engagement.
The senior advisor position comes with an annual salary of $140,004 and does not require Senate confirmation. Anand is registered with no party preference.
Anand’s career reflects steady growth in public service. Before joining the governor’s office, he worked in the Los Angeles city government. From 2021 to 2022, he was public engagement deputy for intergovernmental and legislative affairs in the office of then-Mayor Eric Garcetti. Garcetti later became U.S. ambassador to India.
Between 2020 and 2021, Anand served as a field deputy for City Councilmember Mike Bonin. In that role, he worked directly with community members and helped address local issues.
Anand says he moved into the public sector in 2020 after realizing he wanted more fulfillment in his career. “I am glad to have moved into this career and found my true passion for public engagement, service delivery, and community development,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Before his government service, Anand worked in the private sector. In 2020, he was a client engagement representative at Aspiration, a financial services company. He also held leadership positions at Kinetic Society LLC, serving as operations manager from 2019 to 2020 and as a business analyst from 2017 to 2019.
Anand credits his time in start-ups with helping him develop flexibility and problem-solving skills. “This helped me hone my ability to switch between multiple different hats on the fly,” he said. His roles included sales, marketing, production management, and client engagement.
Anand has remained involved in civic projects outside his official roles. Earlier this year, he joined the CAUSE on Campus program at California State University, Los Angeles. The program trains students in civic leadership and public service.
He also participated in a state delegation that visited Ventura County to assess homelessness response efforts. The group worked with local officials and nonprofit partners to evaluate supportive housing sites and prevention programs.
Anand is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned a double bachelor’s degree in economics and global studies with a minor in global health. He also attended a summer program in international and global studies at New York University. Before moving to the United States, he completed his schooling at Delhi Public School in India.
In his LinkedIn profile, Anand reflects on the meaning of his name. “‘Vishesh’ in Hindi means special,” he wrote. “So, from the day my parents named me, I have had the responsibility to live up to my name.”
His last name, Anand, translates to “happiness” in Hindi. He often describes his personal mission as spreading “special happiness” through his work in public service. “I aspire to use my individuality to bring happiness to people’s lives with all of my work and endeavors,” he said.
