Longtime Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee Jean M. Shiomoto was appointed director of the agency in November 2013 by Governor Jerry Brown.

Shiomoto, 57 at the time of her appointment, graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from California State University, Sacramento. Early in her career, 1980, she was an auditor for the California Department of Developmental Services. She quickly moved to the Department of General Services, where she held multiple positions, including fiscal systems manager, systems developmental analyst and auditor.

She was briefly an accounting administrator at the California Franchise Tax Board in 1988 before moving to the DMV. Since 1988, her jobs at the agency have included systems development manager, cost accounting manager, fiscal officer, controller, advisor to the director and chief financial officer.

Shiomoto was deputy director of the communication programs division and chief of operations for four years before being promoted to chief deputy director in April 2012. She was named acting department director when George Valverde left less than a year later. Brown made it permanent around 10 months later.

Shiomoto is a member of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators Board of Directors and president of the Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley Board of Directors.

Her new job requires Senate confirmation and compensation is $150,000. Shiomoto is a Democrat.

Jean Shiomoto Named Director of DMV (Rafu Shimpo)

Governor Brown Announces Appointments (Office of the California Governor)