SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Ellen E. Martin, 40, of Woodland, has been appointed Director of Business Development and Stakeholder Relations at the California Housing Finance Agency. Martin has been a Principal at Economic and Planning Systems Inc. since 2019. From 2005 to 2019, she held multiple positions at EPS, including Executive Vice President and Vice President. She was Policy Analyst and Legislative Coordinator at United Domestic Workers of America from 2004 to 2005. Martin earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. She is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the California Association for Local Economic Development. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $134,400. Martin is a Democrat.
Erwin J. Tam, 42, of San Francisco, has been appointed Director of Financing at the California Housing Finance Agency. Tam has been Senior Vice President at Backstrom McCarley Berry & Co., LLC since 2020. He was Vice President at KNN Public Finance from 2014 to 2020. Tam was Vice President and Senior Vice President at Backstrom McCarley Berry & Co., LLC from 2009 to 2014. He was an Associate at RBC Capital Markets in 2008 and at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. from 2005 to 2007. He was Consultant and Senior Managing Consultant at Public Financial Management from 2001 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Tam is a Democrat.
Pratixa A. Desai, 39, of Pasadena, has been appointed Risk Manager at the California Housing Finance Agency. Desai has been Vice President and Tax Credit Investment Manager at East West Bank since 2020. She was Assistant Vice President and Underwriter for Specialty Tax Credit Solutions at PNC Bank from 2014 to 2020. Desai was Senior Officer at IL&FS Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. from 2008 to 2012. She earned a Master of Science degree in Infrastructure Planning from CEPT University, School of Planning and Public Policy and a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. Desai is not registered to vote.
Becky L. Monroe, 46, of Santa Ana, has been appointed Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Monroe has been Senior Director of the Fighting Hate and Bias Program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights since 2020. She was Director and Distinguished Practitioner in Residence for the Divided Community Project at the Ohio State University College of Law from 2019 to 2020. Monroe was Director of the Stop Hate Project at The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law from 2017 to 2018. She was Director on Policy and Strategy and Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2012 to 2017. Monroe was on detail from the U.S. Department of Justice as Senior Policy Advisor for The White House Domestic Policy Council from 2014 to 2015. She was Acting Director and Senior Counsel for the Community Relations Service at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2009 to 2012. Monroe was Policy Counsel at the Constitution Project from 2008 to 2009 and Latino/a Outreach Volunteer for the Promote the Vote Program at Obama for America from 2007 to 2008. Monroe was Director of the Employment Rights Project at Bet Tzedek Legal Services from 2005 to 2008. She was an Associate at Strumwasser and Woocher LLP from 2003 to 2005 and a Paralegal for the Employment Litigation Section at the U.S. Department of Justice from 1998 to 1999. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $150,000. Monroe is a Democrat.
Monica Hernandez, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Hernandez has been Director of Innovation and Partnerships at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments since 2007. She earned a Master of Science degree in Communication from Purdue University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $134,004. Hernandez is a Democrat.
###