Shannon O'Rourke

Shannon O’Rourke was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 29, 2023, as the deputy director of the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety at the California Natural Resources Agency. She leads the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety’s Electrical Infrastructure Directorate. Her team assesses electrical corporations’ Wildfire Mitigation Plans, safety culture assessments, safety certifications, and executive compensation structures, and ensures they are executing on their plans through field inspections and audits.

Ms. O’Rourke served over 10 years at the California Public Utilities Commission in senior policy and administrative roles. She was Chief of Staff to the President, energy and safety advisor to a Commissioner, an administrative law judge, and a supervisor of customer clean energy programs. Prior to state service, Ms. O’Rourke worked in the energy sector. She is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and Columbia University.