10/16/2008 GAAS:725:08 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Print Version |
Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments
Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger today announced the following
appointments:
C. Patrick Askay, 87, of Ventura, has been appointed to the Ventura
County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural
Association). He has served on the board of directors since 2001. Prior to
retiring, Askay worked as a labor relations representative for the California
State Employees Association from 1983 to 1995. From 1976 to 1982, he served as a
business assistant to the chief executive officer of the 31st District Agricultural Association and, from 1971 to 1976, Askay owned and served
as vice president of Campers International/Fiesta Travel. He worked as the
manager of sales administration for Western Airlines from 1969 to 1971 and was a
plant engineer for On Mark Engineering from 1966 to 1969. This position does not
require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Askay is a Democrat.
Mark Baldassare, Ph.D.,
56, of Kensington, has been appointed to the CaliforniaVolunteers Commission. He
currently works for the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) as
president and chief executive officer, positions he has held since 2007 and
previously served as the director of research from 2002 to 2007. Additionally,
Baldassare has served the PPIC as the Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller chair of
public policy since 2001 and as the director of the PPIC Statewide Survey since
1998. He was a professor of urban and regional planning at the University of California, Irvine from 1981 to 2001. This position does
not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Baldassare is registered
decline-to-state.
Janis Berk, 51, of Port
Hueneme, has been appointed to the Ventura County Fair Board of
Directors (31st District Agricultural Association). She has served on
the board of directors since 2002 and has served as vice president of San Miguel
Produce since 2004. Prior to that, Berk worked as a business consultant at Berk
Associates from 2001 to 2004 and was vice president of marketing and strategic
planning for Rauxa Direct in 2001. From 1996 to 2000, she was director of
communications and public affairs for the Los Angeles Times and, from 1994 to 1996,
Berk was the director of marketing for the Los Angeles News Group. She currently
serves on the advisory board of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Berk
is a Republican.
Michael Bradbury, 66, of Ojai, has been appointed to
the Ventura County Fair Board of Directors (31st District
Agricultural Association). He has served on the board of directors since 2004.
Bradbury has worked as a partner at Weston Benshoof Office of Alston Bird since
2002 and has owned Hang'Em High Ranch since 1992. Prior to that, he served as
the district attorney for the County of Ventura from 1978 to 2002. Bradbury
currently serves as chairman of the Ventura County Business Bank Board of
Directors. He is also a member of the Advancement of Criminal Justice Board of
Directors, Ventura County Community Foundation Board of Directors, Ventura
County Sheriff Foundation Board of Directors and Community Memorial Hospital
Board of Trustees. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there
is no salary. Bradbury is a Republican.
Will Brown, 58, of San Mateo, has been appointed undersecretary
for the Department of Food and Agriculture. He has a long history of working
with agricultural and consumer food distribution and retailing interests. Since
2003, he has managed his own government relations and public affairs consulting
practice, Will Brown Government & Public Affairs. Prior to that, Brown
worked as a government relations consultant for Lang, Hansen, O'Malley and
Miller from 2001 to 2003 and was the director of the western region for Albers
and Company from 1989 to 2000. From 1986 to 1989, he was a principal consultant
for the California Legislature's Committee on Finance and Insurance and, from
1979 to 1985, Brown was the corporate finance officer and operations manager for
Bank of America, World Banking Division. He was a financial analyst for Marshall
and Stevens from 1978 to 1979. Brown is a member of the World Affairs Council of
Northern California, the Washington University Alumni Association, the National
Men's Health Network and the Children's Rights Council. Brown earned a Master of
Business Administration in finance management from Washington University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in political
science from San
Francisco State
University. This position
does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $129,768. Brown is
a Republican.
Leslie Cornejo, 52, of Oxnard, has been appointed to the Ventura
County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural
Association). She co-founded and has served as a director of Santa Clara Valley
Bank since 1998. Additionally, Cornejo has owned Santa Paula Travel since 1988.
She is a founding member of the Gold Coast Chapter of the California Women's
Leadership Association and is a member of the Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau and
the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce. This position does not require Senate
confirmation and there is no salary. Cornejo is a
Republican.
Grant Destache, 50, of Chula Vista, has been appointed to the San
Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board. Since 2005, he has served as the
Principal/Director at REID Company. From 1999 to 2006, Destache served as
president and partner at Ridge Properties. He worked at Snyder Langston as a
development manager from 1996 to 1999, San Diego area manager from 1994 to 1996,
business development manager from 1993 to 1994 and project manager from 1990 to
1992. Destache was the vice president of operations for JLH Construction from
1985 to 1990 and was partner and owner of Destache Bros. Construction from 1977
to 1985. He is the director for Lee Lake Water District. This position requires
Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Destache is a
Republican.
Ginger Gherardi, 65, of Santa Paula, has been appointed to the Ventura
County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural
Association). She has served on the board of directors since 2001. Prior to
retiring, Gherardi served as the executive director of the Ventura County
Transportation Commission from 1989 to 2007. Prior to that, she was the manager
of highway programs for the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission from
1985 to 1989 and served as the fund development manager for the New York City
Transit Authority in 1985. Gherardi worked for the Southern California
Association of Governments as a transportation consultant from 1984 to 1985 and
as an administrator and transportation program manager from 1980 to 1984. She is
a member of the Santa Paula Boys and Girls Club, Santa Paula Rotary Club and
National and Los Angeles Chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar.
Additionally, she is a member of the Santa Paula Art Museum Board of Directors.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary.
Gherardi is a Democrat.
Kenneth Hess, 78, of Ventura, has been appointed to the Ventura
County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural
Association). He has served on the board of directors since 2004. Prior to
retiring, Hess served as a family support officer in the Ventura County District
Attorney's Office from 1992 to 1998. From 1970 to 1992, he worked as a sales and
office manager for Allstate Insurance Company and, from 1947 to 1969, Hess
served in the U.S. Air Force. Additionally, from 1982 to 1994, he served as
councilmember, mayor pro tempore and mayor of the city of Port Hueneme. Hess is a
member of the Ventura County Local Agency Formation Commission and serves as an
alternate on the Ventura County Criminal Grand Jury. He served on the Ventura
County Grand Jury from 2003 to 2005. This position does not require Senate
confirmation and there is no salary. Hess is a Republican.
Adam Hubbard, 35, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the
California Arts Council. Since 2006, he has worked as a ceramics instructor at
the Archer
School for Girls.
Additionally, Hubbard has worked as a drawing and painting instructor at the
Cerritos
Center for the Performing
Arts since 2005, and has been a visual arts instructor for the KCET's "Ready to
Learn" literacy and art program since 2003. He worked as a visual arts
instructor for the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County from 2001 to
2006, the Orange County Performing Arts Center from 2004 to 2006 and for the
Cathedral
Chapel School from 2002 to 2006. From 2000 to
2001, Hubbard was a ceramics and visual arts instructor for Inner-City Arts. He
was a ceramics teacher at the University of Southern
California Magnet Center from 2000 to 2001, and worked at the
University of
Southern California as a
ceramics teacher during the Fall 2000 semester and teacher assistant from 1999
to 2000. Hubbard earned a Master of Fine Arts in ceramics and sculpture from the
University of
Southern California and a
Bachelor of Fine Arts from California College of Arts and Crafts, now known as
California College of Arts. This position requires Senate confirmation and the
compensation is $100 per diem. Hubbard is a Democrat.
Debbie Jacobsen, 52, of Fresno, has been appointed to the Fresno County
Fair Board of Directors (21st District Agricultural Association). She
has served on the board of directors since 2005. Since 1980, Jacobsen has owned
and operated J&L Vineyards. Jacobsen served as past president and is a
current member of the Fresno County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
Additionally, she represents Fresno County as the district director for the
California Farm Bureau Federation. Jacobsen is a member of the California
Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Board of Directors, California Women
for Agriculture Board of Directors and Common Threads Steering Committee. This
position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Jacobsen
is a Republican.
David Lafferty, 53, of Hanford, has been appointed to the Kings Fair
Board of Directors (24a District Agricultural Association). He has served on the
board of directors since 2005. Lafferty has owned J&D Paint Company since
2007. Prior to that, he was a project manager for J&D Painting and Drywall
Company from 1973 to 2003. Lafferty is a community leader for the Kings County 4-H Council, advisor for the Kings
Junior Fair Board, treasurer and director for the Kings Fair Boosters and is a
charter member of the Hanford High School Future Farmers of America. This
position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Lafferty
is a Republican.
Armando Lopez, 62, of Oxnard, has been appointed to the Ventura
County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural
Association). He has served on the board of directors since 2003. Lopez has
worked as a partner for Plaza Development Corporation since 2003. Prior to that,
he owned and served as the marketing consultant for the Armando Lopez Company
from 1984 to 2003. Lopez is a member of the El Concilio del Condado de Ventura
Board of Directors, Oxnard Police Chief's Advisory Board and Saint John's Regional
Medical Center Foundation. This position does not require Senate confirmation
and there is no salary. Lopez is registered decline-to-state.
Kathleen McPherson, 51, of Glendora, has been
appointed to the Schools' Agriculture and Nutrition Program Board of Directors
(48th District Agricultural Association). Since 1997, she has worked
as a teacher for the El
Monte School
District. Prior to that, McPherson was a vision
therapist for Dr. Douglas Stephey from 1995 to 1997 and a teller and bank
trainer for Mitsubishi Bank of California from 1981 to 1987. This position
does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. McPherson is a
Republican.
Maria Mehranian, 50, of La Cañada, has been appointed to
the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. She has served at the
Cordoba Corporation as managing partner since 1992 and previously served as vice
president of urban and transportation planning from 1986 to 1992. Mehranian is a
member of the American Planning Association, California Hospital Medical Center
Foundation Board of Directors and is chairperson for Armenia Fund. This position
requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Mehranian is
a Democrat.
Charles Meyer, 68, of Stratford, has been appointed to the Kings Fair
Board of Directors (24a District Agricultural Association). He has owned GMC
Farms since 1967. From 1961 to 1967, Meyer served in the U.S. Air Force. He is
president of the Stratford Irrigation District Board of Directors and the
California Cotton Growers Association. Additionally, Meyer is a member of the
Kings County Farm Bureau, the San Joaquin Valley Cotton Growers Association and
the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. This position does not require
Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Meyer is a Republican.
Michael Minor, 48, of Elk Grove, has been
appointed superintendent of the N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility.
Since March 2008, he has served as superintendent of the DeWitt Nelson Youth
Correctional Facility (YCF). From 2005 to 2008, Minor served as the acting
superintendent at DeWitt Nelson YCF. Earlier in 2005, he was a major at DeWitt
Nelson YCF and, from 1998 to 2005, was a major at N.A. Chaderjian YCF in
Stockton. From
1997 to 1998, Minor was a captain at Karl Holton YCF in Stockton and, from 1994 to
1997, was a lieutenant at DeWitt Nelson YCF. Prior to that, he was a sergeant at
the Northern California Youth Correctional Center in Stockton from
1991 to 1994, a youth correctional counselor at DeWitt Nelson YCF from 1989 to
1991 and a youth correctional officer at DeWitt Nelson YCF from 1986 to 1989.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is
$125,892. Minor is registered decline-to-state.
Michael Montoya, 58, of
Camarillo, has
been appointed to the Ventura County Fair Board of Directors (31st District Agricultural Association). Since 1971, he has held various positions at
Southern California Edison, where he currently serves as the director of public
affairs. From 1969 to 1971, Montoya served in the U.S. Navy. He currently serves
on the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County Board of Directors,
the Economic Development Corporation of Oxnard Board of Directors and the Oxnard
Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors. Montoya also serves on the Ventura
County Air Pollution Control District Advisory Panel. This position does not
require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Montoya is a Republican.
Arthur Ouerbacker, III, 50, of Ventura, has been appointed
to the Ventura County Fair Board of Directors (31st District
Agricultural Association). Ouerbacker has worked as an attorney in the Law
Offices of Duncan David Lee since 2001. Prior to that, he worked as an associate
attorney for Phillips Lerner and Lauzon in 2001 and was a founder and managing
attorney for the Law Offices of A. Kimble Ouerback III and Associates from 1989
to 2001. From 1993 to 1995, Ouerbacker served as a faculty professor at
Merit
College. He is vice
chairman of the Matilija District Boy Scouts of America and wolf den leader of
Cub Scout Pack 3179. Ouerbacker is also a member of the Consumer Credit
Counseling Service Board of Directors, the YMCA Board of Managers, Sunrise
Toastmasters and the Ventura Chamber of Commerce. The position does not require
Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Ouerbacker is a Republican.
William Parry, 36, of
Hanford, has
been appointed to the Kings Fair Board of Directors (24a District Agricultural
Association). He has served on the board of directors since 2003. Parry has
worked as an attorney with Kahn, Soares and Conway since 2001. Prior to that, he
worked as an attorney for Kapetan Brothers Law Firm from 1999 to 2001. Parry
serves on the Lemoore High School Foundation for Education Excellence Board of
Directors and is president of the Kings County Bar Association. This position
does not require Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Parry is a
Democrat.
Thomas Purcell, 55, of
Ridgecrest, has
been appointed special assistant inspector general for the bureau of independent
review in the Office of the Inspector General. Since 2005, he has served as a
civilian attorney in the office of the general counsel for the Department of the
Navy. Purcell served as senior staff counsel for the State Compensation
Insurance Fund from 2004 to 2005 and from 1992 to 2003. From 2003 to 2004, he
served as the deputy district attorney at the Inyo County District Attorney's
Office. From 1991 to 1992, Purcell was the managing director for Merchant
Oversees Property Group and, from 1990 to 1991, he served as a deputy district
attorney in the Tulare County District Attorney's Office. Purcell worked as an
associate attorney in the Law Office of Terry M. Giles from 1985 to 1990, the
Law Offices of Trope and Trope from 1981 to 1985 and the Law Firm of Scott F.
Dool from 1979 to 1980. He has been an adjunct professor of paralegal studies
at Cerro
Coso College since the fall semester of 2006.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is
$108,348. Purcell is an American-Independent.
Mary Rosas, 51, of Granada Hills, has been
appointed deputy director of the consumer and community empowerment division for
the Department of Consumer Affairs. Most recently, she has served as a public
affairs liaison for Eli Lilly and Company from 2003 to March 2008. From 1998 to
2003, Rosas worked as manager of community relations for Kaiser Permanente,
Northern California and, from 1997 to 1998, she
was a field representative for California Senator Barbara Lee. Rosas has served
on the Board of Optometry, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality Board of
Directors and the California Academy of Family Physician Foundation Board of
Directors. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the
compensation is $106,278. Rosas is a Democrat.
Richard B. Shapiro, 55, of Hidden Hills,
has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board. He has served on the
board since 2004. Since 1996, Shapiro has owned and served as president of Winco
Real Estate Services. From 1989 to 1996, he served as vice president of Elins
Development Company of Los
Angeles and, from 1987 to 1989, Shapiro was the executive
vice president of EDM Equities. He was the president of Western Harness Racing
and served as executive vice president of Wincorp from 1974 to 1984. This
position requires Senate confirmation and there is no salary. Shapiro is a
Republican.
Thomas Sheehy, 49, of Carmichael, has been appointed to chief deputy director of
policy for the Department of Finance. He has served as the deputy director of
legislation for the Department of Finance since 2006. From 2004 to 2006, Sheehy
served as regional vice president of state government relations at Teachers
Insurance and Annuity Association, and from 2003 to 2004, he was the legislative
director to former Senate Minority Leader James Brulte. Sheehy worked as a
principal consultant in the Senate Republican Fiscal Office and was a senior
consultant to the Assembly Appropriations Committee from 1995 to 1999. From 1993
to 1995, he was the chief of the budget development branch for the State
Department of Transportation and, from 1989 to 1993, Sheehy was the staff
program budget analyst for the State Department of Finance. He earned a Masters
of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in plant science from the
University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate
confirmation and the compensation is $138,528. Sheehy is a Republican.
Joginder Singh, 63, of American Canyon, has been appointed medical director of
Coalinga
State Hospital. He has served as acting medical
director since 2006. From 2003 to 2006, Singh worked as a resident at
Napa State Hospital and from 2002 to 2003, he worked at
New York
Medical Center. He worked at Napa State Hospital as a resident from 1995 to 1998
and as a Staff Psychiatrist from 1995 to 2006. In 1989, Singh was the associate
professor of medicine at Government
Medical College in Faridkot,
India and, from 1981 to
1984 he served as a resident at the department of medicine at Government Medical College in Amritsar, India. Singh worked as a medical
officer in the Faridkot District Hospital from 1976 to 1981 and at Punjab
Civil Medical Services from 1971 to 1976. This position does not require Senate
confirmation and the compensation is $280,080. Singh is a Democrat.
Wangyee Vang, 60, of Fresno, has been appointed
to the Fresno County Fair Board of Directors (21st District
Agricultural Association). He has worked as a salesperson with Guarantee Real
Estate since 2007 and has served as president and chief executive officer of the
Lao Veterans of America Institute since 1999. From 1998 to 2000, Vang worked as
a community outreach and English as a second language teacher for the West Fresno School
District and, from 1995 to 1999, he worked as a
strawberry farmer. From 1985 to 1995, Vang served as acting director, projects
coordinator and job placement specialist for the Lao Family Community of Fresno
and Santa Ana and, from 1978 to 1982, he served as a refugee coordinator and
consultant for Food for the Hungry International, Incorporated. Vang also served
as a representative of the Lao and Hmong refugees in Thailand from 1977 to 1979. He is a
member of Mayor Autry's Mayor Organization of Volunteer Expert Team, the
Association of the U.S. Army and is founder and past-president of Lao Veterans
of America. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no
salary. Vang is a Republican.
Howard Wang, Ph.D., 59, of Walnut, has
been appointed to Schools' Agriculture and Nutrition Program Board of Directors
(48th District Agricultural Association). Since 2003, he has served
as associate vice president for student affairs at California State University, Fullerton. Prior to that, Wang served as the
assistant vice president for student affairs at the California State University, San Bernardino from 2001 to 2003. He worked at
the University of California, Los Angeles where he served as an executive
officer to the Assistant Vice Chancellor of student development and health
division and director of student health administrative services from 1990 to
2001 and was the manager of administrative services in the Office of Residential
Life from 1988 to 1990. Wang is a member of the Community Resource Council of
the Fish Contamination Education Cooperative for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, the Asian Business Association of Orange County Corporate
Advisory Board, the Organization of Chinese Americans - Orange County Chapter
Board of Directors, the Asian Business Association of Orange County, the Chinese
American Association of Walnut and the Great Los Angeles Chapter of the
Organization of Chinese Americans. This position does not require Senate
confirmation and there is no salary. Wang is a Democrat.
