Catherine Santiago was appointed as the Executive Director of the Office of Independent Review by the Orange County Board of Supervisors in August 2026. She brings more than 13 years of legal experience spanning public safety oversight, government service, and criminal justice. Previously, Ms. Santiago served as Senior Deputy County Counsel in the Los Angeles County Justice and Safety Division, where she advised the Sheriff's Department on policy development, legislative implementation, litigation exposure, and training standards.
Prior to that, she served as Deputy Inspector General for Los Angeles County, providing independent oversight of one of the nation's largest sheriff's departments, reviewing administrative and criminal investigations, uses of force, deputy-involved shootings, and other critical incidents.
In addition to her civilian service, Ms. Santiago serves as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, with vast experience in the administration of military justice. While active duty, Catherine served as a senior military prosecutor and as an instructor at the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Academy and at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center with the Department of Homeland Security.
Ms. Santiago holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Vanguard University.
