Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 2.4.20

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SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Wendy Strack, 43, of Riverside, has been appointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Strack has been chief executive officer of Wendy J Strack Consulting LLC since 2017. She was external affairs manager at the West Valley Water District from 2016 to 2018, director of legislative and public affairs at the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority from 2013 to 2016 and state relations manager at the Orange County Transportation Authority from 2005 to 2013. She was an intergovernmental relations officer for the City of Riverside from 2001 to 2005. Strack is a member of California Women Lead, Women’s Transportation Seminar and the California Association of Public Information Officials. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree with an emphasis in local government from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Strack is registered without party preference.

Linh Nguyen, 46, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy director of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Nguyen has been an attorney at the Law Offices of Linh T. Nguyen since 2012. He was acting director of the California State Lottery in 2011, where he served as chief deputy director from 2006 to 2010. Nguyen was deputy director for strategic planning and oversight at the California Department of Motor Vehicles from 2004 to 2006. He is a member of the State Bar of California. Nguyen earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $159,996. Nguyen is a Democrat.

Cynthia Marten, 53, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Marten has served as superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District since 2013. She was principal at Central Elementary in the San Diego Unified School District from 2006 to 2012, where she served in several positions from 2003 to 2006, including as a teacher, content administrator and vice principal. She is a member of the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention, the Superintendency Council for the Association of California School Administrators, the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team and the State Superintendent’s District and County Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. She earned a Master of Arts degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of California, San Diego. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Marten is a Democrat.

David Simmons, 56, of Ventura, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Simmons has served as assistant superintendent for the Goleta Union School District since 2017. He was assistant superintendent of personnel services at the Ventura County Office of Education from 2005 to 2017. Simmons was a high school mathematics teacher for the Ventura Unified School District from 1989 to 2005. He earned a Master of Arts degree in educational administration from California State University, Northridge. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Simmons is a Republican.

Andrew Bowden, 66, of Newport Beach, has been reappointed to the California Landscape Architects Technical Committee, where he has served since 2012. Bowden has been principal and landscape architect at Land Concern LTD since 2000, where he has held several positions since 1976. He is a fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bowden is a Republican.

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