SACRAMENTO – State Treasurer John Chiang announced the appointment of Ronald L. Washington to the position of executive director of the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, or CHFFA.

The authority provides critical financial assistance to public and nonprofit health care providers through loans, grants and tax exempt bonds.

Washington previously served as deputy executive director of CHFFA. He also has served as executive director of the California Educational Facilities Authority (CEFA), a post he assumed in August 2009.

At CEFA he provided policy, program, and technical direction for a lease revenue bond program and academic assistance grant program.

A former high school mathematics teacher, Washington earlier in his state government career spent nine years in the Public Finance Division of the California State Treasurer’s Office, where he held oversight responsibility for several bond programs and worked on more than $10 billion in new money and refunding transactions. He also was instrumental in developing the division’s variable rate bond program.

“With health care programs under attack by Congress it is more important than ever that we make the most of our state programs – and for that we need experienced leaders like Ronald Washington,” Chiang said as he announced Washington’s appointment.

“Providing the public with high-quality health care facilities and services has never been more urgently needed,” Washington said. “I look forward to meeting that challenge.”

Washington served in the U.S. Navy and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business economics from the University of California, Riverside. In addition, he has a Master of Arts degree in education from Claremont Graduate University.