Clutch hires James Regan as chief strategy officer

Clutch, a Sacramento-based business consulting firm, has hired James Regan as chief strategy officer.

Regan succeeds Rachel Zillner, who co-founded the firm in 2019 with Anne Descalzo, CEO. Zillner is remaining at the firm as co-founder.

Regan brings 15 years of experience in government, healthcare, and technology transformation. He most recently spent two years with the California Government Operations Agency, where he was deputy secretary for workforce development. In the role, Regan led statewide coalitions for skills-first hiring and guided business transformation initiatives across dozens of departments.

Before that, he spent over six years with the California Department of Public Health, where he was a program director leading population health and emergency response initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He began his career at the University of California, Merced, where he was a community services officer/supervisor.

Regan has a bachelor’s degree in biological and biomedical sciences from the University of California, Merced.

“James built a career on solving complex challenges through collaboration, innovation, and policy implementation,” said Descalzo. “He’s a natural fit for Clutch and will help elevate how we support mission-driven organizations and communities across the country.”

Clutch provides strategy and experience management consulting to public and private sector clients. The firm works with state and local governments, educational institutions, small businesses, and community financial institutions.

Clutch has practices in business process and strategy, experience management, program management, learning and development, people operations, technology and innovation, marketing and communications, and event management.

The firm has 67 employees listed on LinkedIn.