SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Mary J. Fagan, 62, of Coronado, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. Fagan has been vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego since 2010, where she has held several positions since 1987, including director of quality management, senior managing director of clinical initiatives and director of critical care services. Fagan was a consultant at Quattro Consulting from 2004 to 2009, staff nurse at Yale New Haven Hospital from 1985 to 1987, and staff nurse and clinical educator at Cardinal Glennon Memorial Hospital from 1980 to 1985. She is a member of American Nurses Association, Association of California Nurse Leaders, American Organization of Nurse Executives and the James Shirey Foundation Board of Directors. Fagan earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing from the University of San Diego and a Master of Science degree in nursing from Yale University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Fagan is a Democrat.
Charles J. Alexander, 68, of View Park-Windsor Hills, has been reappointed to the Physician Assistant Board, where he has served since 2013. Alexander has been associate vice provost for student diversity and director of the academic advancement program at the University of California, Los Angeles since 2006. He was associate dean for student affairs and admissions at the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry from 1996 to 2006 and director of multicultural concerns and assistant to the dean of the Marquette University School of Dentistry from 1990 to 1996. Alexander was associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Brandeis University from 1989 to 1990 and director of multicultural affairs at Milwaukee Area Technical College from 1988 to 1989. He is a member of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, National Association of Medical Minority Educators, American Dental Education Association, and Western Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel. Alexander earned a Master of Arts degree in sociology from the University of Nebraska and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in the sociological foundations of education from Marquette University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Alexander is a Democrat.
Jennifer L. Carlquist, 47, of Monterey, has been reappointed to the Physician Assistant Board, where she has served since 2016. Carlquist has been a physician assistant at Central Coast Cardiology since 2011 and at Salinas Valley Hospital in the Emergency Room since 2008. She was a physician assistant at Doctors on Duty Urgent Care from 2013 to 2015 and at Dr. Robert Wlodarczyk Cardiology, Inc. from 2005 to 2015. Carlquist is a member of the California Association of Physician Assistants. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Carlquist is registered without party preference.
Sonya L. Earley, 54, of La Mirada, has been reappointed to the Physician Assistant Board, where she has served since 2013. Earley has been a physician assistant and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group since 2007, clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine since 2004 and assistant professor at the Southern California University of Health Science since 2016. She was a pediatric physician assistant at the Los Angeles County and University of Southern California Medical Center, Women’s and Children’s Hospital from 1996 to 2004. Earley is a member of the Physician Assistant Education Association, California Association of Physician Assistants, Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine, Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine and the Council of African American Parents. She earned a Master of Arts degree in biology from California State University, Dominguez Hills. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Earley is a Democrat.
Randy W. Hawkins, 66, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Physician Assistant Board. 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.
Diego V. Inzunza, 34, of San Jose, has been appointed to the Physician Assistant Board. Inzunza has been a physician assistant at VEP Healthcare, Patterson Urgent Care, and Primary Care at Home since 2019. He was a group supervisor for the San Mateo County Probation Department from 2015 to 2019, a medical translator for Santa Clara County from 2012 to 2016 and a community outreach coordinator for the City of San Jose Vice Mayor from 2010 to 2014. Inzunza is a member of the California Academy of Physician Assistants and the American Academy of Physician Assistants. He earned a Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies from Samuel Merritt University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Inzunza is a Democrat.
Jeffrey Garcia, 54, of Hanford, has been appointed to the California Board of Optometry. Garcia is an optometrist and has been owner of Family Eye Care Optometry since 1996. He was department head and an optometrist for the U.S. Navy from 1993 to 1996 and an O6 active reserve from 1985 to 2018. Garcia is a member of the American Optometric Association. He earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern California College of Optometry. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Garcia is registered without party preference.
Norma Cumpian, 50, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections, where she has served since 2020. Cumpian has been manager for women and non-binary services at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition since 2016. She was a volunteer coordinator at the Center for Restorative Justice Works from 2010 to 2015. Cumpian is a member of the Los Angeles County Gender Responsive Advisory Committee. She also helped organize and lead Convicted Women Against Abuse, a self-help organization that brings women a better understanding of domestic violence. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cumpian is a Democrat.
Dean Growdon, 49, of Susanville, has been reappointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections, where he has served since 2012. Growdon has been sheriff-coroner for Lassen County since 2011 and has served in several positions at the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department since 1994, including assistant sheriff, lieutenant, sergeant, deputy sheriff and correctional officer. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Growdon is a Republican.
Lee Lor, 38, of Merced, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Lor has served as a supervisor on the Merced County Board of Supervisors since 2017. Lor was assistant to the superintendent and community liaison at the Merced County Office of Education from 2008 to 2016, executive director at the Merced County Education Foundation from 2012 to 2016 and an independent consultant from 2011 to 2015. She was a domestic violence and sexual assault victim advocate at the Merced Valley Crisis Center from 2010 to 2011 and executive secretary at the Merced County Office of Education from 2008 to 2011, where she was a secretary from 2004 to 2008. She was a youth accountability board social investigator at the Merced County Probation Office from 2005 to 2006. Lor is co-founder and chair of the Kids Discovery Station. She is a member of the board of directors for the American Leadership Forum’s Great Valley Chapter. Lor earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Fresno. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lor is a Democrat.
Kelly M. Zuniga, 51, of Hanford, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Zuniga has been chief probation officer at the Kings County Probation Department since 2015, where she has held several positions since 1992, including deputy chief for juvenile hall, division manager for adult court services, division manager for juvenile court services and division manager for field supervision. She is central regional chair for the Chief Probation Officers of California. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Zuniga is a Republican.
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