SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Clare Mendelsohn, 57, of Deerton, MI, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Public Policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency. Mendelsohn was Forest Supervisor for the U.S. Forest Service at the White Mountain National Forest from 2017 to 2020, where she was Deputy Forest Supervisor from 2015 to 2017. She was Director of the Western Regional Environmental Office for the U.S. Air Force from 2002 to 2013 and Special Projects Manager in the Clean Energy and Climate Change Section, Air Division for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 in 2012. Mendelsohn was Senior Operational Research Analyst for the Air Force Studies and Analyses Agency in 2002 and Chief of the Environmental Operations Branch for the Materiel Command of the U.S. Air Force Office of Environmental Management in 2001. Mendelsohn earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering and Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Mendelsohn is a Democrat. Maria Luisa Cesar, 36, of Oakland, has been appointed Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of Cannabis Control. Cesar has served as Deputy Commissioner of Communications at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation since 2020. Cesar has been Owner and Chief Storyteller at Greater Good LLC since 2018. She was a Senior Policy Advisor and Deputy Communications Director at the Office of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg from 2017 to 2018. She served as Communications and Community Outreach Director for San Antonio City Councilman Nirenberg from 2015 to 2017. She was an Education Reporter at the San Antonio Express-News from 2011 to 2015. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $143,820. Cesar is a Democrat.Travis S. Kusman, 42, of Santa Cruz, has been appointed to the Commission on Emergency Medical Services. Kusman has been Director of Emergency Medical Services at the County of San Mateo since 2018 and has been a Senior Consultant at SciMed Partners since 2012. He was Director of Emergency Medical Services at the County of Alameda from 2016 to 2018, where he was Deputy Director of Emergency Medical Services from 2015 to 2016. He held several positions at Paramedics Plus from 2012 to 2015, including Operations Captain, Clinical Supervisor and Advanced Paramedic. Kusman was General Manager of Santa Clara County at Rural Metro Corporation from 2011 to 2012. Kusman was a Technical Editor at the Journal of Medical Services from 2009 to 2011. He held several positions at American Medical Response from 2001 to 2011, including EMS Manager, Supervisor and Paramedic. He is president of the Emergency Medical Services Administrators’ Association of California, regional disaster medical health coordinator for California’s Coastal Mutual Aid Region and a member of the American College Healthcare Executives. Kusman earned a Master of Public Health degree from Emory University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kusman is a Democrat.Richard Wade, 68, of Pollock Pines, has been reappointed to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, where he has served since 2011. Wade has been a District Manager/District Forester for Sierra Pacific Industries since 1995. He was a Forester at Cal Oak Lumber Company from 1983 to 1995 and at James Nicklos and Associates from 1980 to 1983. Wade was a Harvest Inspector for the U.S. Forest Service from 1979 to 1980. He was a Forester at Western Timber Services Inc. from 1978 to 1979. Wade is a board member and treasurer at Forestry Educators Inc. He is a member of the Amador-El Dorado Forest Forum, California Licensed Foresters Association, California Native Plant Society and the Society of American Foresters. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wade is a Democrat.Tiffani Alvidrez, 52, of Elk Grove, has been appointed to the California Lottery Commission. Alvidrez has been a Regional Manager of Policy and Governmental Affairs for Instacart since 2021. She was Chief of Staff at the Office of Senator Holly J. Mitchell from 2010 to 2021 and a Principal Consultant at the Office of Senator Curren Price from 2008 to 2010. Alvidrez was a Policy Analyst for the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Transportation from 2006 to 2008. Alvidrez was a Policy Analyst at the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs from 2005 to 2006. She is a board member for Leadership California and a member of the National Black MBA Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Alvidrez is a Democrat.Servando Flores, 53, of Hollister, has been appointed to the 33rd District Agricultural Association (San Benito County Fair Board of Directors). Flores has been Systems Administrator at the County of Santa Clara since 1997. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Flores is a Democrat.
###