Therese “Terri” Delgadillo took over as director of the already beleaguered Department of Developmental Services (DDS) just before the nation’s economy crashed and California’s budget spiraled into deficit. Her department did not fare well in budget negotiations over the next seven years as a series of reports detailed problems that threatened the health and safety of its vulnerable patients.

Delgadillo holds a bachelor of arts in social science from California State University, Stanislaus, and a master of social work from California State University, Sacramento. She was a peace officer at the California Youth Authority before taking a job as  chief of the legislative division at the Governor's Office of Criminal Justice Planning from 1982 to 1986.

Delgadillo, a Republican, was state Senator John F. Seymour’s chief legislative consultant for the state Senate Select Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse from 1986 to 1991. She continued to work for Seymour as legislative and policy director when he was temporarily appointed to the U.S. Senate in 1991 by Governor Pete Wilson (who had vacated the seat). When Seymour was defeated by Diane Feinstein in a 1992 special election to fill out the term, Delgadillo took the same position working for Republican Senator Paul D. Coverdell of Georgia and stayed for five years.

She returned to California in 1997 as acting undersecretary and deputy secretary in the California Youth and Adult Correctional Agency. From 2000-2004, Delgadillo served as deputy director of health and bioterrorism policy and deputy director of legislative and governmental affairs for the state Department of Health Services. She moved to the state Health and Human Services Agency and served as deputy secretary of program and fiscal affairs at the state from 2004-2006.

Delgadillo was appointed director in 2006 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and was reappointed director by Governor Jerry Brown in January 2011. She resigned at the end of in 2013.

Terri Delgadillo, Director of DDS (DDS website)         

Terri Delgadillo (State Independent Living Council website)

Governor Schwarzenegger Appoints Terri Delgadillo as Director of Department of Developmental Services (DDS website)

Therese Delgadillo Appointed Chief Deputy Director of DDS and Will Act as Interim Director (California Association of Psychiatric Technicians)

Appointments at California Health and Human Services Agency (YubaNet)