Fiona Ma
California's first woman of color to serve as State Treasurer, steering the finances of the world's fifth-largest economy through boom and crisis.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American politician·Birthday: March 4·Generation X
Biography
Fiona Ma's path to becoming California's chief banker was paved with a series of firsts. A certified public accountant by training, she cut her teeth in San Francisco politics, serving on the city's Board of Supervisors. Her move to the California State Assembly saw her rise to become the first Asian American woman to serve as Speaker pro Tempore. In 2018, she was elected State Treasurer, breaking another barrier as the first woman and first person of color in that powerful role. From this perch, she oversees billions in bond financing, manages the state's massive cash flow, and sits on the boards of its major pension funds. Her tenure has been defined by navigating the fiscal emergencies of wildfires and a global pandemic, while pushing initiatives for green bonds, affordable housing, and financial literacy.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Fiona was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Fiona Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Fiona's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Elected as California State Treasurer in 2018, becoming the first woman and first person of color to hold the office.
- Served as Speaker pro Tempore of the California State Assembly, the first Asian American woman to do so.
- Previously served as a member of the California Board of Equalization, which administers state tax laws.
- Began her political career on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, representing the city's downtown and neighborhoods.
Did You Know?
She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
She survived a battle with cervical cancer early in her political career.
She is an avid runner and has completed multiple marathons.
“Numbers tell a story, and my job is to make sure it's a fair one.”
