Jan Sturla, Director
On November 21, 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Jan Sturla as director of the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS).
"Jan Sturla has a strong record of leadership on child support issues at both the state and local level. His focus on program performance and his record in statewide leadership on behalf of county child support programs makes him well-suited to lead the department," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "I thank David Maxwell-Jolly for his role in implementing California's first statewide child support automated system. His leadership in the project has resulted in an end to costly federal penalties and the successful launch of a program that will help ensure that millions of California children will get the support they need."
Sturla has served as director for the Orange County Department of Child Support Services since 1999, where he has been responsible for the executive management of approximately 100,000 child support cases, 630 employees and an annual budget of $55 million. Previously, he worked for the Orange County District Attorney's Office from 1992 to 1999, where he served as supervising deputy district attorney for the family support division and trial attorney for a number of divisions including felony trials, sexual assault and child abuse, homicide and consumer and environmental protection units.
"The state child support program represents a very important lifeline for over a million children and families in California," said Jan Sturla. "I am honored to have been chosen by Governor Schwarzenegger to direct this important work."
Sturla, 62, of San Clemente, earned a Juris Doctorate degree and graduated cum laude from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from California State University, Fullerton.