Yolanda Richardson and Adetokunbo “Toks” Omishakin, are officially assuming their roles as state government executives in Sacramento at at time when the state is implementing deep cuts to its fiscal year 2020-21 budget in response to the global COVID-19 crisis.

A little over 100 miles southwest of Sacramento in Santa Clara County, another African American, Rick Callender, assumed the top post of the region’s water utility last month.

In her role, Richardson, a graduate of California State University Sacramento, oversees 10 state departments.

Rick Callender, 49, an attorney and longtime water executive, was elected CEO of the Santa Clara Water District (SCWD) by the organization’s board of directors last month.

He earned his bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering and technology from California State University, Chico, and his law degree from Northwestern California School of Law.