SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Katrina S. Hagen, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Hagen has served as chief deputy director at the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration since 2017. She was deputy director of operations at the California Department of Human Resources from 2015 to 2017 and chief of human resources at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2011 to 2015. Hagen was adjunct faculty at the University of San Francisco from 2000 to 2011, deputy director at California Correctional Healthcare Services from 2006 to 2011 and assistant deputy director at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2002 to 2006. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $195,708. Hagen is a Democrat.
Andrew R. Baron, 65, of Sacramento, has been appointed special assistant to the deputy director of the Workforce Services Branch at the Employment Development Department. Baron has been a consultant with the BK Group since 2004. He was executive director of the California Workforce Development Board from 2001 to 2004, executive officer of the California Industrial Welfare Commission from 1999 to 2001 and political and legislative director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees from 1982 to 1996. Baron earned a Juris Doctor degree from Albany Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $138,192. Baron is a Democrat.
Doris Ng, 53, of Berkeley, has been appointed general counsel at the Department of Industrial Relations. Ng has served as staff counsel at the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement since 2014. She was supervising attorney at Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach from 2011 to 2013, staff attorney at the Bay Area Legal Aid from 2008 to 2011 and supervising clinical attorney for the women’s employment rights clinic at the Golden Gate University School of Law from 2003 to 2007. Ng was staff attorney at Equal Rights Advocates from 1998 to 2003, associate attorney at Rosen, Bien and Asaro from 1996 to 1998 and a Ruth Chance law fellow at Equal Rights Advocates from 1993 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,772. Ng is a Democrat.
Judith Freyman, 69, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, where she was served since 2012. Freyman was director and vice president of the western occupational safety and health group at Mercer ORC OSH Consulting from 2001 to 2012. She held several positions at ConAgra Refrigerated Foods from 1980 to 2001, including assistant general counsel and director of OSH and environmental affairs. Freyman earned a Juris Doctor degree in employment law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $138,874. Freyman is registered without party preference.
Rajesh Patel, 58, of Arcadia, has been reappointed to the California Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2015. Patel has been assistant director of community development and building official for the City of Beverly Hills since 2014. He served in multiple positions for the County of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2014, including assistant deputy director of public works from 2012 to 2014, superintendent of building from 2003 to 2012, assistant superintendent of building from 2000 to 2003, and chief mechanical and plumbing engineer from 1985 to 2000. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Patel is a Democrat.
Pedro Santillan, 49, of Downey, has been reappointed to the California Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2015. Santillan has been business manager and secretary-treasurer for Laborers Local 1309 since 2014. He held multiple positions with Laborers Local 507 from 2010 to 2014, including business manager, secretary treasurer and business agent. Santillan was assistant executive director at CLTF Inc. from 2008 to 2010 and trust funds administrator at ATPA Inc. from 2001 to 2008. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Santillan is a Democrat.
Aaron Stockwell, 53, of Orangevale, has been appointed to the California Building Standards Commission. Stockwell has been executive director of the California State Pipe Trades Council since 2020. He was financial secretary and business manager at UA Local 447 from 2014 to 2020. He was piping superintendent for Airco Mechanical from 1999 to 2013 and an apprentice plumber-pipefitter-welder for UA Local 447 from 1990 to 1995. Stockwell is a board member of the Sacramento-Sierra Building and Construction Trades Council. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Stockwell is a Democrat.
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