SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Jennifer Sturdy, 44, of Santa Rosa, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Evaluation at the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Sturdy has been Senior Evaluation Specialist at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation since 2021. She held several roles at the Millennium Challenge Corporation from 2011 to 2021, including advising Evaluation Policy and Practice, Director of Independent Evaluations, and Associate Director for Monitoring and Evaluation. Sturdy held several roles at the University of California, Berkeley from 2015 to 2018, including Program Director, Advisor and Board Member. She held several positions at the World Bank from 2005 to 2011, including Short-Term Consultant and Extended Term Consultant. Sturdy earned a Master of Arts degree in international development economics from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,400. Sturdy is a Democrat.Ted Richards, 63, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Richards has been a Sole Practitioner since 2020. He was Managing Attorney at the Sacramento and Chico Offices of Stander Reubens Thomas Kinsey from 1999 to 2020. Richards was an Attorney at Naekel and Phenix in 1998 and 1999. He was a Legal Researcher at Beal, Schmidt & Dyer from 1995 to 1996 and at O’Connor, Cavanaugh et al from 1993 to 1995. Richards was an Attorney at Pacific Gas & Electric from 1989 to 1990, at Caldwell & Johnson from 1986 to 1987, and at Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft from 1985 to 1986. He is a member of the Association of Workers’ Compensation Professionals. Richards earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,852. Richards is a Democrat. Victoria Gonzalez-Gerlach, 31, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of External Affairs at the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. Gonzalez-Gerlach has served as Acting Deputy Secretary for External Affairs at the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency since 2021 and as Senior Advisor there since 2020. She held several positions at the Office of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg from 2017 to 2020, including Director of Policy and Senior Policy Advisor. Gonzalez-Gerlach was Land Use Project Manager at Golden Steves & Gordon LLP from 2013 to 2017. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $144,480. Gonzalez-Gerlach is a Democrat. Anthony Crawford, 38, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Fiscal and Data Management at the California Department of Human Resources. Crawford has been Chief of the Financial Management Division at the California Department of Human Resources since 2015. He held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2011 to 2015, including Principal Program Budget Analyst III, Principal Program Budget Analyst II and Staff Finance Budget Analyst. Crawford was Staff Services Manager in the Financial Management Division at the California Department of Personnel Administration from 2010 to 2011. He held several positions at the California Department of Justice from 2001 to 2010, including Associate Personnel Analyst, Staff Services Analyst and Information Systems Technician. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,332. Crawford is registered without party preference. Jose Razo, 71, of San Mateo, has been reappointed to the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, where he has served since 2015. Razo was an Associate at Laughlin, Falbo, Levy and Moresi from 2006 to 2015. He was a Partner at Pasternak and Razo from 1981 to 2006. Razo was an Associate at Garry, Dreyfus, McTernan and Walsh from 1978 to 1981 and at the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County from 1977 to 1978. He was a Fellow for the Reginald Heber Smith Fellowship from Howard University, where he worked in the Bakersfield Legal Assistance Program and the San Mateo County Legal Aid Society from 1976 to 1978. He is a member of the Stanford University Alumni Association. Razo earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,306. Razo is a Democrat.Shannon Dicus, 54, of Hesperia, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Dicus has served as Sheriff at the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department since 2021, where he has held several positions since 1991, including Undersheriff, Assistant Sheriff, Chief, Commander, Lieutenant, Sergeant, Corporal and Deputy. Dicus is a member of the Community Vital Signs Initiative’s Steering Committee. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dicus is a Republican.Michael Lopez, 55, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California Prison Industry Board. Lopez has been a Business Representative at Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 since 2012. He held several positions at New England Sheet Metal from 1992 to 2012, including Fabricator, Estimator and Shop Foreman. Lopez is a member of the Fresno County Local Agency Formation Commission, the City of Fresno Capital Projects Oversight Board, the Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings Central Labor Council, Focus Forward, and Arte Americas. He is President of the Fresno, Madera, Tulare, and Kings County Building Trades Council. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lopez is a Democrat.
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