Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 6.15.20

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Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

William Lightbourne, 70, of Scotts Valley, has been appointed director of the California Department of Health Care Services. Lightbourne was director of the California Department of Social Services from 2011 to 2018. He was director of the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency from 2000 to 2011, executive director of the Human Services Agency for the City and County of San Francisco from 1996 to 2000 and director of the Santa Cruz County Human Services Agency from 1990 to 1996. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $195,246. Lightbourne is a Democrat.

Randy W. Hawkins, 66, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Medical Board of California, where he has served since 2015. Hawkins has been assistant professor at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science since 2014 and a physician and surgeon in private practice since 1985. He is board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary and critical care medicine. Hawkins is a member of the Golden State Medical Association of California, the National Medical Association, the Charles R. Drew Medical Society, and the Food and Drug Administration Cellular, Tissue and Gene Therapy Advisory Committee. Hawkins earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Hahnemann Medical College. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hawkins is a Democrat.

Laurie Rose Lubiano, 40, of Daly City, has been reappointed to the Medical Board of California, where she has served since 2018. Lubiano has been IP and product counsel for The Climate Corporation since 2017. She was general counsel and director of business development at Birdi & Associates, Inc. from 2014 to 2016, patent counsel at Silicon Graphics International Corp. from 2012 to 2014, intellectual property associate at Lewis & Roca LLP from 2011 to 2012 and associate at Carr & Ferrell LLP from 2008 to 2011. She is a member of the San Francisco La Raza Lawyers Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, National Filipino American Lawyers Association, Filipino Bar Association of Northern California, Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, Association of Corporate Counsel, and the Mission Hiring Hall.  Lubiano earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lubiano is a Democrat.

Cinthia Tirado, 43, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Medical Board of California. Tirado has been an associate clinical professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Davis Medical Center since 2011. She is a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, California Medical Association, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and the American Medical Association. Tirado earned a Doctor of Medicine degree in anesthesiology from Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, School of Medicine. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Tirado is a Democrat.

Toks Omishakin, 43, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Omishakin has been director at the California Department of Transportation since 2019. He was deputy commissioner for environment and planning at the Tennessee Department of Transportation from 2011 to 2019. Omishakin was director of Healthy Living Initiatives in the Nashville Mayor’s Office from 2008 to 2011. He earned a Master of Arts degree in urban and regional planning from Jackson State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Omishakin is registered without party preference.

Gustavo Velasquez, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Velasquez has been director at the California Department of Housing and Community Development since 2020.  He was senior director at the Urban Institute from 2017 to 2020. Velasquez was assistant secretary for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2014 to 2017. He was executive director at the Latino Economic Development Center from 2013 to 2014. Velasquez was director of the Office of Human Rights from 2007 to 2013 and the Office of Latino Affairs from 2003 to 2006 for the Government of the District of Columbia. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Velasquez is a Democrat.

Joseph M. Alioto Jr, 48, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California State Coastal Conservancy. Alioto Jr. has been a sole practitioner at Joseph Alioto Law since 2020, specializing in antitrust, whistleblower and civil rights cases. He was a partner at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP from 2019 to 2020. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California from 2015 to 2019 and at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona from 2012 to 2015. Alioto Jr. was an attorney at Alioto Law Firm from 2002 to 2012. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Alioto Jr. is a Democrat.

Jennifer Kropke, 46, of Brea, has been appointed to the Independent Emissions Market Advisory Committee.  Kropke has been director of workforce and environmental engagement for the Southern California International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 11 at the National Electrical Contractors Association, Los Angeles since 2018. Prior to that, she was director of workforce and environmental engagement at IBEW Local 11 from 2016 to 2018. Kropke was principal at the Law Offices of Jennifer Kropke from 2009 to 2014. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kropke is registered without party preference.

Seyron Foo, 32, of Long Beach, has been reappointed to the Board of Psychology, where he has served since 2017. Foo will be starting as senior advocacy officer at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in June 2020. He held multiple positions at Southern California Grantmakers from 2016 to 2020, including vice president of public policy and government relations, director of public policy and governmental relations, and senior manager of public policy and governmental relations. He was senior policy analyst at the Director’s Office of the City of Long Beach Public Works Department from 2015 to 2016.  Foo was a David M. Wodynski memorial fellow in the Long Beach City Manager’s Office from 2014 to 2015. He held several positions at the Office of Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett from 2009 to 2012, including legislative aide and California Senate fellow. Foo earned a Master of Public Affairs degree from Princeton University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Foo is a Democrat.

Stephen Phillips, 63, of Beverly Hills, has been reappointed to the Board of Psychology, where he has served since 2013. Phillips has been a self-employed clinical and forensic psychologist since 2002. He has been a faculty member at the Wright Institute Los Angeles since 2001. Phillips has been an adjunct faculty member at Alliant International University since 1999. He was a psychological assistant to Elaine Schulman, Ph.D. from 2000 to 2002. Phillips is a member of the American Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association, the Los Angeles County Psychological Association, and the Wright Institute Los Angeles Alumni Association. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School and a Doctor of Psychology degree in clinical psychology from the Alliant International University, California School of Professional Psychology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Phillips is a Democrat.

Mary Harb Sheets, 66, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the Board of Psychology, where she has served since 2018. Harb Sheets has been a self-employed clinical psychologist since 1994 and a senior consultant and staff psychologist at Workplace Guardians, Inc. since 2000. Harb Sheets was an adjunct faculty member in advanced law and ethics at Alliant International University from 2012 to 2018, a student services professional III (counseling psychologist) and an adjunct faculty member at San Diego State University from 1990 to 1998, and a registered psychological assistant to Gary De Voss, Ph.D. from 1992 to 1994. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association, the National Register of Health Services Psychologists, and the San Diego Psychological Association. Harb Sheets earned a Master of Science degree and Doctor of Philosophy degree in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Harb Sheets is a Democrat.

Ronald A. Jones, 58, of Oakland, has been appointed to the California Architects Board. Jones has been a founding principal at Hunt Hale Jones Architects since 1993. His portfolio includes award-winning single and multifamily projects, both domestic and international. His body of work covers affordable, custom, active adult, resort and planned residential communities. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, California Building Industry Association, and the National Association of Home Builders. He is co-founder of the Judie Davis Marrow Donor Recruitment Program and chair of the Minority Affairs Committee for the National Institute of Health’s National Marrow Donor Program. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jones is a Democrat.

Steve Ngo, 43, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Ngo is a partner at Lozano Smith, where he has practiced law since 2012. He was an attorney in private practice from 2009 to 2012 and an associate at Minami Tamaki from 2004 to 2008. He is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and the Board of Governors of the Alumni Association of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Ngo founded the Pham Fund at the Asian Women’s Shelter in 2010 and was a member of the Board of Trustees for City College of San Francisco from 2009 to 2016. Ngo earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and a Master of Arts degree in public policy from Georgetown University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ngo is a Democrat.

Joe Kerr, 60, of Coto de Caza, has been appointed to the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board. Kerr has been a business agent at the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association since 2012. Kerr was fire captain at the Orange County Fire Authority from 1978 to 2012. He is a member of the Honor Society – Washington, D.C., and was a member of the California Workforce Investment Board from 2003 to 2004. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. Kerr is a Democrat.

Sahara Huazano, 29, of Coachella, has been appointed to the Colorado River Basin Regional Water Quality Control Board. Huazano has been director of programs at Alianza Coachella Valley since 2019. She held multiple positions at Building Healthy Communities, Coachella Valley from 2015 to 2018, including project manager for environmental justice and project manager for education equity. She is a fellow at Water Solutions Network and a member of the City of Coachella Planning Commission and the Disadvantaged Communities Infrastructure Committee at the Coachella Valley Water District. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. Huazano is registered without party preference.

Duane Friel, 68, of Temecula, has been reappointed to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, where he has served since 2018. Friel has been a district representative at the International Union of Operating Engineers since 2018, where he has held several position since 2001, including business representative and apprenticeship coordinator and instructor. He is a member of Inmate Rehabilitation through Occupational and Academic Development Systems, Department of Industrial Relations Occupational Safety and Health Administration Advisory Committee, Riverside Workforce Development Board, Speaker’s Commission on Labor Education, and the Temecula Valley Fraternal Order of Moose. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Friel is a Democrat.

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