Executive Staff

Image of Lynda Gledhill.

Executive Officer

Lynda Gledhill

Lynda Gledhill has served as the executive officer of CalVCB since December 2019. In that time, she has led a transformation of the organization that included hiring a new executive team, reorganizing staff and implementing measures to improve efficiency.  

With a goal of assessing how to better serve victims, Gledhill oversaw efforts that resulted in the launch of a new, customer-friendly website to provide better access to services for victims, providers and advocates, implemented an Employee Recognition Award program to support staff engagement, and promoted workload efficiencies that shortened the time it takes to process applications by 40 percent.  In addition, Gledhill actively engages in several committees and forums made of up state and nationwide stakeholders dedicated to victim services.

Previously, Gledhill served for seven years as the Deputy Secretary of Communications at the Government Operations Agency, where she worked on projects to modernize the California DMV, establish the California Tax and Fee Administration and make all state government websites accessible. She also held executive level communications positions in the California Attorney General’s Office and the California State Senate. Gledhill started her career in California as a political reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, where for nearly 10 years she covered a wide range of state and national political stories. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from American University in Washington, D.C. and a Master of Arts in print journalism from the University of Missouri.


Chief Deputy Executive Officer

Natalie Mack

Natalie Mack joined the California Victim Compensation Board as Deputy Executive Officer of the Victim Compensation Program in May 2020 and became Chief Deputy Executive Officer in July 2021. Before coming to CalVCB, Mack spent eight years at the Employment Development Department, where she held several positions, including Central Office Division Chief of the Disability Insurance Branch, Projects and Technology Deputy Chief and Assistant Project Manager for the Disability Insurance Automation Process. She also led the efforts for the Disability Insurance Branch related to the Business Modernization effort. Mack began her state service in November 2001. She has held positions with the State Controller’s Office, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Health Care Services, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Justice. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts from the University of Phoenix.

Deputy Executive Officers

Kim Gauthier, Chief Counsel

Kim Gauthier became Chief Counsel at the California Victim Compensation Board in June 2020. She previously served as Special Counsel/Assistant Chief Counsel for the Secretary of State (2005-2007 and 2017-2020), where she also held the position of Deputy Secretary of State for Operations (2012-2017) during her 10 years with that office. Gauthier served as Chief Counsel at First 5 California from 2007 until 2012, Senior Corporations Counsel for the Department of Corporations from 2002 to 2005 and Staff Counsel at the Department of Health Services from 2000 to 2002. Gauthier holds a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Chico and a Juris Doctor from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1996.

Vincent Walker, Victim Compensation Program

Vincent Walker joined the California Victim Compensation Board as Deputy Executive Officer of the Victim Compensation Program in August 2021. Before coming to CalVCB, Walker spent 16 years providing oversight of a variety of statewide programs and direction regarding claim management, quality assurance, policy and procedure development, and customer relations at the Employment Development Department.

Abdul Shaik, Information Technology Division

Abdul Shaik joined the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) as Deputy Executive Officer of Information Technology (IT) in July 2022. Abdul came to CalVCB with over 23 years of IT experience in both public and private sectors. Before joining CalVCB, Shaik worked for the Employment Development Department (EDD), as one of the IT Division Chiefs for over five years and provided technical leadership in managing the department’s mission-critical complex payment systems for the unemployment, disability and paid family leave programs as well as acting as an IT project sponsor for several federal and state mandated projects. Prior to EDD, he also worked for FI$Cal as the Assistant Deputy Director of Technology for 2.5 years providing direction and guidance to the project’s technology team consisting of both the state staff and contractors. He has also held technology management positions with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Health Services and Intel Corporation. Abdul is Project Management Professional (PMP) certified and ITIL Foundations certified for IT operations management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from India and a Master of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Shawn Ramirez, Administrative Division

Shawn Ramirez became the Deputy Executive Officer of the Administrative Division in May 2023. Ramirez has been in state service for more than 20 years and most recently served as the Assistant Chief of Human Resources and Departmental Labor Relations Officer for the Department of Motor Vehicles. She spent five years with California Corrections Health Care Services in a few positions and worked six years with the California Department of Human Resources as a Statewide Labor Relations Officer, Labor Relations Manager and Labor Relations Specialist. She has also held positions with the Franchise Tax Board, Department of Developmental Services, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of State Hospitals, and California Public Employees’ Retirement System. Ramirez holds a Master’s degree in public administration from Keller Graduate School and a Bachelor’s degree in technical management from DeVry University.

Katie Cardenas, External Affairs

Katie Cardenas joined the California Victim Compensation Board in June 2023 as the Deputy Executive Officer of External Affairs. Prior to coming to CalVCB, Cardenas spent 10 years at the California State Auditor’s Office, where she held positions in the administrative division, and as both senior auditor and auditor evaluator. Cardenas holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Cal Poly Humboldt and a Master of public policy and administration degree from California State University Sacramento.

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