California Lottery director who tried to reform workplace values and culture steps down
The leader of the California State Lottery, which administers lotto games and raises money for public education, will step down from his role next month.
Lottery Director Alva Johnson gave his two weeks’ notice by email late Friday night.
“I am writing to share with you that I have accepted a new position, and that my last day with the California Lottery will be Friday, December 1st,” Johnson wrote. “After careful consideration, this was an opportunity I could not pass up as it was the best thing for my family and me.”
Johnson’s email said Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office was “currently reviewing options” and intends to name a new director “in a week or two.” The governor’s office Monday did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Becker confirmed Johnson’s last day would be Dec. 1, although she said she did not know details about his new job opportunity.
Johnson, a former tribal lobbyist, guided the department through the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden transition to telework. The department also saw record-breaking sales revenues during his tenure, according to lottery news releases and past year-end reports.
When Johnson joined the department in 2019, after former director Hugo Lopez suddenly resigned, the lottery faced scrutiny from both the Department of Justice and the State Controller’s Office. A 2018 whistleblower letter called out senior lottery staff for misbehaving at a Southern California piano bar after a sales conference two years earlier. That letter included photographs that had been posted online of managers carousing at the bar. A State Controller’s Office audit later determined department officials inappropriately spent about $300,000 over four years on travel, food and accommodations for sales conferences.
Soon after Johnson’s arrival, the department embarked on a soul-searching campaign to redefine and codify its mission, vision and values.
Johnson’s departure letter encouraged staff to continue improving their communication and teamwork.
“If there is one thing I can impress on all of you in parting, it is to continue to communicate and work as a team,” Johnson’s departure email read. “We will continue to succeed where we work together and keep our mission, vision, and core values in mind.”
This story was originally published November 20, 2023 at 8:25 AM with the headline "California Lottery director who tried to reform workplace values and culture steps down."