SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Edward Foster, 72, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the State Board of Fire Services. Foster has been fire marshal for the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District since 2003. He was fire captain for the Santa Barbara City Fire Department from 1976 to 2002. Foster was a research assistant at Anacapa Sciences Inc. from 1973 to 1975. Foster served in the U.S. Army and California National Guard from 1968 to 1998, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1998. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Foster is registered without party preference.
Peter Munoa, 50, of Napa, has been appointed to the State Board of Fire Services. Munoa has served as deputy chief of the Land Use Planning Program at the Office of the State Fire Marshal since 2014 and has been a CALFIRE firefighter since 1989. He was battalion chief for CALFIRE in Napa County from 2009 to 2014 and for the County of San Mateo from 2007 to 2009. Munoa served as fire captain at the Napa County Fire Department from 1998 to 2007. He is general vice president of CALFIRE Local 2881. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Munoa is registered without party preference.
David Rocha, 52, of, Livermore, has been appointed to the State Board of Fire Services. Rocha has been fire chief of the Alameda County Fire Department since 2014, where he held multiple positions from 1995 to 2014, including deputy chief, battalion chief and fire captain. He served in multiple positions at the City of San Leandro Fire Department from 1987 to 1995, including fire captain, engineer and firefighter. Rocha is a member of the California Metropolitan Fire Chiefs and the California Fire Chiefs Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rocha is a Democrat.
Jose Solorzano, 36, of Rialto, has been appointed to the State Independent Living Council. Solorzano has been a community health representative for the Inland Empire Health Plan since 2017. He was a disability and senior outreach coordinator for Molina Healthcare from 2015 to 2017 and was a benefits and resources specialist for Southern California Rehabilitation Services from 2007 to 2012. Solorzano is a member of the Inland Empire Disabilities Collaborative. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Solorzano is a Democrat.
Jay’Riah Thomas, 25, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the State Independent Living Council. Thomas has been manager of The Arc San Francisco and a summer school ISP teacher for Five Keys Charter School since 2018. She was a teacher for Fortune School of Education from 2016 to 2018. Thomas was a paraeducator for the Elk Grove Unified School District from 2013 to 2016. She is a member of the Black Women of Political Action, Sacramento Chapter and the Spelman College Alumnae Association, Sacramento Chapter. Thomas earned a Master of Education degree from the University of the Pacific. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Thomas is a Democrat.
Ning “Jenny” Yang, 31, of Fremont, has been appointed to the State Independent Living Council. Yang was vice chair of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities from 2013 to 2018. She was a student member of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors from 2011 to 2013. Yang was a box office clerk for the Ukiah Players Theatre from 2008 to 2010 and a guest services representative for Holiday Inn Express in 2007. She held multiple positions at Mendocino College from 2006 to 2007, including statistics tutor and teachers assistant. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Yang is a Democrat.
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