SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Lai Lai Y. Bui, 46, of Shingle Springs, has been reappointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, where she has served since 2005. Bui has served as a sergeant at the Sacramento Police Department since 2006, where she was a detective from 2001 to 2006 and a police officer from 1995 to 2001. She is a member of the Sacramento Police Officers Association and the California Asian Peace Officers Association Board of Directors. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bui is a Republican.
Barry Donelan, 48, of Concord, has been reappointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, where he has served since 2017. Donelan has served as a sergeant at the Oakland Police Department since 2006. He was an officer at the Oakland Police Department from 2000 to 2006. Donelan is president of the Oakland Police Officers’ Association, Northern California Representative for the Peace Officers Research Association of California, and a trustee for the Peace Officers Research Association of California – Legal Defense Fund. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Donelan is a Democrat.
James O’Rourke, 49, of Shingle Springs, has been reappointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, where he has served since 2017. O’Rourke has served as a sergeant at the California Highway Patrol since 2007, where he held several roles as an officer from 1998 to 2007. He is a member of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. O’Rourke is a Republican.
Batine Ramirez, 56, of Penryn, has been reappointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, where she has served since 2015. Ramirez has served as a sergeant at the Placer County Sheriff’s Office since 2016, where she was a narcotics officer from 2014 to 2016 and a deputy sheriff from 2001 to 2014. Ramirez is a member of the Placer County Deputy Sheriffs Association and served on its board from 2010 to 2018 and as president from 2015 to 2018. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ramirez is a Republican.
Souraya Sue ElHessen, 57, of Bellflower, has been appointed to the California Commission on Disability Access. ElHessen has been a professor for the University of Phoenix since 2002 and a member of the Inclusive Excellence Commission at California State University, Long Beach since 2016. She served as a board member at the Bellflower Unified School District from 2013 to 2018 and was American Disability Act coordinator and senior analyst for the City of Santa Monica from 1998 to 1999. She was workability IV coordinator for California State University, Long Beach from 1995 to 1998. ElHessen is a member of the Los Angeles Public Social Services Commission, California Advancing Pathways for Students, Career Technical Education Advisory Board for Bellflower Unified School District and the State Independent Living Council. ElHessen earned a Doctor of Education degree in human performance improvement from the University of Southern California and a Master of Arts degree in industrial organizational psychology from California State University, Long Beach. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. ElHessen is a Democrat.
Michael Paravagna, 67, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2013. Paravagna has been a part-time independent consultant since 2002. He was manager of the Build Los Angeles Community College District Americans with Disability Act Project from 2009 to 2011. He was Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) coordinator for the City of Sacramento from 2007 to 2009. He served in various positions at the California Department of Rehabilitation from 1975 to 2007, including chief of the Disability Access Section. Paravagna earned a Master of Science degree in counseling from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Paravagna is a Democrat.
Douglas Wiele, 67, of Latrobe, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2013. Wiele has been founding partner and president of Foothill Partners Inc. since 1994. He held several positions at Whitney Development Company from 1986 to 1994, including managing partner, and was a real estate broker and leasing agent for McMasters and Westland Commercial Real Estate from 1977 to 1985. Wiele is vice chair of the California Business Properties Association and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wiele is registered without party preference.
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