Chika Sunquist
Real Estate Commissioner
Chika Sunquist was appointed Commissioner of the California Department of Real
Estate (DRE) by Governor Gavin Newsom on November 28, 2023, and she assumed office on January 3, 2024.
Chika began her career with DRE in 2006 as a Deputy Commissioner in the Sacramento Enforcement office,
where she investigated complaints against licensees and unlicensed persons and performed background
investigations on license applicants.
In 2008, Chika transferred to DRE’s Mortgage Loan Activities unit, where she was involved in implementation
of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act and the licensing of mortgage loan
originators. In 2015, she was promoted to Supervising Special Investigator over the Mortgage Loan Activities
unit.
Since 2020, Chika has served as the Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement at DRE. She has been responsible
for the overall management and operations of the Enforcement division.
Prior to joining DRE, Chika sold residential real estate as a real estate salesperson. She currently holds
a broker license on government service.
Chika holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Languages and Linguistics from Georgetown University and an
Associate of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Sacramento City College.
