Governor Newsom announces appointments 7.16.24

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Dr. Shakalpi Pendurkar, of Los Gatos, has been appointed State Dental Director at the California Department of Public Health. Dr. Pendurkar has been Lead Supervising Dentist at Gardner Health Services since 2003. She was Dental Health Administrator in the Office of Dental Health at the Alameda County Public Health Department from 2021 to 2023. Dr. Pendurkar was Dental Director of Health Plan of San Mateo in 2021 and Director of Oral Public Health Programs at the San Mateo County Public Health Department from 2018 to 2021. She was an Epidemiology Consultant for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1997 to 1999. Dr. Pendurkar is a member of the American Dental Association, American Public Health Association, National Network for Oral Health Access and the American Association of Community Dental Programs, and a Fellow of the American and International College of Dentists. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University and a Master of Dental Surgery degree in Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree in Dentistry from Nair Hospital Dental College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $190,908. Dr. Pendurkar is a Democrat. 

Daniel Cueva, of Vacaville, has been appointed Warden of the California Medical Facility, where he has been Acting Warden since 2023. Cueva served in several positions at the California Medical Facility from 1997 to 2022, including Chief Deputy Administrator, Correctional Administrator, Correctional Captain, Correctional Lieutenant, Correctional Sergeant, Correctional Counselor I and Correctional Officer. Cueva was Associate Director of Female Offender Programs and Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2022 to 2023, where he was Correctional Administrator from 2011 to 2013 and Facility Captain from 2010 to 2011. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $193,524. Cueva is registered without party preference.

Eliana Kaimowitz, of Davis, has been appointed Director of the Office of Equity at the California Department of Social Services, where she has been Branch Chief of the Immigration Integration Branch since 2019 and was a Bureau Chief and Legal Fellow from 2018 to 2019. Kaimowitz was an Immigration Integration Executive Fellow in the Office of Governor Jerry Brown from 2017 to 2018. She was a Senior Research Analyst for Service Employees International Union California State Council from 2015 to 2017. Kaimowitz was a Consulting Attorney from 2014 to 2015. She was a Senior Research and Global Program Coordinator for the Center for the Study of Law, Justice, and Society from 2013 to 2014. Kaimowitz was an Equal Justice Works Fellow and Staff Attorney for the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation from 2009 to 2012. She was an Associate at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP from 2008 to 2009. Kaimowitz was a Survey Research Associate for the Public Policy Institute of California from 2002 to 2004. Kaimowitz earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Harvard College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $187,116. Kaimowitz is a Democrat.

Kumani Armstrong, of Orinda, has been appointed the Assistant Director/Chief Counsel at the Employment Training Panel. Armstrong has been Special Counsel for the Office of the Director at the California Department of Industrial Relations since 2009. He was a Senior Associate at Dillingham & Murphy LLP from 2005 to 2009. Armstrong was an Associate at Glynn & Finley in 2005, at Murphy, Pearson, Bradley & Feeney from 2003 to 2005 and at Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein from 2001 to 2002. He served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California from 2000 to 2001. Armstrong was a Staff Attorney at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1999 to 2000. He is a member of the Orinda Planning Commission. Armstrong earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $187,824. Armstrong is a Democrat.

Mary Lynne Vellinga, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Communications at the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Vellinga has been Chief of Staff in the Office of Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg since 2022, where she was Communications Director from 2018 to 2022. She was Business Editor, City Editor and Senior Editor for the Sacramento Bee from 2009 to 2018, and Senior Writer there from 1991 to 2009. She was Legislative Assistant and Communications Director in the Office of State Senator Fran Pavley in 2009. Vellinga earned a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Calvin College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $151,548. Vellinga is a Democrat.