SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Anastasia Dodson, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Office of Medicare Innovation and Integration at the California Department of Health Care Services. Dodson has been Associate Director of Policy at the California Department of Health Care Services since 2013. She was a Principal Program Budget Analyst at the California Department of Finance in 2013, a Management and Policy Consultant at Harbage Consulting from 2011 to 2012 and a Senior Policy Analyst for Self-Sufficiency Programs at the County Welfare Directors Association of California from 2007 to 2011. Dodson was a Management Analyst at the Contra Costa County Administrator’s Office from 2006 to 2007 and Human Services Consultant for the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review from 2004 to 2006. She was a Finance Budget Analyst at the California Department of Finance from 2001 to 2004 and a Policy Analyst at the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging in 2001. Dodson was a Policy Analyst at the Alameda County Social Services Agency and at the Consumers Union in 2000. She was a Legal Services Administrator at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform from 1998 to 1999. Dodson earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Policy. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Dodson is a Democrat.
Julia Lowe, 45, of Sunnyvale, has been appointed Assistant Director of Programs at the California Department of Developmental Services. Lowe has been a Special Consultant for the California Department of Developmental Services since 2020. She was State Director for Dungarvin California LLC from 2013 to 2020 and Assistant Deputy Director of Program Operations for the California Department of Developmental Services from 2009 to 2013. Lowe held multiple positions at the Agnews Developmental Center from 1999 to 2009, including Community State Staff Coordinator, Program Assistant and Rehabilitation Therapist. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,652. Lowe is a Democrat.
Joe Garbanzos, 65, of Chula Vista, has been appointed to the Long Term Care Insurance Task Force. Garbanzos has been State President of AARP California since 2021, where he has been an Executive Council Member since 2014. He has been Adjunct Faculty for Alliant International University, San Diego Campus since 2012. He was an Outreach and Education Consultant for Harbage Consulting from 2013 to 2018. He is a member of the ElderHelp San Diego Board of Directors and the San Diego County Aging and Independence Services Advisory Council. Garbanzos earned Master of Public Health and Master of Business Administration degrees from Claremont Graduate University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Garbanzos is registered without party preference.
Laurel Lucia, 42, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the Long Term Care Insurance Task Force. Lucia has been Director of the Health Care Program at the University of California, Berkeley Labor Center since 2017, where she has held multiple positions since 2009, including Health Care Program Manager and Policy Analyst. She was a Researcher and Policy Analyst for the Service Employees International Union from 2005 to 2009 and Healthcare Analyst for Kaiser Permanente from 2000 to 2003. Lucia is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lucia is a Democrat.
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