California Taxpayers Association

Robert Gutierrez

Rob is the President and Chief Executive Officer of CalTax, responsible for managing the staff and overall direction of the association. Rob joined CalTax in 2009, and served as Director of State & Local Finance and Director of the California Tax Foundation, the nonprofit research organization founded by CalTax in 1980. Rob is a member of the Franchise Tax Board Advisory Board. He has completed extensive research on tax policy, including property taxes, how taxes and fees are applied under Proposition 26, and state spending priorities. He assisted in publishing the second edition of California’s Tax Machine: A History of Taxing and Spending in the Golden State. Rob holds a degree in political science from Westmont College in Santa Barbara.

Peter Blocker

Peter is the Vice President of Policy at CalTax. He has been with CalTax since 2011, first as a Policy Analyst and since 2015 as a registered lobbyist. In addition to representing CalTax in the Capitol, he analyzes legislation relating to tax policy, and manages special projects. He also provides research and writing for CalTax publications. Peter’s research and writing covers a broad spectrum of state tax policy, as well as government efficiency, elections and local tax issues. He is a graduate of the University of San Diego.

Member Login

Jeissy Lee

Jeissy is a Policy Analyst at CalTax, where she monitors and tracks legislative developments, judicial opinions, and regulatory issues. Prior to joining CalTax, she provided policy analysis for NBC Universal in Los Angeles and served in the Washington, D.C., office of the global law and lobbying firm K&L Gates. Jeissy holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and public affairs from Claremont McKenna College.

Caitlin Herring

Caitlin serves as the association’s Research Fellow, where she conducts research and analysis to inform taxpayers about public policy issues impacting California. She brings experience to CalTax from her tenure in local government, where she analyzed public policy issues in Orange County, as well as from her work with local organizations. Caitlin holds a bachelor’s degree in history of public policy and law from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California at Irvine.

Krissy Looney

Krissy joined CalTax in June 2024 and serves as Office Manager and Assistant Bookkeeper. She previously owned and operated a small business and worked in the real estate industry coordinating transactions in Placer and Sacramento counties. Raised in Auburn, Krissy holds a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Fresno.

Joan Armenta-Roberts

Joan joined CalTax in February 2020 as a Sales Tax Consultant with expertise helping taxpayers navigate California’s complicated sales and use tax laws. She has more than 25 years of sales and use tax experience, both in the private sector and through her work as a top advisor to State Board of Equalization Member Dean Andal, who chaired the BOE and successfully implemented reforms that promote efficiency and sound tax policy. Her extensive experience also includes more than 18 years with PwC and KPMG, two of the “Big Four” accounting firms, and most recently running her own sales tax consulting business.

David Kline

David was named Vice President of Communications and Research in January 2010, after serving since 2007 as Director of Communications. He fields media inquiries, oversees research projects and production of CalTax publications, and serves as editor of the CalTaxletter. From 1992 to 2004, he worked for the Metropolitan News Company, first as the Capitol bureau chief and later as editor of Senior Spectrum newspaper, which received several journalism awards during his five-year tenure. From 2004 to 2007, he was a principal consultant and chief speechwriter for the Assembly Minority Leader.