SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Virginia Wimmer, 55, of Vacaville, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Women Veterans at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Wimmer has been Deputy Director of Veterans Services and County Veterans Service Officer at the San Joaquin County Health Care Services Agency since 2014. She was Veterans Benefit Counselor at the Solano County Veterans Services Office from 2012 to 2014. She was Senior Master Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 2012. Wimmer earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California. She has been education and training chair at the California Association of County Veterans Services Officers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,404. Wimmer is a Democrat.
Lisa Lien-Mager, 55, of Davis, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications at the California Natural Resources Agency. Lien-Mager has served as Deputy Secretary for Communications at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2017. She held multiple positions at the Association of California Water Agencies from 2008 to 2017 and from 1990 to 1999, including Director of Communications, Communications Supervisor, Legislative Analyst and Communications Specialist. She was a Communications Consultant from 2004 to 2008, a Public Affairs Specialist at the California Bay-Delta Authority from 2001 to 2005 and a Reporter at the Milwaukee Sentinel from 1987 to 1990. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $172,512. Lien-Mager is a Democrat.
Amy Chatfield Cameron, 49, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director in the Division of Recycling at the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. Cameron has been Chief Deputy Director of the California Conservation Corps since 2015. She was Education Administrator for the California Department of Education from 2013 to 2015 and Senior Administrative Analyst for the City of West Sacramento, Port of Sacramento from 2007 to 2012. She was Education Programs Assistant and Special Programs Coordinator at the California Department of Education from 2003 to 2007. Cameron was Associate Governmental Program Analyst at the California Department of Education from 2001 to 2003. She was Aide to Yolo County Supervisor Mike McGowan from 1999 to 2001. Cameron was Office Manager at Sacramento Loaves and Fishes from 1994 to 1996. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $169,200. Cameron is registered without party preference.
Kevin Chan, 48, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed Special Assistant to the State Fire Marshal at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, where he has served since 2017. Chan was Associate Governmental Program Analyst in the Office of the State Fire Marshal from 2016 to 2017. He held multiple positions in the Office of the California Secretary of State from 1998 to 2016, including Staff Services Analyst, Program Technician and Office Assistant. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $84,612. Chan is registered without party preference.
Joel Ledesma, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director for Statewide Water and Energy at the California Department of Water Resources. Ledesma has been Assistant General Manager at Northern California Power Agency since 2019. He held several positions at the California Department of Water Resources from 1991 to 2019, including Deputy Director of the State Water Project, Assistant Division Chief in the Operations and Maintenance Division, Chief of Plant Asset Management Office, Chief of Delta Field Division, Principal Hydroelectric Power Utility Engineer, Supervising Control Engineer and Electrical Engineer for the Project Operating Center. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $205,896. Ledesma is a Democrat.
Clair Whitmer, 54, of Vallejo, has been appointed Northern California Regional Advisor for the Office of the Small Business Advocate at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Whitmer has been Chief Executive Officer for Upbay LLC since 2020 and a FUSE Corps Executive Fellow since 2019, serving the City of Fresno on the Economic Development Team. She was Head of Consumer Experience for Maker Media from 2014 to 2019. Whitmer was Senior Director of Media Operations for Slashdot Media for Dice Holdings from 2012 to 2014 and Director of User Interface and Content Strategy for Dice.com from 2011 to 2012. She was Director of Voter Outreach for the Overseas Vote Foundation from 2009 to 2010 and a Freelance Editor and Consultant from 2000 to 2011. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $109,812. Whitmer is a Democrat.
Sandy Reynoso, 29, of Sacramento, has been appointed Executive Project Manager for the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Reynoso has been a Legal Secretary and Administrative Assistant for the Pioneer Law Group LLP since 2014. She was Reception and Resettlement Intern for the International Rescue Committee in 2014. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $84,612. Reynoso is a Democrat.
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