SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Xóchitl Rodriguez Murillo, 36, of Woodland, has been appointed deputy secretary of minority veterans affairs for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Murillo has served as Mayor of the City of Woodland since 2018 and as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2012. She was an appointments consultant for the Office of Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon from 2018 to 2019, a legislative and communications aide in the Office of Assemblymember Anna Caballero from 2017 to 2018 and a consultant for Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins in 2016. Murillo was a legislative clerk in the Office of the Secretary of the Senate in 2016 and a field representative for Assemblymember Miguel Santiago from 2014 to 2016. She was assistant to the speaker in the Office of Assembly Speaker John Pérez from 2012 to 2014 and assistant daily file clerk in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2012. She is a member of the American Legion Yolo Post 77, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1985, California Latino Capitol Association Foundation and the University of California, Davis Cal Aggie Alumni Association. Murillo earned a Master of Arts degree in Spanish from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $139,932. Murillo is a Democrat.
Beth Muszynski, 40, of Folsom, has been appointed assistant deputy secretary of veterans homes for the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Muszynski has been chief of veterans homes operations for the California Department of Veterans Affairs since 2014. She was a project manager and research analyst at the Little Hoover Commission from 2009 to 2014, a staff writer at the Davis Enterprise from 2001 to 2009 and a legislative aide in the Office of Texas State Senator Steve Ogden in 2001. Muszynski earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $119,760. Muszynski is a Democrat.
Lisa Peake, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed administrator for the Veterans Home of California, Yountville. Peake has served as a deputy administrator at the Veterans Home of California, Yountville since 2019. She held multiple positions at the California Military Department from 1998 to 2019, including commander for the Soldier Incentives and Assistance Center, command logistics officer and superintendent at the Stockton Combined Support Maintenance Shop, and battalion commander. Peake was a colonel at the U.S. Department of Defense, where she served as chief of staff in the Central Command area of responsibility, and as deputy director from 2015 to 2016. She is a member of the National Guard Association of the United States. Peake earned a Master of Science degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of La Verne. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $168,828. Peake is registered without party preference.
Stephanie Weaver, 45, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy administrator for the Veterans Home of California, Yountville. Weaver has been senior director of SAFE Veterans Treatment and Recovery since 2019. She held multiple positions at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including budget team lead from 2017 to 2019, director of the Office of Program Analysis and Coordination from 2015 to 2017, public health advisor from 2014 to 2015 and National Guard liaison from 2010 to 2014. Weaver was a substance abuse prevention program manager for the California National Guard from 2003 to 2010. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Baltimore. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $141,588. Weaver is a Democrat.
Steven Cope, 39, of Redding, has been appointed administrator of the Veterans Home of California, Redding. Cope has been skilled nursing facility administrator at the Veterans Home of California, Redding since 2017. He was executive director of Brookdale Senior Living in North Tarzana from 2016 to 2017, nursing home administrator for the Cambridge Healthcare Services Glendale Post-Acute Center in 2016 and a nursing home administrator for the Sierra Vista Healthcare Center from 2014 to 2016. He was executive director in training at Golden Living from 2013 to 2014. Cope is a member of the California Association of Health Facilities. Cope served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2014, serving as a medic in Afghanistan in 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $139,008. Cope is a Republican.
Jessica Koppes, 36, of Redding, has been appointed skilled nursing facility administrator of the Veterans Home of California, Redding. Koppes has been an adjunct business instructor at Shasta College since 2008 and standards compliance coordinator at the Veterans Home of California, Redding since 2015, where she was chief of domiciliary services and coordinator of volunteer services in 2015. Koppes was an adjunct human resources and organizational leadership instructor at National University from 2005 to 2014 and a project coordinator for the Shasta County Office of Education from 2011 to 2014. She earned a Master of Arts degree in human resources and organizational leadership from National University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $117,552. Koppes is a Republican.
Caroline Vigil, 44, of Fresno, has been appointed skilled nursing facility administrator for the Veterans Home of California, Fresno, where she has served as skilled nursing facility administrator since 2018. Vigil was executive director of Carmel Village at Clovis from 2017 to 2018. She was executive director at Kingston Bay Senior Living in 2017 and administrator at Rockport Healthcare, NorthPointe from 2015 to 2017. She was business development and assistant administrator at the Healthcare Centre of Fresno from 2013 to 2015. Vigil held multiple positions at the Golden Living Center from 2010 to 2013, including business office assistant and director of admissions. She was office manager of Hope Manor from 1993 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $126,000. Vigil is a Democrat.
Sheryll Casuga, 38, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California Board of Psychology, where she has served since 2017. Casuga has been a staff clinical psychologist at Regional Center of the East Bay since 2014, adjunct faculty at John F. Kennedy University since 2012 and a sport psychologist in private practice since 2011. She was a predoctoral and postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders from 2010 to 2012, a practicum trainee at Asian Community Mental Health Services from 2009 to 2010 and a senior therapist at Children’s Hospital Oakland Autism Intervention from 2008 to 2009. Casuga is a member of the American Psychological Association, Association for Applied Sport Psychology and the University of the Philippines Alumni Association, San Francisco Chapter. She earned a Doctor of Psychology degree in clinical psychology and a Master of Arts degree in sport psychology from John F. Kennedy University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Casuga is a Democrat.
Crystal Anthony, 33, of Oceanside, has been appointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Anthony has been a therapist at the Program for Torture Victims and co-executive director for Underground GRIT since 2019. She was a clinical social worker for the Orange County Health Care Agency from 2014 to 2019 and a bilingual project LIFE program coordinator at North County Lifeline from 2012 to 2015, where she was also a community assessment team therapist in 2014. She was an educationally-related mental health services behavioral health clinician in 2013. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association. Anthony earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Anthony is registered without party preference.
Diana Pryor Love, 67, of Palmdale, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. Love was a children and youth group facilitator at Parents Anonymous Inc. from 2015 to 2017, a field representative in the Office of Assemblymember Steve Fox from 2013 to 2015, a work and community volunteer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Palmdale Station from 2008 to 2013, a product demonstrator at 5 Star Demonstration Services from 2008 to 2009, a customer service representative and mystery shopper at Safeway Inc. from 2007 to 2008, a loan counselor at Countrywide Home Loans from 2003 to 2007 and an elder and child care consultant at Work Life Benefits Resource and Referral from 1996 to 2003. She is a member and immediate past president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults, an ambassador for the City of Palmdale, treasurer of the Inland Communities Democratic Headquarters Political Action Committee and national district liaison for the AARP. Love is a member of the California Senior Legislature, Mental Health of America Advisory Council – Antelope Valley/Lancaster, City of Palmdale Mobile Home Review Board, Friends of the Palmdale City Library and Forget Us Not Community Services. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Love is a Democrat.
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