California State Athletic Commission Members
Peter Villegas, Chair
Peter R. Villegas is Co-Chair at Actum, where he delivers results for the world’s most successful companies, leading advocacy groups, governments, political parties, NGO’s, and prominent and political figures. With more than 30 years of experience, Peter is a nationally recognized corporate leader with expertise in managing various corporate, civic, political, and community issues and initiatives with a focus on multicultural communities. Prior to joining Actum, Peter served as Vice President & Head of Latin Affairs at The Coca-Cola Company, where he acted as a national spokesman responsible for North America for over six years. Prior to Coca-Cola, Peter was a national leader in the banking industry where he served as the Vice President of the Office of Corporate Responsibility at JP Morgan Chase & Co. For over two decades he developed unique approaches that made a lasting economic, environmental and social impact on communities the company served. Peter started his career as a bank teller, working his way up through various roles in the financial industry. Currently, Peter is a Commissioner and Chair of the California State Athletic Commission, and board member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, the National Association of Latino Appointed & Elected Officials, and the Eva Longoria Foundation and is a Board Member of the Muhammad Ali Center.Dr. Vernon Williams, Vice Chair
: Dr. Williams completed his neurology residency at The University of Maryland in Baltimore, MD and is board certified by the American Association of Psychiatry and Neurology. After residency he completed a multidisciplinary, interventional pain fellowship in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care (Division of Pain Medicine) at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Williams joined the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles in 1997. At Kerlan-Jobe, he is a consulting Team Physician for the Los Angeles Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Sparks, KISS, Anaheim Ducks, and several southern California collegiate, high school, and elite club athletic programs. He is the Founding Director of The Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at the Kerlan-Jobe. He is also the Founding Director of the Sports Neurology Fellowship at Kerlan-Jobe and serves as Chief Medical Officer of the Sports Concussion Institute. Dr. Williams is an active educator on issues related to Sports Neurology and Concussion. He is the Chair of the American Academy of Neurology Sports Neurology Section. He often serves as an expert consultant on Pain and Sports Neurologic Disorders to major television networks, radio, satellite, and print media.Dr. AnnMaria De Mars, Commissioner
Dr. AnnMaria De Mars was the first American to win the world judo championships. She has competed, taught, and coached judo for over 50 years. She has been president of the United States Judo Association and California Judo, Inc. and chair of athlete development for the United States Judo Federation and Southern California Judo Black Belt Association (Nanka Yudanshakai). A serial entrepreneur and technology executive, Dr. De Mars founded The Julia Group and co-founded 7 Generation Games and Spirit Lake Consulting. Her forty-year career has been focused on expanding educational opportunities for youth and educators in under-served communities. She is currently president of 7 Generation Games, a company making customized educational games and the tools to make them. Dr. De Mars is also Executive Director of the Strong Mind, Strong Body Foundation, a family foundation aimed at helping families and communities, with a primary focus in southern California, Hawaii, and the Midwest. Dr. De Mars has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of California, Riverside, with emphasis in Applied Statistics and Psychometrics.Ron Fiore, Commissioner
Mr. Fiore is a third-generation Californian and is an expert in real estate finance and development who has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor to Fortune 100 CEO’s, tech leaders, and entrepreneurs. He has worked extensively with professional athletes, coaches, owners, and teams. Mr. Fiore is a founding partner of Guarantee Mortgage, and is president of Fiore and Company, which develops and manages properties in California, Nevada and Hawaii. Over three decades, Mr. Fiore has consistently been ranked among the top mortgage consultants in the industry. He leads the Fiore Family Foundation, which focuses on promoting youth sports and rebuilding gymnasiums in underserved communities. In 2019, the foundation teamed up with Marshawn Lynch and Marcus Peters to bring 700 inner-city youth their first football camp in El Salvador. Mr. Fiore received a B.A. in political science from St. Mary’s College in Moraga.Chris Gruwell, Commissioner
Chris Gruwell is the CEO of New Deal Advisers and has a 20-year record of successful advocacy in San Francisco. He has advised his clients on government procurements, helped entitle the Salesforce Tower and the Warriors Chase Center, and has worked on a range of local and state issues including complicated land use, procurement, new mobility, tech startups, hospitality and labor.Prior to his work in public affairs, Chris worked as California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Finance Director during his successful 2004 campaign for Mayor of San Francisco. He currently serves as a founding Trustee of the Laborers’ Community and Training Foundation and is a member of LIUNA 261. In addition, he represents San Francisco Firefighters Local 798 and serves on the Board of the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation. Chris is an Army Veteran and served as a Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco. Chris is a graduate of UCLA.
Kyle Alexandra Hamer, Commissioner
Kyle Alexandra Hamer brings more than 15 years of experience in combat sports, spanning competition, athlete representation, strategic consulting, and business operations. She began her career as a Muay Thai athlete before expanding into mixed martial arts and boxing, giving her firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities professional fighters face throughout their careers.Alongside her involvement in combat sports, Kyle built a career advising technology, media, entertainment, and consumer businesses on strategy, operations, and growth. She later joined Mike Tyson's team as an advisor, contributing to the development of Tyson Ranch and related ventures across entertainment, media, and strategic partnerships.
Kyle went on to combine her experience as an athlete and business strategist as a sports agent representing professional fighters. Her work has included contract negotiations, career strategy, brand partnerships, and relationships with leading combat sports organizations including the UFC, PFL, and Combate Global.
A graduate of Loyola Marymount University, Kyle brings to the California State Athletic Commission a perspective shaped by her experience as an athlete, advisor, and representative, with a focus on athlete advocacy and the long-term health and integrity of combat sports.