About Us Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation Leadership
Meet LCI’s talented team.
Miranda Flores was appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) in April 2025. Prior to her appointment she was the Deputy Secretary of Legislation at the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) since 2020. In this capacity, she serves as a principal liaison between the Agency, including its commissions, departments and office, and the state legislature, advising on legislative priorities. Before her appointment at CNRA, she was the legislative director in the Office of State Assembly Member Bill Quirk since 2017, where she held several positions from 2012 to 2017, including interim chief of staff, legislative aide and executive assistant. Miranda was an executive assistant in the Office of State Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg from 2010 to 2012, office manager and scheduler in the Office of State Senator Jenny Oropeza from 2008 to 2010 and lead capitol security technician for the California State Senate Sergeant-at-Arms from 2003 to 2008. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, going to the beach, and spending time with her family.
Erin Curtis was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Executive Director in December 2024. She is a strategic public affairs veteran who has spent the last 15 years working with federal and state agencies on climate and natural resources policy. Prior to her appointment, she worked as a policy communications consultant. She served as the Deputy Secretary for Communications and External Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2020-23, where she worked on many of the Administration’s climate initiatives, including drought and water policies, as well as the California Air Resources Board’s world-leading regulation to phase out sales of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
Ms. Curtis also served in the U.S. Department of the Interior for more than a decade in California, Colorado, Idaho and Alaska, and has spent years engaging with elected officials, policymakers and the public on climate change, natural resources, public land management, and environmental regulation.
Ms. Curtis is a California native and proud alumnus of the California community college and state university systems.
Abby Edwards serves as the Senior Deputy Director of Planning and Policy at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), and Chair of the Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program (ICARP) Technical Advisory Council. With over a decade of experience in climate adaptation and resilience, Abby has led statewide programs, managed interdisciplinary teams, and fostered partnerships across government, nonprofit, and community sectors. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal and manager of climate-focused service programs at CivicWell, Abby Edwards brings a deep commitment to advancing sustainable, equitable, and impactful solutions to California’s most pressing climate challenges.
Larissa Estes, DrPH serves as the Executive Director of the Racial Equity Commission established through Executive Order 16-22. She has over 20 years of experience in allied health, healthcare, and public health with a focus on community and equity. Prior to joining the State of California, Dr. Estes served as the Executive Director of ALL IN Alameda County, a county-wide initiative established by the late Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan to address issues of poverty including basic needs, quality education, and economic opportunity that leads to self-sufficiency. Throughout her career she has served as a key author of several publications on women’s health, accountable communities for health, medical high utilization, and mental health and wellbeing. She is interested in integrating evidence-informed strategies into policy and practice across sectors that fortify equity and impact community wellbeing.
Dr. Estes has prior experience in program planning, implementation, and evaluation; maternal and child health; women’s health; mental health and wellbeing; and public health policy analysis at the federal, state, and local level. Dr. Estes received her BS in Athletic Training from Duquesne University, an MPH in Family and Child Health from the University of Arizona, and a DrPH in Community Health Practice from the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston. She is a sustaining member of Junior League of Oakland-East Bay and an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Dr. Estes also serves on the Board of Directors for the College of Behavioral Health Leadership, Black Cultural Zone Community Development Corporation (Oakland, CA), and American Cancer Society – SF Bay Area, and participates on an Advisory Committee for the Prairie View A&M School of Public and Allied Health.
Zaid Ridha has over 15 years of experience in information technology across both the private and public sectors. He currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), where he established and leads the department’s first dedicated IT organization.
Prior to this role, Zaid was the Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Covered California—the state’s health benefit exchange—where he played a key role in building one of the most effective public sector technology departments in the state.
Zaid is passionate about using technology to advance the mission and impact of public programs that serve California’s communities. He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Northridge.
William Robinson is the Legislative Director of LUCI and SGC where he brings over seven years of legislative and transportation policy experience to the role. Prior to joining OPR, William was a Legislative Liaison at the California Department of Transportation and California High-Speed Rail Authority where he represented the Administration’s transportation policy interests and helped manage the legislative programs of each department. Prior to his work in transportation, William served in various roles in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. William has a Bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology from U.C. Davis.
Gabriela Gabourel (Gabby) serves as the Deputy Director of Administration at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), bringing over a decade of experience in public sector administration, financial oversight, and operational leadership, with prior roles at the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), California High-Speed Rail Authority (HSR), and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
Gabby is known for her ability to modernize administrative systems, lead strategic cross-functional initiatives, and cultivate people-centered teams. Her collaborative and empathetic leadership style has contributed to long-term improvements in organizational effectiveness and workplace culture.