SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Erica Gonzalez, 43, of Pico Rivera, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Equity and Strategic Initiatives at the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Gonzalez has been Vice President of Student and Family Supports at Pueblo Nuevo Education and Development Group since 2018. She was Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2015 to 2017. She was Director of Public Policy and Community Partnerships at Green Dot Public Schools from 2008 to 2013 and Associate Director at Barrio Action Youth and Family Center from 2006 to 2008. She was Intergovernmental Relations Analyst at the Los Angeles Community Development Commission from 2004 to 2006 and Project Manager and Grants Coordinator at Barrio Action Youth and Family Center from 2002 to 2004. Gonzalez earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $157,176. Gonzalez is a Democrat.
Claudia E. Lopez, 37, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Case Management Division at the Office of Tax Appeals. Lopez has been Case Management Division Manager at the Office of Tax Appeals since 2021 and Legal Support Section Manager since 2020. She was Appeals Process Specialist at the Office of Tax Appeals from 2018 to 2020. Lopez was Assistant Chief of the Board Proceedings Division at the Board of Equalization from 2013 to 2017. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,288. Lopez is a Democrat.
Amy Casias, 54, of Orangevale, has been appointed Deputy Director of Program Support in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Casias has been Associate Director in the Accounting Services Branch at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2018, where she has served in several positions since 2014, including Accounting Administrator III and Accounting Administrator II. She was Owner and Consultant at Amy Casias Consulting from 2012 to 2014. Casias was Accounting Administrator for the California Fair Services Authority from 2011 to 2013. She held multiple positions at the California Exposition and State Fair from 1990 to 2011, including Assistant General Manager for Administration. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $167,316. Casias is registered without party preference.
Cindy Chavez, 57, of San Jose, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Chavez has served as County Supervisor for the 2nd District on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors since 2013. She was Executive Director of Working Partnerships USA from 2009 to 2013 and Executive Officer of the South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council from 2009 to 2012. She served as a City Council Member and Vice Mayor for the City of San Jose from 1999 to 2006. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chavez is a Democrat.
Kirk Haynes, 55, of Fresno, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Haynes has been Chief Probation Officer at the Fresno County Probation Department since 2018, where he has held several roles since 1994, including Job Specialist, Deputy Probation Officer I-IV, Probation Services Manager and Probation Division Director. Haynes was CORE Program Instructor for the State Center Regional Training Facility, Police Academy from 2012 to 2018. He was an Eligibility Worker for the Fresno County Department of Social Services in 1994. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Haynes is a Democrat.
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