SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Leuwam Tesfai, 34, of San Francisco, has been appointed technical advisor II at the California Public Utilities Commission, where she has served as interim chief of staff to Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma since 2019. Tesfai has held various positions at California Public Utilities Commission since 2011, including attorney, legal advisor to Commissioner Liane Randolph, public utility regulatory analyst, law clerk and judicial clerk. Tesfai was a legal and utilities analyst at the Center for Resource Solutions from 2010 to 2011, an environmental and tort litigation project manager at King and Spalding from 2008 to 2009 and an intellectual project litigation project manager at Sutherland LLP from 2006 to 2008. Tesfai earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $146,592. Tesfai is a Democrat.
Alma Hernandez, 39, of Glendale, was appointed by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to the California Complete Count Committee. Hernandez has been executive director of the Service Employees International Union California State Council since 2016. She was political director of the Service Employees International Union California State Council from 2010 to 2016. Hernandez held multiple positions in the California Legislature from 2001 to 2010, including legislative and district director, press secretary, legislative aid and field representative. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hernandez is a Democrat.
Robert Smith, 58, of Pala, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Committee. Smith has been chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians since 1990. He was vice-chairman of the Pala Band of Mission Indians from 1987 to 1989. Smith is a member of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, the California Tribal Business Alliance and the California Tribal Families Coalition. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Smith is a Democrat.
Steven Raphael, 50, of Oakland, has been appointed to the Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board. Raphael has been a professor of public policy at the University of California, Berkeley since 2006, where he has served in several other positions, including interim dean in 2009, associate dean in 2008, chancellor professor from 2002 to 2007 and associate dean from 2003 to 2006. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Raphael is a Democrat.
Barry Broad, 61, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. Broad has been a managing partner at Broad & Gusman LLP since 1994. He held several positions at the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council from 1985 to 2018, including legal counsel and legislative director. Broad was a legal advisor for the Public Employment Relations Board from 1982 to 1985. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $153,689. Broad is a Democrat.
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