Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 3.2.21

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SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Patrick K. Day, 50, of San Jose, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Day has been Vice President for Student Affairs at San Jose State University since 2018. He was Vice President for Student Life at the University of the Pacific from 2013 to 2018. Day was Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Massachusetts, Boston from 2006 to 2013. He was Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at Temple University from 2005 to 2006. Day was Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Johnson C. Smith University from 1999 to 2004. He was Assistant Dean of Students at Texas Tech University from 1993 to 1998. Day is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He earned a Master of Education degree in higher education from Texas Tech University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Day is a Democrat.

Shannon Gary, 45, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Gary has been Associate Vice Provost for Student Life and Dean of Students at the University of San Francisco since 2017. He was Associate Dean of Students at Montclair State University from 2012 to 2017. Gary held multiple positions at Drexel University from 2007 to 2012, including Associate Dean of Pennoni Honors College and Assistant Dean for Honors Programming. He was Academic Advisor at Temple University from 2005 to 2007. Gary was Assistant Director of Career Services at Lafayette College from 2003 to 2005. He was Human Resources Administrator at The Vanguard Group from 1997 to 2002. Gary is a member of NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Muhlenberg College. He earned a Doctor of Education degree and a Master of Science degree in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gary is a Democrat.

Angel Rodriguez, 34, of Riverside, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Rodriguez has served the San Bernardino Community College District as Senior Director of Marketing, Public Affairs and Government Relations since 2016. He was Associate Director of State and Regional Government and Community Relations at the University of California, Riverside from 2014 to 2016. In 2012, Rodriguez was Strategic Communications Specialist for a college attainment initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National League of Cities and City of Riverside Mayor’s Office. Rodriguez held multiple positions at the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce from 2008 to 2012, including Government Affairs Manager, Communications Manager and Community Development Coordinator. Rodriguez is a member of the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California Board of Directors. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rodriguez is a Democrat.

Jose Manuel M. Cardenas, 43, of Modesto, has been appointed to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Cardenas has been a K-12 School Counselor at Stockton Unified School District since 2005. He was Adjunct Professor at California State University, Stanislaus from 2016 to 2017. Cardenas was an Outreach Specialist for the Center for Excellence in Graduate Education at California State University, Stanislaus from 2011 to 2012. He was Adjunct Counselor at Modesto Junior College in 2011. Cardenas was an Academic Case Manager for Modesto City Schools at Hanshaw Middle School in 2005. He held multiple positions at San Diego State University from 1996 to 2004, including Head Resident Counselor at the Pre-College Institute Science Enrichment Program, Peer Advisor at the Talent Search Program Pre-College, Mentor at the GEAR Up Program Pre-College Institute and Student Specialist for Work Study at Career Services. Cardenas was a K-12 Counselor at Gonzales Unified School District from 2003 to 2004. He is a member of the Modesto City Schools Equity Task Force, Grace M. Davis High School Site Council, California Association of School Counselors, American School Counselor Association, San Diego Lifetime Alumni Network and Phi Kappa Phi. Cardenas earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from California State University, Stanislaus and a Master of Science degree and Pupil Personnel Services Credential in school counseling from San Diego State University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cardenas is a Democrat.

Michael R. de la Torre, 52, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. De la Torre has been a Teacher at the Los Angeles Unified School District since 1991. He is a member of the United Teachers of Los Angeles, American Federation of Teachers/California Federation of Teachers and National Education Association/California Teachers Association. He has certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. De la Torre is a Democrat.

Megan N. Gross, 40, of San Diego, has been appointed to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Gross has been a Consultant at Spark Teaching Group since 2019 and a Specialized Academic Instruction Teacher on Special Assignment at Poway Unified School District since 2018. She was a Lecturer at Loyola Marymount University in 2020. Gross was a Special Education Teacher at Poway Unified School District from 2013 to 2018. She was an Instructional Support Provider at Brentwood Unified School District from 2012 to 2013 and an Inclusion and Resource Specialist at Davis Joint Unified School District from 2007 to 2012.  She is a member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, California Teacher of the Year Foundation, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, TASH Disability Advocacy Organization and Poway Federation of Teachers.  Gross earned a Master of Science degree in instructional design and technology from Walden University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gross is a Democrat.

Johanna K. Hartwig, 48, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, where she has served since 2018. Hartwig has been Principal at Hartwig Career Strategies since 2019. She was Assistant Dean for Career Planning and Legal Community Engagement at the University of San Francisco, School of Law from 2012 to 2018.   Hartwig was Managing Associate at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe LLP from 2010 to 2012. She was a Law Clerk and Ethics Committee Clerk for Judge M. Margaret McKeown at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2008 to 2010. Hartwig held multiple positions at Morrison and Foerster LLP from 2003 to 2008, including Litigation Associate and Summer Associate. She was a Graduate Student Instructor at the University of Michigan School of Public Policy from 2004 to 2005. Hartwig was a Law Clinic Student Attorney for the Child Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Michigan School of Law from 2004 to 2005. She was a Research Assistant at the University of Michigan School of Law from 2002 to 2005. Hartwig was a Law and Policy Summer Clerk at the National Center for Youth Law in 2004. She was a Bergstrom Fellow at the Child Advocacy Law Clinic at the University of Michigan School of Law in 2002. Hartwig was a Paralegal at Pennie and Edmonds LLP from 1998 to 2001. She was a History Teacher at Bronx High School of Science from 1997 to 1998 and an Elementary School Teacher at Public School 28 Elementary School from 1995 to 1997.  She was a Teacher at Sri Rajñi Primary School from 1994 to 1995. Hartwig is a member of Open Door Legal, California Bar Association and Bar Association of San Francisco. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School and a Master of Public Policy in domestic policy from the University of Michigan School of Public Policy. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hartwig is a Democrat.

Susan M. Heredia, 68, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Heredia was Professor and Department Chair of the College of Education at California State University, Sacramento from 1995 to 2017. She was a Supervisor at the University of California, Davis from 1989 to 1993. Heredia held multiple positions at the Sacramento City Unified School District from 1979 to 1989, including Compensatory Education Advisor, Staff Development Training Specialist and Elementary Teacher. She is a member of the California Association for Bilingual Education, California School Board Association, California Latino School Board Association, Women Democrats of Sacramento County, National Women’s Caucus of Sacramento, Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento, Latino Democrats of Sacramento County, Natomas Democratic Club and Black Women Organized for Political Power. Heredia earned a Doctor of Education degree in sociocultural studies in education from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Education degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Heredia is a Democrat.

Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy, 40, of Walnut Creek, has been appointed to the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Ruan-O’Shaughnessy has been Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Support at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office since 2020. She was Senior Project Manager at JFF from 2018 to 2020. Ruan-O’Shaughnessy was Vice President of Employment Opportunities, myConnections at UnitedHealthcare Community and State from 2016 to 2018. She was Chief of Staff and Director of Legal Affairs and Government Relations at Fuyao Glass America Inc. from 2014 to 2016. Ruan-O’Shaughnessy was Deputy Chief in the Office of Strategic Business Investments at the Ohio Development Services Agency from 2010 to 2014. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ruan-O’Shaughnessy is a Democrat.

Lindsay A. Tornatore, 39, of Sacramento has been appointed to the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council. Tornatore has been Director of the Student Achievement and Support Division at the California Department of Education since 2020, where she has held multiple positions since 2017, including Education Administrator I and Education Programs Consultant. She was Assistant Professor of Music Education at Drake University from 2016 to 2017. Tornatore was Adjunct Assistant Professor at Kean University from 2012 to 2016. She was a Doctoral Fellow and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University from 2011 to 2016. Tornatore was a Middle School Music Teacher at West Prep Academy from 2012 to 2013. She was an Elementary and High School Music Teacher at Shaler Area School District from 2006 to 2011. Tornatore was Manager of the Education and Community Engagement Department at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 2004 to 2006.  She earned a Doctor of Education degree from Teachers College, Columbia University; a Master of Education degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University; and a Master of Education degree in education and educational leadership from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Tornatore is a Democrat.

Taisha Brown, 52, of San Diego, has been appointed to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Brown has been an Employment Program Representative at the California Employment Development Department since 2010. She is chair of the California Democratic Party Black Caucus and Vice Chair of Labor Caucus to the California Democratic Party. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brown is a Democrat.

Jovita Dominguez, 54, of Castroville, has been appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing. Dominguez has been a Staff Nurse III at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital since 1987 and a Clinical Instructor for Hartnell College since 1999. She is a member of the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses and California Nurses Association and a Delegate of the California Democratic Party. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dominguez is a Democrat.

Rafael C. Sweet, 39, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Sweet has been a Trial Attorney with his own practice since 2020. He was a Trial Attorney at The Dominguez Firm from 2019 to 2020. He was a Senior Trial Attorney at the Law Offices of Michael A. Kahn from 2016 to 2019 and at Cellino & Barnes in 2016. Sweet was Founder and Principal Attorney at Contreras Sweet Law from 2013 to 2016. He was an Attorney at Pettit Kohn Ingrassia & Lutz PC from 2012 to 2013. Sweet is a member of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sweet is registered without party preference.

Kirk Andrus, 70, of Kelseyville, has been appointed to the 49th District Agricultural Association, Lake County Fair Board of Directors. Andrus was a Physician at Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s Community Clinic from 2017 to 2020. He was a Physician for the Veterans Administration from 2010 to 2016. Andrus was a Physician in Private Practice from 1985 to 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Andrus is a Democrat.

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