SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Giannina Pérez, 50, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chair of the First 5 California Children and Families Commission. Pérez served as Senior Policy Advisor for Early Childhood in the Office of the Governor from 2019 to 2022. She was Policy Consultant at Early Edge California in 2018. Pérez held several positions at Children Now from 2005 to 2016, including Senior Director of Early Childhood Policy. She was a Policy Consultant for California State Assemblymember Cindy Montanez from 2004 to 2005. Pérez was Legislative Aide for California State Senator Hilda L. Solis from 1996 to 2001. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pérez is registered without party preference.Nicole A. Jeong, 36, of South Pasadena, has been appointed to the Medical Board of California. Jeong has been the Southern California Regional Director of Advocacy at Root & Rebound since 2021, where she’s been an Attorney since 2018. She was a Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney at Legal Services NYC from 2016 to 2018. Jeong was a Litigation Associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP from 2014 to 2016. She was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Office of Judge Jesus G. Bernal at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 2013 to 2014. Jeong was a Litigation Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP from 2011 to 2013. Jeong earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jeong is a Democrat. Veling Tsai, 49, of South Pasadena, has been appointed to the Medical Board of California. Tsai has been a private Practitioner at Caring ENT since 2008. He has been a Clinical Assistant Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine since 2008 and an Attending Surgeon at the University’s Olive View Medical Center since 2012. He is a member of the California State Bar Association, the American Academy of Legal Medicine and the American College of Legal Medicine, where he served as President in 2019. He earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Southern Illinois University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Tsai is registered without party preference. Michael Gunning, 64, of Elk Grove, has been appointed to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System Board. Gunning has been Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the California Building Industry Association since 2018. Gunning served on the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors from 2009 to 2022. He was Vice President at the Personal Insurance Federation of California from 2001 to 2018. Gunning was Managing Director at Nehemiah Community Reinvestment from 1999 to 2001, Director at the California Department of Insurance’s COIN Program from 1996 to 1999, a Senior Policy Consultant for the California State Assembly from 1995 to 1996 and Assistant Vice President at George K. Baum and Company from 1990 to 1994. Gunning was Executive Assistant to the State Treasurer at the Missouri State Treasurer’s Office from 1984 to 1989, a fellow at the Coro Foundation from 1983 to 1984 and a Loan Officer at United California Bank from 1979 to 1983. Gunning earned a Master of Arts degree in public policy analysis from Claremont Graduate University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gunning is a Republican. Naomi Porter, 17, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the State Board of Education effective August 1, 2022. Porter has been a Student Advisor at the Los Angeles County Office of Education since 2021. She has been HOBY Delegate at Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership since 2020. Porter has been Founder and Executive Director at EntrepreYOUership since 2019. She has been Chief Executive Officer at Bright Futures since 2018. Porter was a Fellow at Civics Unplugged in 2021. She was Vice-President of the Pier to Pier Walk Board at the Friendship Foundation in 2020. Porter was an Intern at Girl Scouts of the USA from 2019 to 2021. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Porter is not registered to vote.
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