A veteran official of seven administrations, Cliff Allenby was picked by Governor George Deukmejian in 1990 (while Secretary of the Health and Welfare Department), to be the first chairman of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board and has served intermittently in the post since then. He was reappointed in August 2011 by Governor Jerry Brown and concurrently serves as acting director at the new Department of State Hospitals during its transition from the Department of Mental Health. 

Allenby graduated from California State University, Humboldt in 1959 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and economics and did graduate work at CalState San Jose, UC Berkeley and UC Davis.

He worked in the California Department of Finance for 23 years, beginning in 1963, eventually becoming deputy director. He joined Governor Deukmejian’s Cabinet in 1987 as Secretary of the Health and Welfare Agency before moving to the private sector. From 1991 to 1996, Allenby worked as chief lobbyist for the California Building Industry Association, holding the title of senior staff vice-president for governmental affairs.

He moved back to the public sector in 1996 as the chief legislative representative for Los Angeles County. Governor Pete Wilson appointed Allenby board chairman again in 1994 and in 1997 also made him  director of the Department of Development Services. Allenby stayed on as MRMIB chairman for another year but served as DDS director for eight years, doubling up as Governor Gray Davis’ interim director of the Department of General Services beginning in 1999.  Allenby was appointed interim director of the Department of Social Services in 2006-07 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger while also serving as MRMIB chairman.

Allenby was appointed acting director of the Department of Mental Health by Health and Human Services Agency Secretary  Diana Dooley in January 2011.

Cliff Allenby's Biography (MRMIB website)

Acting Director's Page – Cliff Allenby (DMH website)

Interim Chief Named to Manage State’s Troubled Department of Mental Health (by Lee Romney, Los Angeles Times)

Cliff Allenby Named California Director of Developmental Services (California Association of Psychiatric Technicians)

Governor Wilson Announces Decline in Small Business Insurance Rates (PR Newswire)

Wilson Appoints Clifford Allenby as Director of the Department of Developmental Services (Governor Pete Wilson press release)