Brian Ferguson Takes Helm as Deputy Director of Communications at Cal OES

All Hazards

In this episode (#66) we talk with Brian Ferguson, deputy director of communications at Cal OES. We’ll talk about his transition from working in the governor’s office to the world of emergency management and why he’s OK with not knowing everything about his new employer, its communications team and all the facets that it faces. He’ll also talk about the relationship between PIOs and the media, the challenges that go along with the ever rapidly changing news business and how his new team will have to adapt to those changes.

On July 10, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Brian Ferguson as deputy director for crisis communication and public affairs at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Ferguson had been deputy director of media and public affairs in the Office of Governor Newsom since February 2019. Ferguson served as Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2017 to 2019. He served as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of General Services from 2013 to 2017, where he also served as Acting Deputy Director of Sustainability from 2014 to 2015. Ferguson was a communications specialist at the California Faculty Association from 2006 to 2013. He was a contributing writer at the Syracuse Post-Standard in 2006 and a writer at the Marin Independent Journal from 2004 to 2005. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the Syracuse University, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Links Cal OES Office of Public Information Cal OES Governor Gavin Newsom