SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Adam Dondro, 38, of Carmichael, has been reappointed Deputy Secretary for Information Technology and Agency Information Officer at the California Health and Human Services Agency, where he has served in those positions since 2017. Dondro was Assistant Director of Horizontal Integration at the California Department of Social Services from 2013 to 2017. He served as Assistant Secretary of External Affairs at the California Technology Agency from 2010 to 2013. Dondro was a Budget Committee Consultant for the California State Assembly Budget Committee from 2005 to 2010 and a Legislative Aide in the Office of California State Assemblymember John Laird from 2005 to 2008. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $148,524. Dondro is a Democrat.
Selis Koker, 41, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California Department of Child Support Services. Koker has served as Assistant Chief Counsel at the California Department of Child Support Services since 2019, where she has served in several positions since 2013, including Attorney III and Attorney I. She was an Associate at Cordell & Cordell LLP in 2013 and at Stockdale Law Firm Inc. from 2010 to 2013. She was an Immigration Attorney at De Avila Law Firm from 2007 to 2008. Koker was a Legal Analyst at Raley’s Corporation from 2004 to 2007. She earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $180,576. Koker is a Democrat.
Salena Chow, 42, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer at the California Department of Social Services. Chow has been Fiscal Forecasting and Policy Branch Chief at the California Department of Social Services since 2015, where she has served in several positions since 2006 including Estimates Bureau Chief, Estimates Manager and Program Analyst. She was Risk and Project Administrator at Walsh & Forster Inc. from 2004 to 2006 and Executive Assistant for Azteca Construction Inc. from 2003 to 2004. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,400. Chow is registered without party preference.
Pete Cervinka, 48, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief of Data Analytics and Strategy at the California Department of Developmental Services. Cervinka has been Chief Operating Officer at the California Department of Social Services since 2019. He was Chief Deputy Director and Program Deputy Director for Benefits and Services at the California Department of Social Services from 2009 to 2019. Cervinka served in multiple positions at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2007 to 2009, including Assistant Secretary in the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs and Assistant Associate Secretary in the Office of Legislation. He held multiple positions at the California Department of Finance, including Assistant Program Budget Manager from 2006 to 2007, Principal Program Budget Manager from 2003 to 2006 and Finance Budget Analyst from 2002 to 2003 and from 1998 to 2000. Cervinka was a Staff Services Manager at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2000 to 2002. He earned a Master of Science degree in agricultural and resource economics from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $180,300. Cervinka is a Democrat.
Erica Reimer Snell, 46, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Community Services Division at the California Department of Developmental Services. Reimer Snell has been an Interim Director of Adult Services at the Harbor Regional Center since 2020, where she has held several positions since 2018 including Director of Community Services and Consultant of Special Projects. She held several positions at the Westside Regional Center from 1999 to 2018, including Director and Assistant Director of Client Services, Independent Consultant, CPP Housing Manager, Intake Coordinator and Service Coordinator. Reimer Snell was Case Manager at El Nido Family Centers from 1996 to 1999. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Arts degree in education from California State University, Dominguez Hills. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $156,000. Reimer Snell is a Democrat.
Rachel Arrezola, 37, of Roseville, has been reappointed Deputy Director of Communications and Planning at the California Department of Managed Health Care, where she has served in that position since 2015. Arrezola was Deputy Director of Legislative and Public Affairs at the California Department of Community Services and Development from 2011 to 2015. She was Chief Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor from 2009 to 2011, where she served in several positions from 2006 to 2009, Including Deputy Press Secretary, Assistant Press Secretary and Press Assistant. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,652. Arrezola is registered without party preference.
Sarah L. Ream, 48, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California Department of Managed Health Care, where she has served as Acting Chief Counsel since 2018. Ream has held several positions at the California Department of Managed Health Care from 2007 to 2018, including Deputy Director, Assistant Chief Counsel, Staff Counsel III and Staff Counsel. She was Legal Counsel at the Washington State House of Representatives from 2005 to 2007. Ream was an Associate at Wilke, Fleury, Hoffelt, Gould & Birney LLP from 2000 to 2005. Ream earned a Master of Arts degree in psychology from California State University, Fullerton and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $186,444. Ream is a Democrat
Christin Ogden Hemann, 50, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the California Department of Managed Health Care. Hermann has been Associate Director and Executive Director at the California Association for Adult Day Services since 2018. She was Assistant Director of Legislation and Public Affairs at the California Department of Aging from 2013 to 2018. Hemann was a Legislative and Policy Aide at the Office of Assemblymember Richard Gordon from 2011 to 2013. She was Public Policy Analyst and Advocate at Leading Age California from 2006 to 2011. Hemann was a Legislative Analyst and Political Action Committee Coordinator at Consumer Attorneys of California from 2004 to 2006. She was Executive Administrative Assistant at the Office of Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson from 2002 to 2004. Hemann was Policy Research Assistant at Schott and Lites Government Relations from 1999 to 2002. She earned a Master of Arts in gerontology from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $136,500. Hemann is a Democrat.
Adetunji O. Olude, 40, of Oakland, has been appointed to the Fair Employment and Housing Council. Olude has been Attorney I at the Judicial Council of California Center for Judicial Education and Research since 2016. She was an Associate at Bryan Schwartz Law from 2014 to 2016. Olude was Staff Attorney at Housing and Economic Rights Advocates from 2009 to 2014 and a Legal Assistant/Intake and Pro Bono Coordinator at Legal Services for Children from 2003 to 2006. Olude is a member of the National Center for Lesbian Rights Board of Directors. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. Olude is a Democrat.
Hellen Hong, 47, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Fair Employment and Housing Council. Hong has been Chief Executive Officer at Cal Bar Affinity Inc. since 2020. She was Director of the Office of Access and Inclusion at the State Bar of California from 2019 to 2020. Hong held multiple executive positions at First Place for Youth from 2014 to 2019. She was Executive Director of the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice from 2007 to 2014, a public interest attorney from 2004 to 2007 and Assistant Director of State Government Relations at the University of California, Los Angeles from 2002 to 2004. She is an advisory member of Mid-City Meals. Hong earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. Hong is a Democrat.
Gabriel A. Sandoval, 49, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Fair Employment and Housing Council, where he has served since 2019. Sandoval has been a Partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo since 2013. He was Senior Advisor and Director of Policy at the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics from 2011 to 2013. During the Obama Administration, Sandoval was also Senior Counsel for the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education from 2010 to 2011. He was Deputy Legal Counsel to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from 2005 to 2010. Sandoval was Directing Deputy City Attorney and Special Assistant City Attorney in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2003 to 2005. He is a member of the California Voting Modernization Board and an advisory council member of the Campaign for College Opportunity. Sandoval is also a member of the Justice Action Center Board of Directors, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Law School Scholarship Committee of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Mexican American Bar Association. He is a Pahara-Aspen Institute fellow and member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Sandoval earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. Sandoval is a Democrat.
Julie Wilensky, 41, of Oakland, has been appointed to the Fair Employment and Housing Council. Wilensky has been a Senior Staff Attorney at the National Center for Lesbian Rights since 2018. She was a Deputy County Counsel in the Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office from 2017 to 2018. Wilensky was Senior Counsel at Disability Rights California from 2016 to 2017 and Director of the California Office of the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center from 2015 to 2016. She was a Shareholder at Lewis, Feinberg, Lee & Jackson PC in 2015 and an Associate at the firm (formerly Lewis, Feinberg, Lee, Renaker & Jackson PC) from 2010 to 2015. Wilensky served as a Law Clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 2009 to 2010 and at the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York from 2008 to 2009. She was a Thomas Emerson fellow at David Rosen & Associates from 2007 to 2008. Wilensky earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem and reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses. Wilensky is a Democrat.
Joyce Noel Brandon-Kelsch, 63, of Santa Cruz, has been reappointed to the Dental Hygiene Board of California, where she has served since 2012. Kelsch has been Director of Hygiene at Cabrillo College since 2016 and a Consultant and self-employed Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice since 1995. Kelsch was a Registered Dental Hygienist for Steven Kaminsky DDS from 2003 to 2007 and for Philp Wolff from 1999 to 2003. She is a member of the California Dental Hygienists’ Association. Kelsch earned a Master of Science degree in dental hygiene from the University of California, San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Kelsch is a Democrat.
Denise M. Miller, 54, of Glendale, has been reappointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy, where she has served since 2013. Miller has been self-employed as a Healthcare Consultant, Project Manager and Technical Writer since 2019 and an Adjunct Professor at Stanbridge University since 2018. She was Director of Aging Services and Product Development at AltaMed Health Services from 2018 to 2019. Miller served in various positions at Adventist Health Glendale from 2010 to 2017, including Director of Senior Programs and Business Development, Director of Occupational Medicine, Government Relations Liaison and Manager of Physician Relations and Business Development. Miller is a member of Glendale Sunrise Rotary and the Glendale Police Foundation and a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from La Sierra University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Miller is a Democrat.
Sharon L. Pavlovich, 54, of Redlands, has been reappointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy, where she has served since 2013. Pavlovich has been an Assistant Professor at Loma Linda University since 2004. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Association of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Pavlovich is a Democrat.
###