SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Marivel Barajas, 40, of Stockton, has been reappointed Deputy Director of Legislation at the California Department of Parks and Recreation, where she has served since 2016. Barajas was Legislative Consultant for Senator Lois Wolk from 2008 to 2016 and a Senate Fellow for California State Senator Alex Padilla from 2007 to 2008. Barajas earned a Master of Public Policy Degree from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $129,828. Barajas is a Democrat.Ramona Fernandez, 59, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Boating and Waterways Division at the California Department of Parks and Recreation, where she has been Acting Deputy Director since 2019. Fernandez was Manager of Boating Operations for the Boating and Waterways Division at the Department of Parks and Recreation from 2013 to 2019, where she was Administrative Chief of Park Operations from 2006 to 2013. She held multiple positions at the California Department of Water Resources from 1993 to 2006, including Chief of Program Administration Support Services, Assistant Administrative Officer, Association Governmental Program Analyst, Staff Services Analyst and Material and Stores Specialist. Fernandez is a member of the California Boating Safety Officers Association, National Association of State Boating Law Administrator Association, the Western State Boating Administrators Association and the Colorado River Law Enforcement Association. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $151,728. Fernandez is a Democrat.Gloria Sandoval, 46, of Stockton, has been reappointed Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of Parks and Recreation, where she served in that role since 2015. Sandoval was Associate Director of Communications at the California Natural Resources Agency from 2014 to 2015, Information Officer at the California Department of Parks and Recreation from 2013 to 2014 and Information Officer and Education Analyst at the California Department of Boating and Waterways from 2000 to 2013. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $129,828. Sandoval is a Democrat.Suzanne Casazza, 32, of San Mateo, has been appointed Technical Advisor II to Commissioner John Reynolds at the California Public Utilities Commission, where she has served as Chief of Staff and Legal Advisor to Commissioner John Reynolds since 2022. She has held multiple positions at the California Public Utilities Commission from 2015 to 2022, including Energy and Legal Advisor to Commissioner Darcie Houck and Commissioner Liane Randolph, and Analyst. She was a Legal and Policy Fellow in the Office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez in 2015. Casazza 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 $150,012. Casazza is a Democrat.J. Elizabeth Smith, 48, of Santa Cruz, has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of Communications at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Smith has been Communications Manager for the City of Santa Cruz since 2020. She held several positions at Code for America from 2018 to 2020, including Marketing Consultant and Head of Marketing. Smith was Associate Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Communications at San Francisco State University from 2016 to 2017. She was Chief Marketing Officer at Saint Mary’s College of California from 2008 to 2016. Smith was Director of Marketing Communications at the University of California, Davis from 2005 to 2008. She earned a Master of Science degree in integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and a Master of Public Affairs degree from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $146,000. Smith is a Democrat.
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