Jeff Van Wagenen has served the residents of Riverside County, in one capacity or another for almost 30 years, including serving as the County Executive Officer since his appointment by the Board of Supervisors in early 2021.

After beginning his career working in the District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor, Van Wagenen opened a criminal defense law firm in 2000. As a specialist in criminal law, certified by the State Bar of California, Van Wagenen handled many of the County’s most serious and high-profile cases. During this time, he was often asked to serve as a Judge Pro Tem in the Superior Court, handling felony and misdemeanor matters. In 2011, Van Wagenen returned to the DA’s Office to serve as an Assistant District Attorney and was assigned the countywide administration of the office. To these relatively unique experiences (as the administrator of a large law office, a prosecutor, a defense attorney, designated civil plaintiff/ defendant, and a judge pro tem), he added the Managing Director of Riverside County’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) in late 2014. Among other things, EDA works to enhance the economic position of the county’s residents and businesses. Three years later, he was named the Assistant County Executive Officer for Public Safety, working with the Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney’s Office, The Probation Department, the Law Offices of the Public Defender, the CalFire Riverside Unit / Riverside County Fire Department, and the Emergency Management Department.

Van Wagenen earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and his juris doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. He lives with his wife and two children in the city of Riverside.