07/22/2008 GAAS:570:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version | Email / Share
Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments
Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger today announced the following
appointments:
Michael Barsom, M.D., 38, of Glendale, has been appointed medical director of Metropolitan State Hospital. He has served as acting medical
director for the Metropolitan State Hospital since 2007 and previously held
the position of staff psychiatrist from 2003 to 2007. Additionally, Barsom has
served as a psychiatric consultant at the Hollywood Community Hospital since 2004 and has conducted
independent medical evaluations for the Parthenia Medical Group since 2003. From
1999 to 2005, he served as a psychiatric emergency physician at the
University of California, Los
Angeles Medical
Center and, from 2001 to 2003, Barsom
served as a physician at the San
Fernando Valley Community Mental Health
Center. This position does
not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $264,828. Barsom is a
Republican.
Richard Bray, 61, of Rancho Cucamonga, has been appointed to the Mental Health
Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. He currently serves as
superintendent of the Tustin Unified School
District, a position he has held since 2006. Prior
to that, Bray served as the superintendent for the Hesperia Unified School
District from 1994 to 2006 and for the Soledad Union School
District from 1992 to 1994. From 1990 to 1992, he
served as the director of curriculum and instruction for the Banning Unified School
District and, from 1968 to 1990, Bray served as a teacher and
principal for the Chino Unified
School District. This
position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Bray is a
Republican.
Aaron
Carruthers, 35, of Sacramento, has been appointed special advisor
for adult programs for the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation. From January 2008 to May 2008, he was a financial planner with
Ameriprise Financial. From 2006 to 2007, Carruthers served as a principal
consultant for California Senator Darrell Steinberg. In 2006, he served as the
director of plans and reviews for the Proposition 63 Oversight and
Accountability Commission and, from 2002 to 2006, Carruthers was a speechwriter
for California Attorney General Bill Lockyer. He worked as a legislative aide to
California Senator Liz Figueroa from 1998 to 2002 and was the director of field
operations for Friends of Figueroa in 1998. From 1997 to 1998, Carruthers worked
as the district representative for California Assemblymember Liz Figueroa and,
from 1996 to 1997, he was a fellow for Coro Northern California. This position
does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $110,000.
Carruthers is a Democrat.
Lea Ann Chrones, 52, of Kern, has been
appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Since 2007, she has served on the
board and has also worked as the senior advisor of reception center institutions
for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Chrones
has worked for CDCR for over 28 years and previously held the positions of
associate director of reception center institutions from 2006 to 2007, as warden
for the North Kern State Prison from 2003 to 2006, chief deputy warden for
Corcoran State Prison in 2003 and associate warden for Wasco State Prison from
1997 to 2003. She has also previously held posts under CDCR as a correctional
business manager, correctional lieutenant and correctional sergeant. Chrones
began her career with CDCR in 1977 as one of the first female correctional
officers at San Quentin State Prison. She briefly left CDCR where she served as
a detention officer for the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department from 1979 to
1980. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is
$111,845. Chrones is a Republican.
Howard Kahn, 51, of South Pasadena, has been
appointed to the Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission. Since
2001, he has served as the chief executive officer of L.A. Care Health Plan.
From 1999 to 2001, he served as the senior vice president for Latin America and
Global Health for Cigna, Incorporated and, from 1995 to 1999, he was the vice
president, head of global health and general manager of health programs for
Aetna International, Incorporated. From 1986 to 1991, he was the founding chief
executive officer of Health Plan of San Mateo and, in 1991, was the founding
president and chief executive officer of the California Wellness Foundation.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Kahn
is a Democrat.
Stephen Kessler, 53, of Elk Grove, has
been appointed chief deputy of operations for the California Department
of Public Health (CDPH). Previously, he served as the special assistant to the
director for the CDPH in 2008 and undersecretary of administration for the
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) from 2007 to
2008. Kessler served as the chief operating officer for the Department of
Finance (DOF) from 2006 to 2007 and served as chief deputy director from 2005 to
2006. From 2003 to 2005, he served as deputy director of operations for DOF,
where he was responsible for day-to-day operations and management. He was the
assistant program budget manager for the health and human services unit of DOF
and, prior to that, Kessler served as deputy director of the administrative
services division in the CDCR. He has also served in several executive
management positions within the Department of Health Services from 1986 to 1998.
This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $138,528.
Kessler is a Republican.
Frank Michell, 57, of San Diego, has been
appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. He has served on the board since
2008. From 2004 to 2007, he served as parole agent-II/assistant unit supervisor
and specialist for the division of adult parole operations in the California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). From 1999 to 2004, he
served as correctional counselor-III/classification and parole representative
for the institutions division for CDCR. From 1998 to 1999, Michell served as
correctional lieutenant for the investigative services unit institutions
division for CDCR. From 1986 to 1998, he served as Correctional Counselor-II,
Correctional Counselor I, and correctional officer for the institutions division
in the CDCR. From 1975 to 1977, he served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the
U.S. Air Force. This position requires Senate confirmation and compensation is
$111,845. Michell is a Democrat.
Linda Rudolph, M.D., M.P.H., 57, of Oakland, has been appointed
deputy director for the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion. Since 2005, she has been the health officer and the director of
public health for the city of Berkeley. From 2001 to 2005, she served as
chief medical officer for the California Department of Health Services and as a
medical consultant in Medi-Cal Managed Care. Prior to that, Rudolph served as
the medical director for the division of workers compensation with the
Department of Industrial Relations from 1993 to 2001 and executive medical
director with the Industrial Medical Council from 1991 to 1993. From 1982 to
1992, Rudolph served in various positions within the California Department of
Health Services. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the
compensation is $172,680. Rudolph is a Democrat.
Michael Wilkening, 37, of Sacramento, has been
appointed undersecretary for program and fiscal affairs at the California Health
and Human Services Agency. He has served as the program budget manager of the
health and human services unit at the Department of Finance (DOF) since 2006.
Prior to this, he served as the assistant program budget manager in the health
and human services unit for the DOF from 2004 to 2006. From 1998 to 2004, he
worked in the employee compensation and retirement systems and education units
of the DOF as a principal program budget analyst. From 1995 to 1998, he was a
finance budget analyst for the local government and health and welfare units at
the DOF. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is
$145,176. Wilkening is a Republican.
