Eloise Anderson
Director, California Department of Social Services

Ms. Anderson was appointed by Governor Pete Wilson as Director of the California State Department of Social Services in August 1992. As director, she administers the statewide operations of an agency with over 4,500 employees and manages an annual budget in excess of $13 billion.

In her position Ms. Anderson is responsible for implementing a wide range of federal and state laws, formulating state regulation and setting administrative policy relative to payments of welfare benefits, licensing of community care facilities, disability evaluation, child welfare services and a number of social service programs.

Within the department's jurisdiction are such diverse programs as Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Food Stamps, child support enforcement, foster care, adoption, child abuse preven-tion, refugee support, special services to blind and deaf individuals and emergency disaster assistance.

An active member of her community, Ms. Anderson has served on many boards and councils including the University of Wisconsin Hospital Council of Trustees, Governor's Commission on Law Enforcement and Crime, Black Hawk Girl Scout Board, Community Cable Access Television Board and the Wisconsin Equal Rights Council.

Ms. Anderson completed her undergraduate studies at Central State University where she earned a B.S. in sociology and later studied Urban Affairs, Public Administration and Planning as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin.