Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.20.25

Sacramento, California –Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Mayumi Kimura, of Temecula, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Woman Veterans at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Kimura has been the Founder and Director of Warriors Insight Therapy since 2022. She was a Readjustment Counselor at Lowell Vet Center from 2019 to 2022. Kimura was a Program Director at Middlesex Sheriff’s Office, Housing Unit for Military Veterans from 2018 to 2019.  She was an Emergency Services Clinician at Riverside Community Care from 2017 to 2018. Kimura was a Social Services Clinician at Butler Psychiatric Hospital from 2016 to 2017. She was a Psychosocial Manager/Hospice Social Worker at Bayada Hospice from 2013 to 2017. Kimura served in multiple roles for the United States Navy from 2001 to 2010, including Active-Duty Operations Specialist, Petty Officer First Class, and Active Reserves. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $154,860. Kimura is a Democrat.

Justin Turner, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California Department of Conservation. He has been Assistant Chief Counsel at the Department of Conservation since 2015 and Attorney III from 2008 to 2015. Turner was a Contract Attorney at the California Department of Public Health from 2005 to 2008. He was a Contract Attorney at Update Legal in 2004. Turner earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Spanish from the University of Oregon. This position does not require Senate confirmation and compensation is $208,440. Turner is a Democrat.

Anthony “Tony” Marino, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Energy at the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. Marino has been the Deputy Director of the Underground Infrastructure Directorate at the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety since 2022. Marino was the Executive Officer of the Underground Safety Board at the Department of Foresty and Fire Protection from 2017 to 2021. He served as Consultant on the Subcommittee on Gas, Electric, and Transportation Safety in the Office of Senator Jerry Hill from 2012 to 2017. Marino held multiple positions in the Office of Assemblymember Jerry Hill from 2010 to 2012, including Legislative Aide and Science Fellow. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemistry from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in English and Chemistry from Davidson College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and compensation is $175,512. Marino is registered without party preference.  

Travis Nichols, of Sacramento, has been appointed Cyber Incident Response Manager at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Nichols has been an Operations Officer/Defensive Cyberspace Weapons Officer with the United States Marine Corps Reserve since 2010. He was a Consultant at Level9 Group in 2023. Nichols was a Cyber Security Operations Architect at Smith & Nephew from 2022 to 2023. He was an Information System Security Officer/Engineer at Defense Microelectronics Activity from 2021 to 2022. Nichols was a Systems Administrator – Server/Network Team Lead at Blackwatch International from 2019 to 2021. He was a Systems Administrator – Tier III – Team Lead at Cincinnati Bell Technical Solutions from 2018 to 2019. Nichols was a Service Support Engineer at Pathforward IT from 2016 to 2018. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $137,616. Nichols is a Democrat.

Lynda Hopkins, of Sebastopol, has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board. Hopkins has been the Fifth District Supervisor on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors since 2016. She was a Co-Owner at Foggy River Farm from 2008 to 2020. Hopkins was a Reporter at the Sonoma West Times & News from 2009 to 2013. She was the Executive Director at Sonoma County Farm Trails from 2008 to 2010. Hopkins was a Head Teaching Assistant at the Stanford University Earth Systems Program from 2005 to 2007. She is a member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Hopkins earned a Master of Science degree in Earth Systems, a Bachelor of Science degree in Earth Systems, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Creative Writing and Poetry from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hopkins is a Democrat.

Dawn Ortiz-Legg, of San Luis Obispo, has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board. Ortiz-Legg has been the Third District Supervisor on the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors since 2020. She was a Right of Way Agent at Pacific Gas and Electric Company from 2018 to 2020. Ortiz-Legg was a Project Manager & Public Affairs Liaison at First Solar from 2010 to 2018. She was North American Sales and Marketing Manager at PTEC Corporation from 1999 to 2010. Ortiz-Legg is a member of the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District. She earned her Master of Public Policy degree in Climate Change and Technology Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Organizational Communication from Pepperdine University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ortiz-Legg is a Democrat.

Tina Thomas, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Wildlife Conservation Board. Thomas has been Of Counsel at Downey Brand LLP since 2023. She was Founding Partner at Thomas Law Group Sacramento from 2012 to 2023. Thomas has held multiple positions at Remy, Thomas, Moose, and Manley, LLP from 1982 to 2011, including Counsel and Managing Partner. She was an Associate Attorney at Remy and Associates from 1979 to 1982. Thomas is a Board Member at the Steinberg Institute, Sacramento Federal Judiciary Library, and Meristem, and Member Emeritus at the Sacramento Food Bank. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego, and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology and Political Science from Stephens College. This position does not require Senate Confirmation, and there is no compensation. Thomas is a Democrat.

Frances “Fran” Pavley, of Agoura Hills, has been reappointed to the Wildlife Conservation Board, where she has served since 2018. Pavley has been the Environmental Policy Director at the University of Southern California Schwarzenegger Institute since 2018. She served as a Senator in the California State Senate from 2008 to 2016. Pavley served as an Assemblymember in the California State Assembly from 2000 to 2006. She served as Mayor/City Councilmember for the City of Agoura Hills from 1982 to 1998. Pavley earned her Master of the Arts degree in Environmental Planning from California State University, Northridge, and her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Social Science from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate Confirmation, and there is no compensation.  Pavley is a Democrat.

Travis Clausen, of Garden Grove, has been appointed to the Underground Safe Excavation Board. Clausen has been Regional Construction Manager – Aviation and Defense at Sully-Miller Contracting Company since 2025, where he was Senior Operations Manager from 2015 to 2025. Clausen was a Project Manager at OHL USA from 2014 to 2015 and at Sully Miller Contracting Company from 2006 to 2014. Clausen served in the United States Army from 1995 to 1998. He earned a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Business Administration – Finance from California State University, Fullerton. This position does not require Senate Confirmation and there is no compensation. Clausen is a Republican.