The Brown Administration named John Wagner Interim Director of the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) in May 2011.  For the four years previous to this appointment, he served as Director of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), where he oversaw programs affecting over 3 million of California’s most vulnerable residents, including foster children and youth, children and families receiving aid through the California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), adults and elderly in licensed community care facilities, and aged, disabled, and blind recipients requiring assistance from In-Home Supportive Services or Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Program (SSI/SSP).

With nearly two decades of experience in human services, Wagner served as senior policymaker and advisor to seven gubernatorial administrations in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and now California.  Prior to California, he served as Assistant Secretary for children, youth and families for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services, where he coordinated policies and programs for the Office of Children, Youth and Families across multiple state agencies. Additionally, Wagner served as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance, where he led one the state's largest agencies and oversaw the administration of cash assistance, shelter and food programs serving poor and low-income residents.