SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Patricia Cassady, 70, of Concord, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2016. Cassady has served in several positions at the Board of Parole Hearings since 1995, including Deputy Commissioner from 1995 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2016, Associate Chief Deputy Commissioner from 2005 to 2008 and again from 2010 to 2013, and Chief Deputy Commissioner from 2008 to 2010. She was a Sole Practitioner from 1988 to 1995. Cassady earned a Juris Doctor degree from the John F. Kennedy University College of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Cassady is a Democrat.Teal Kozel, 46, of Yuba City, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2022. Kozel was Senior Psychologist Supervisor in the Forensic Assessment Division at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2009 to 2022. She was a Psychologist Specialist at the California Medical Facility in 2009. Kozel was a Staff Psychologist and Suicide Prevention Coordinator at San Quentin State Prison from 2007 to 2009. She was a Staff Psychologist at Napa State Hospital from 2004 to 2007. Kozel earned a Doctor of Psychology degree in Clinical Psychology from Baylor University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Kozel is a Democrat.William Muniz, 58, of Marina, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2022. Muniz served as Chief Deputy Administrator of the Prison to Employment Initiative at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2019 to 2020. He held several positions at Salinas Valley State Prison from 1998 to 2019, including Correctional Sergeant, Correctional Lieutenant, Captain, Associate Warden, Chief Deputy Warden, and Warden. Muniz was a Correctional Officer at the Correctional Training Facility from 1994 to 1998. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Muniz is a Republican.Lawrence Nwajei, 61, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2021. Nwajei was a Deputy Commissioner and Administrative Law Judge at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2020 to 2021. He was a Staff Attorney at Baron & Budd from 2018 to 2021 and served as Judge Pro Tem in the Los Angeles Superior Court from 2019 to 2021. Nwajei was a Sole Practitioner from 1996 to 2018. He was Executive Director at Rexford Medical Corporation from 1990 to 1995. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nigeria. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Nwajei is a Democrat. Michael Ruff, 58, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2017. Ruff was a Retired Annuitant Special Agent on the Special Projects Team at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2013 to 2016, where he was also a Special Agent In-Charge at the Office of Correctional Safety from 2007 to 2013 and Senior Special Agent from 2003 to 2007. Ruff was a Captain at the Deuel Vocational Institute from 2001 to 2003 and a Lieutenant there from 1998 to 2001. He was a Sergeant at San Quentin State Prison from 1994 to 1998, where he was a Correctional Officer from 1986 to 1994. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Ruff is a Democrat.Mary Thornton, 58, of Fresno, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2019. Thornton was Deputy Commissioner and Administrative Law Judge at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2018 to 2019. She served as a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Madera County District Attorney’s Office from 2016 to 2017, where she was a Deputy District Attorney from 2009 to 2013. She also served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office from 2013 to 2015. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from San Joaquin College of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Thornton is registered without party preference.Jack Weiss, 57, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Weiss has been Founder of Pacific Intelligence & Cyber since 2019. He was a Co-founder of BlueLine Grid from 2013 to 2018 and was a Managing Director at Kroll and Altegrity from 2010 to 2013. He served as District 5 City Councilmember on the Los Angeles City Council from 2001 to 2009, where he chaired the Public Safety Committee. Weiss served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California from 1994 to 2000. He was a Litigation Associate at Irell and Manella LLP from 1993 to 1994. Weiss was a Law Clark at the U.S. District Court, Central District of California from 1992 to 1993. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $192,407. Weiss is a Democrat.Gilbert Infante Jr., 38, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed to the Board of Juvenile Hearings, where he has served since 2017. Infante served in several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice from 2007 and 2017, including Treatment Team Supervisor, Parole Agent, Senior Youth Correctional Counselor and Youth Correctional Counselor. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,464. Infante is a Democrat.
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