Barbara Alby
Chief Deputy

From welfare mom and domestic violence victim to successful businesswoman, legislator and leader, Barbara Alby’s life is truly an American success story. Barbara marks two occasions as significant turning points in her life. The first occurred when the newly elected California Governor, Ronald Reagan, cut her welfare benefits while she was a single mother, living in poverty. The second was when she met and married Dennis Alby and they started their life together building a new family and later working side-by-side to build their own business.

That same tenacity and inner strength that helped her at critical moments in her early life served her well in 1993 when she was elected to the State Assembly, representing the Sacramento area. Foremost among Barbara’s legislative accomplishments are laws to protect women and children from sexual predators. She authored legislation that established the Child Molester Hotline as well as “Megan’s Law.” Barbara fought to protect our children from criminals on school campuses after a young woman was murdered on a high school campus in her district. That legislation is known as the “Michelle Montoya” law.  She defended patient’s rights in healthcare when she ended the practice of HMO’s writing gag orders in their contracts with providers that would keep doctors from discussing all treatment options with their patients.

Knowing first hand the day to day operation of a small business, she was a champion for small businesses in California. The National Tax Limitation Committee named her “Taxfighter of the Year” every year for her efforts on behalf of California’s working families.

Today Barbara serves as Chief Deputy to Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard.

In addition to her professional duties at the Board of Equalization, Barbara represents California on the Republican National Committee. Where she serves on the Executive Committee, the Rules Committee and is the very first Californian to be elected to represent the Western States on the Resolutions Committee.

She is mother of five, grandmother of four and spouse of one.

Sue Blake
Senior Tax Counsel

Sue comes to the BOE after having served more than a decade as a staffer in the State Capitol.  She worked as a consultant for State Senators Maurice Johannessen and Colonel William J. “Pete” Knight and most recently hails from Governor Schwarzenegger’s administration as the Legislative Director of the Office of Planning and Research.  As is the case with most legislative staffers, her issue areas in the Senate and Governor’s Office varied widely, including criminal justice, elections, tax/fee disputes, Indian Gaming, transportation and natural resources.  Prior to the BOE, Sue also worked for several years as a private attorney and served as the Public Policy Director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, an organization dedicated to just enforcement of the death penalty.

Sue is married to Doug Haaland, Director of Member Services for the Assembly Republican Caucus, and is active in local Republican politics.  She is widely-traveled, having been to more than 20 countries and is conversant in both French and Spanish.  In her free time, Sue likes to play guitar, read, and watch and play sports.  Her favorites include running, hiking, skiing, biking, swimming, shooting, basketball, football, ice hockey, and volleyball.

Sue was born and raised in the San Francisco East Bay Area and is a graduate of Cedarville University in Ohio and McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California.

Bill Cardoza
Administrative Assistant

As a high school student in Eureka, Bill completed his first internship with the Humboldt County Sheriff Department.  At San Francisco State University, he completed his second internship, this time on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., with then California North Coast Congressman Don H. Clausen (R- Crescent City).

Bill was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in May 2004 to be Administrative Assistant to Board of Equalization Member Bill Leonard.  Prior, Bill served as Assemblyman Steve Samuelian’s Legislative Director and Chief of Staff, legislative assistant to Assemblyman Anthony Pescetti, and Assemblyman Phil Wyman.  Prior still, he handled legislation for Senator Maurice Johannessen in 1999-2000.  Before Johannessen, he did legislation for former Assemblyman Jan Goldsmith. –Vice Chairman of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety.  Earlier, he worked as a chief consultant with the Assembly Republican Caucus -- working with the lateAssemblyman Bernie Richter in 1996 in conjunction with the State Senate Advisory Commission on Cost Control in State Government compiling a statewide study on public procurement practices.

Bill served as chief consultant with Assemblywoman Barbara Alby, filling her Rules Committee position.  He also served over ten years in the Assembly Republican Caucus under Assembly Republican Leaders Pat Nolan, Ross Johnson, Bill Jones, Jim Brulte, Curt Pringle, Bill Leonard, and Rod Pacheco.  While at the caucus, he was the liaison to the Assembly Republican Task Force on the Family and served as minority legislative consultant on the Assembly Committee on Agriculture, the Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection, Government Efficiency & Economic Development, the Assembly Committee on Labor & Employment, the Assembly Committee on Human Services, and the Assembly Committee on Aging & Long Term Care.

Before working with the Assembly Republican Caucus, Bill served as an administrative assistant to Assembly GOP Whip Eric Seastrand, he served as senior consultant with Senator H. L. Richardson, he served as chief policy consultant with the Assembly Committee on Constitutional Amendments chaired then by Assemblyman Phil Wyman, and he served as an associate consultant handling law enforcement matters for Senator H. L. Richardson when he joined the California Legislature in 1982. 

For the past three years he has been active with the Sacramento Regional Medical Reserve Corps and participated in several homeland security-sponsored exercises that simulated terrorist attacks, hazardous chemical spills and evacuations and natural disasters.

Donald Fillman
Senior Tax Counsel emeritus

Don spent his childhood in Lafayette, California—way back when he could ride his horse for miles without seeing a house.  He became an entrepreneur at the age of 12 as the only local owner of a rotary tiller.

After graduating from Pacific Union College with degrees in Business Administration and Speech, he worked for a CPA firm, performing major audits and preparing tax returns.  He worked on a part-time basis while attending law school at the University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law.  After graduating, he moved to Sacramento to practice law.

Before joining Bill Leonard’s staff, Don was a tax counsel with the Board of Equalization for ten years, most recently with the Appeals Division.  Before coming to the Board, he was a partner in a Sacramento law firm where he practiced real estate and tax law.

Don has a passion for world travel.  As a member of the Traveler’s Century Club, he enjoys skiing, scuba diving and visiting missions in many countries.  As a pilot, he often hitches rides with the local bush pilots.

Mai Harvill
Assistant Deputy

Mai Harvill has over 15 years of experience in government and politics. After graduating from Brawley Union High School as salutatorian of her class, she never imagined at the time that she would one day work at the State Capitol and have the honor of serving the people of the State of California.

While in high school, she was chosen to represent her school and community at Girls State (a summer leadership program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary) which was held in Sacramento. She felt so honored when she received a congratulatory letter from her State Senator (which she still has in a scrapbook) and excited when she visited the State Capitol and the Assembly and Senate Chambers for the first time.

While attending the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, she became interested in government and politics and decided to take an entry level position with then Assemblyman Jim Brulte in his district office. While answering calls from his constituents about local, state and federal issues, she quickly learned how to navigate around the government bureaucracy to find answers to their questions.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, she moved to Sacramento and joined the Assembly Republican Caucus staff.

During the 1994 elections, Mai returned to Brawley to work on the Jim Battin for State Assembly campaign. After Battin's victory, she joined his Capitol office staff as his Legislative Aide.

In 1997, Mai was asked to join Assembly Republican Leader Bill Leonard's leadership staff. She served as Senior Assistant in his Capitol office and was his campaign manager for his successful bid to the State Board of Equalization in 2002. She currently serves as his Assistant Deputy.

She credits her father, Howard and her late mother, Loan, for her accomplishments. They raised her and her sister to work hard, do their best and enjoy life.

Outside the office, Mai enjoys traveling the world, photography and spending time with her family especially her niece and nephews.

Thomas N. Hudson
Senior Tax Counsel

Tom Hudson is a sixth-generation Californian who grew up in a large family in Alameda.  He became active in volunteer politics as an undergraduate student at U.C. Berkeley, partly in reaction to campus radicalism.  He founded the California Review student newspaper and got elected to the Alameda County Republican Central Committee, where he later served as Chairman.  He met Bill Leonard, then a Senator, when he testified in favor of the successful “Leonard Law” (Senate Bill 1115 from 1992, now Education Code Section 94367), which eliminated college censorship of student publications and guaranteed Free Speech on campus.

While attending UCLA Law School, he was elected Chairman of the California College Republicans, served on the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee, and worked on dozens of campaigns.  After returning to Alameda to establish a tax and estate planning law firm, he was called to Sacramento in 1996 when one of the candidates he had assisted as a law student was elected Speaker of the Assembly.  Although he only expected to work in the Legislature for a few months, Tom remained there for nine years, serving as a Policy Consultant and Legislative Director in both the California State Senate and the Assembly.

In 2004, Tom accepted a position as Tax Counsel to Bill Leonard.  He initially specialized in property and excise tax matters, but now specializes in income tax appeals.  He has a passion for helping taxpayers work within the law to keep more of their own hard-earned money.

Tom got his start in world travel as a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve and he has traveled extensively on his own.   Although he has been to 40 countries, he has a much longer list of places he plans to visit.  He particularly enjoys camping and mountain climbing in California and he has earned a reputation for long car trips to the most obscure corners of the state.

He owns a small horse ranch in rural Placer County, where he and his wife Carlene are raising their two daughters.  He remains active in volunteer politics and now serves as the Chairman of the Placer County Republican Party, the Vice President of the California Republican Assembly, and Executive Director of the California Taxpayer Protection Committee.

Darci King

Darci King was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ where she spent her childhood riding horses, growing up in her family’s shoe business, and socializing with her family’s close friends, the Goldwaters.

Dacri moved to West Los Angeles during her childhood and became interested in the criminal justice system.  She won an award for her essay on the criminal justice system and became determined to continue her study of it. After graduating from high school at 16, Darci was offered two opportunities. One was immediate acceptance into UCLA and the other was a full scholarship to study abroad in Australia.  Wanting to explore her options in the criminal justice field, Darci decided to attend the only local school that offered a criminal justice program, Cal State Los Angeles.  She was one of only two women enrolled in the program.

While working at her grandfather’s bail bond business and pursuing her degree in criminal justice, Darci was finally bitten by her family’s “political bug.” She traveled to Sacramento to attend various political functions, and worked alongside her family members family to organize former Governor George Deukmejian’s inaugural party in their Los Angeles home. 

Darci moved to Sacramento in the early 1990s.  Her jobs there included legislative staff for Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, and the Assistant History Clerk and the Reading Clerk of the Assembly Floor.

When not at the office, Darci is active in her son’s education. She served as Board President at his former school, and is very active in his current school doing volunteer work.  Darci loves to travel, read, cook, but thinks being a great mom is the best!

Margaret Pennington
Tax Consultant

Margaret has worked at the State Board of Equalization for 27 years, serving in various positions dealing with taxpayers' rights, tax collection and auditing. She also served as Sergeant at Arms and the Chair of the Women's Advisory Committee for the Board. She is a Tax Consultant to former legislator and current elected Member of the Board of Equalization, Bill Leonard.

Margaret participated as one of the members of Governor Schwarzenegger's California Performance Review project where she investigated ideas to reshape California's financial state. To help accomplish Mr. Leonard's goal of educating youth about their state, Margaret also developed the Board of Equalization program for the YMCA's Youth and Government program.

She works closely with the Education & Outreach Office and the Taxpayers' Rights Advocate at the Board to provide information and assistance to businesses on tax law and procedures as well as taxpayers' rights. Margaret also works with the Board Member and BOE executives to develop policy for the Agency that places a priority on taxpayers' rights. Margaret firmly believes in keeping businesses informed so they can succeed and flourish.

Margaret is a devoted mother of three daughters and a son. The family is active in the Souls' Harbor Church in Sacramento. Margaret is part of the church leadership staff. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Business and her Bachelor of Religious Arts in Biblical Studies.

Eric Reslock
Legislation & Communications Director

Eric Reslock grew up in Olympia, Washington. He is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College.

Upon graduation Eric joined the 1996/97 class of Jesse Marvin Unruh Assembly Fellows where he had the privilege of working for Bill Leonard.  At the conclusion of his fellowship, Eric joined the Assemblyman's legislative staff.  He also spent two years as editor of San Francisco Faith – a monthly Catholic newspaper.  He is married to Anne.  They have three children:  Eric Jr., George Perry, and Helen Marie.  The Reslocks are part of the Latin Mass community of St. Stephens in Sacramento.

Janice Rutherford-Lim
Public Affairs Director

Janice Rutherford-Lim has been a member of Mr. Leonard’s staff since 1987.  She served as his Chief of Staff in the State Senate and State Assembly. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from U.C. Riverside, where she was named Undergraduate Research Scholar.  She attended the Claremont Graduate University where she received her master’s degree in American Politics.  At CGU, she also took doctoral coursework in Public Policy and Economics.

Janice is a member of the Fontana City Council, a position to which she was elected in 2000 and re-elected in 2004.

Her community activities include serving Board of Directors for the Fontana Boys and Girls Club, the Fontana Rotary Club and the Chaffey Community College Foundation.  She is the Inland Empire representative to the State Board of the League of California Cities. Janice has been honored as the 63rd Assembly District’s Woman of the Year, as a Woman of Distinction by the West End YWCA and as a Distinguished Alum of Chaffey College.

Janice has been involved in many theatrical productions and her Church.  She has also been a motivational speaker, writing consultant and trainer for school districts and corporations, as well as helping run a family business with stores at area malls and Disneyland.

Kathleen Wilder
District Office Manager

A native of Southern California, Kathleen Wilder attended California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.

Kathleen worked on Mr. Leonard’s legislative staff from 1990 until 2002, specializing in constituent relations.  She had the opportunity to deal with many state agencies and facilitate solutions to taxpayers’ issues with the state.  Kathleen assisted people with a variety of state issues, including taxation, education, transportation, employment and housing.  Prior to joining Mr. Leonard’s staff, she worked for a city in the San Gabriel Valley, assisting with carpooling and air quality issues.

When not at the office, Kathleen loves outdoor sports and traveling with her family.  Kathleen is active with her daughters’ activities, dance and volleyball.

Lee Williams
Senior Analyst

Lee Williams grew up in the Auburn/Colfax area of Placer County.  He was an avid reader, obtaining an adult library card after his sixth grade teacher told the county librarian that Lee was reading the same books (science fiction) he was and Lee’s parents tired of checking out books on their boy’s behalf.  While attending Colfax High School Lee was always involved with athletics, student government and other activities.  Lee was Colfax’s representative to California Boys State and valedictorian of his graduating class.

Lee attended Sierra College for two years while working full time and trying to figure out what was interesting enough to consider working at it for a lifetime.   Lee’s first accounting course answered the question of what was interesting.  With a goal in mind, Lee obtained an academic scholarship and transferred to the University of California at Berkeley, where he was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate with majors in Accounting and Economics.  Lee later earned an M.S. in Industrial Administration from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie-Mellon University.

While working for a predecessor to Deloitte & Touche in San Francisco, Lee earned his C.P.A. certificate.   A 20+ year career in financial management followed.  Lee worked in the ocean shipping, petroleum distribution and retailing, package manufacturing, food storage equipment manufacturing and food supplement manufacturing industries in the Bay Area and the greater Sacramento area.  While in private industry, Lee has been responsible for satisfying taxpayer obligations for a large array of BOE fees and taxes.

Lee’s outside interests include the NBA (Kings and Warriors), reading, performing arts, strategy games and movies.