Charlene Zettel

Charlene Zettel (née Gonzales) (born May 26, 1947) served in the California State Assembly from 1999 until 2002. Ms. Zettel was born in East Los Angeles, California. She attended Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Canada-Flintridge and then earned her bachelor's degree in dental hygiene from University of Southern California, where she was one of the original USC Song Girls. While serving in the State Assembly, Zettel worked for the passage of "Oliver's Law", which provides parents with information about day care providers. She was also the first Republican Latina elected to the State Assembly. She stepped down with one term to go before term limits would have claimed her in order to run for the California State Senate, but lost that election to Dennis Hollingsworth, who claimed 54% of the vote while Zettel claimed 46%. She was appointed the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs in March 2004 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Charlene Zettel was appointed University of California Regent by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009 and served until her term expired on March 1, 2021. She is also a board member of the San Diego Regional Airport Authority and a former public interest director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. Also in 2009, she was appointed director for the San Diego Office of the Governor. Ms Zettel has been married to David for 40 years; the couple has two adult sons.