Peter Stern Appointed to California Racing Board

Governor Newsom Appoints Peter Stern to California Horse Racing Board. Governor Gavin Newsom has named Peter Stern to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), as confirmed in an announcement released Wednesday. His appointment will move forward pending approval by the state Senate. Peter Stern brings experience in revenue strategy, technology, and executive leadership from the private sector.

Since early 2025, Peter Stern has worked as Chief Revenue Officer at Skedulo, a workforce management platform. In this role, he has focused on expanding sales operations and developing structured growth plans. Alongside this position, he has served as an Advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck, a startup accelerator associated with the University of California Horse Racing Board, Berkeley.

Initially the years 2024 to 2025 found Stern working with Authorium as an Executive Vice President and Advisor.. Authorium provides digital tools for compliance and documentation across various industries. During his time there, Peter Stern contributed to operational planning scale-up and helped align product features with industry needs.

Before steering the fledgling ompan within a direction he opposed, he was actively engaged in its business development and investment endeavors, product strategy being his prime focus. From 2021 to 2023, he was co-founder and worked there at VoiceBrain: a startup based on the AI-based vocal solutions for enterprise use.

The California Horse Racing Board is to regulate all horse racing and wagering activities. The responsibilities of licensing, enforcing regulations, supervising races, and reviewing practices for animal care and safety rest with the board. The California Horse Racing Board also takes a look in financial transparency and fairness for all industry participants including racetracks, owners, jockeys, and bettors.

In a statement issued by the California Horse Racing Board, the board acknowledged Peter Stern’s background in operational planning and advisory work across technology sectors. The board also noted the potential value of bringing in someone who can approach regulatory questions with a perspective shaped outside the traditional racing industry.

The appointment comes during a time when California Horse Racing Board sector is under closer review, particularly concerning health protocols, medication guidelines, and public trust. Several boards and commissions nationwide are seeking broader representation from professionals who can apply insights from other fields to regulatory processes.

Governor Newsom’s administration has recently selected several candidates for state boards with business and innovation experience. Peter Stern’s work at Berkeley SkyDeck places him in contact with early-stage companies working on real-world applications in data systems, automation, and digital services—areas that could align with modern compliance tools for sports oversight bodies.

The response to Peter Stern’s appointment within the racing community has been mixed but measured. Some industry observers say that a broader range of experience on the board could support more consistent decision-making and long-term operational planning.

A racing analyst familiar with California Horse Racing Board policy said, “Having someone on the board who has led teams and shaped company structures outside of racing could be helpful. It may lead to stronger processes and more efficient oversight.”

Peter Stern, a graduate of a California Horse Racing Board, has not made a public comment since the announcement. If his appointment becomes confirmed by the Senate, he will then join the other commissioners in attending public meetings, reviewing applications for licenses, and participating in regulatory discussions regarding issued licenses which would affect race operations in all corners of the state.

His presence on the board could bring a different style of problem-solving to an industry often rooted in long-standing practices. The California Horse Racing Board’s goals include maintaining fair race conditions, supporting accountability, and upholding standards in safety and integrity.

The Senate review process will determine Peter Stern’s official start date. Until then, current board members will continue addressing scheduled matters related to race dates, compliance reviews, and oversight hearings.