SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Sherri A. Sarro, 59, of Escondido, has been appointed assistant director of response, south at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, where she has served as a deputy chief since 2015. Sarro was a captain at the San Diego County Sherriff’s Department from 1987 to 2015. She is a member of the California Sherriff’s Association, California Police Chiefs Association, Cal Police Chiefs Women Leaders in Law Enforcement – San Diego and the California Emergency Services Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $148,800. Sarro is a Republican.
Lillian Conroe, 64, of Los Angeles, has been appointed senior permit specialist at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where she has served as small business and permit specialist since 2010. Conroe was supervisor I of waste tires enforcement and permitting of landfills at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery from 2002 to 2010. She was deputy director and employment program representative for Revitalization Center Permit Assistance at the California Environmental Protection Agency from 1997 to 2002. Conroe was employment program representative at the Employment Development Department from 1994 to 1997. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $101,472. Conroe is a Democrat.
Christopher M. Chambers, 44, of Citrus Heights, has been appointed deputy director for the Office of Research at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served as acting deputy director since 2020 and as associate director of research since 2017. He held several positions at the California Department of Justice from 1998 to 2017, including assistant bureau chief, branch manager, section manager, network facilities manager, lead analyst for desktop support services and desktop administrator. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $150,040. Chambers is registered without party preference.
Wendy S. Collins, 51, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed assistant state fire marshal at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE.) Collins has served in several positions at the CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal since 2008, including assistant deputy director of fire and life safety, code development and analysis, state fire training; deputy state fire marshal, supervisor – fire and life safety division; and deputy state fire marshal. She was fire captain, fire apparatus engineer and emergency medical technician at Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Department from 2005 to 2014. Collins was a benefits coordinator at Eureka Internal Medicine from 1996 to 2008. She was battalion chief, fire apparatus engineer, and emergency medical technician at Samoa Peninsula Fire District from 1986 to 2002. Collins is a member of the California Fire Chiefs Association and California Fire Prevention Officers Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $165,864. Collins is a Republican.
Kevin Walkow, 35, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief of legislative affairs, operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served since 2015. Walkow was an attorney at the Office of Legal Affairs in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2014 to 2015. He held several positions at Best, Best and Krieger in 2013 and 2011, including attorney and law clerk. Walkow was a law clerk in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office in 2010. He held several positions at the Office of Senator David Cogdill from 2007 to 2009, including legislative aide and senate fellow. Walkow earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $125,760. Walkow is registered without party preference.
Carolyn E. Becker, 42, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of public affairs and communications at the California State Lottery. Becker has been senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs since 2014. She was executive producer at KCRA from 2008 to 2014. Becker was executive producer at KOVR from 2007 to 2008. She was a news producer at KCRA from 2003 to 2007. Becker was an assignment editor and fill-in news producer at KXTV from 2000 to 2001. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,652. Becker is registered without party preference.
Michael D. Tubbs, 29, of Stockton, has been appointed to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Tubbs has served as Mayor of the City of Stockton since 2017. He served as a member of the Stockton City Council from 2012 to 2016. Tubbs earned a Master of Arts degree in policy, organization and leadership studies from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Tubbs is a Democrat.
James J. McQuillen, 58, of Crescent City, has been appointed to the State Board of Education. McQuillen has been education director for the Yurok Tribe since 2004. McQuillen earned a Master of Arts degree in psychology from California State University, Sacramento and holds a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in school counseling, as well as a Marriage Family Therapy license in California. McQuillen is a citizen of the Yurok Tribe. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. McQuillen is a Democrat.
Haydee Rodriguez, 53, of El Centro, has been appointed to the State Board of Education. Rodriguez has been a teacher at Central Union High School since 1998 and currently serves as the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) coordinator. She earned a Master of Arts degree in education from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rodriguez is a Democrat.
Cynthia Glover Woods, 51, of Eastvale, has been appointed to the State Board of Education. Woods has been chief academic officer at the Riverside County Office of Education since 2016, where she was senior leadership associate from 2013 to 2016. She held multiple positions at Alvord Unified School District from 2002 to 2013, including assistant superintendent, director of elementary education, coordinator of professional development, and elementary principal. Woods held multiple positions at Compton Unified School District from 1990 to 2002, including elementary principal, language arts curriculum specialist, and teacher. Woods is chair of the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association and a member of the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators and the Association of California School Administrators. She earned a Master of Education degree in educational administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Woods is a Democrat.
Christopher C. Jones, 48, of Santa Clarita, has been appointed to the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Jones has been owner of and a licensed educational psychologist at Dynamic Interventions Inc. since 2006. He was a school psychologist at the William S. Hart Union High School District from 2000 to 2006 and at Arcadia Unified School District from 2000 to 2001. He was a school psychologist and case manager at Danvers Public Schools from 1997 to 2000. Jones is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists and the California Association of School Psychologists. He earned a Master of Arts degree in education and school psychology from Tufts University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jones is a Republican.
Kelly X. Ranasinghe, 38, of El Centro, has been appointed to the Board of Behavioral Sciences. Ranasinghe has been managing partner at Henderson and Ranasinghe LLP since 2017. He was senior program attorney at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges from 2014 to 2017, deputy public defender in the Imperial County Public Defender’s Office from 2011 to 2014, and deputy public defender in the San Diego County Public Defender’s Office from 2008 to 2010. He is a member of the National Association of Counsel for Children and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He is a certified peer mental health facilitator. Ranasinghe earned a Juris Doctor degree in criminal justice: prosecution and defense practice from the California Western School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ranasinghe is a Democrat.
Kathryn (Katie) A. Hawkins, 39, of Truckee, has been appointed to the Boating and Waterways Commission. Hawkins has been California organizer at Outdoor Alliance since 2019. She was national sales manager for Marmot Mountain from 2013 to 2018, international sales account manager at Black Diamond Equipment from 2010 to 2013, and international sales account manager at Gregory Mountain Products from 2008 to 2010. Hawkins is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Hawkins earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hawkins is a Democrat.
Shaunna McCovey, 48, of McKinleyville, has been appointed to the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. McCovey has been director of natural resources and governmental affairs for the Resighini Rancheria since 2020. She was deputy chief executive officer at Trinidad Rancheria from 2019 to 2020, compact negotiator at the Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs, Office of Self-Governance from 2015 to 2019, and a marine planning associate and integrated solutions specialist at Point 97 from 2013 to 2014. McCovey was tribal affairs policy associate at Ecotrust from 2012 to 2013, policy manager for marine spatial planning at Ocean Conservancy from 2010 to 2012 and held multiple positions for the Yurok Tribe from 2006 to 2010, including acting executive director, deputy executive director, self-governance officer and staff attorney. McCovey was associate professor at Humboldt State University from 2003 to 2005. She earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Studies in Environmental Law degree from Vermont Law School and a Master of Social Work degree from Arizona State University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. McCovey is a Democrat.
###