Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 12.20.22

Published:

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Grant Parks, 47, of Rocklin, has been appointed State Auditor at the California State Auditor’s Office. Parks has been a Principal Manager of Audit Services at the Judicial Council of California since 2016. He held several positions at the California State Auditor’s Office from 1999 to 2016, including Principal Auditor and Audit Team Leader. Parks earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $232,858. Parks is registered without party preference.

Kenneth J. Pogue, 55, of Shingle Springs, has been reappointed Director of the Office of Administrative Law, where he has served in that position since 2019. Pogue was Undersecretary of Administration of Offender Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2015 to 2019. He was Assistant Secretary at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Office of Legislation from 2013 to 2015. Pogue served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 1999 to 2008. He was an Associate at the Law Offices of Porter, Scott, Weiberg and Delehant from 1997 to 1999, a Contract Attorney at the Law Office of Robert Tronvig in 1997 and a Contract District Attorney in the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in 1996. Pogue earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $199,740. Pogue is a Democrat.

Elizabeth A. Heidig, 63, of Sacramento, has been reappointed Deputy Director at the Office of Administrative Law, where she has served in that position since 2021. Heidig was Assistant Chief Counsel at the Office of Administrative Law from 2016 to 2021, Senior Counsel from 2011 to 2016 and Staff Counsel from 2006 to 2008 and 2009 to 2011. She was Staff Counsel III at the California State Teacher’s Retirement System from 2008 to 2009. Heidig was an Associate at Kuykendall Simas LLP in 2005. She was an Associate at the Law Office of Michael J. Rand from 1986 to 1989. Heidig earned a Juris Doctor degree from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She is a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society and Family Promise of Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $196,560. Heidig is registered without party preference.

Christopher A. Schutz, 49, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Department of Tax and Fee Administration, where he has been Acting Chief Counsel since 2022. He served in several positions at the Department of Tax and Fee Administration from 2007 to 2022, including Attorney V, Tax Counsel IV and Supervising Tax Counsel III. He held several positions at Deloitte Tax LLP from 2004 to 2006, including Senior Tax Manager and Tax Manager. He was Senior Tax Counsel at the Office of Board Member John Chiang for the California State Board of Equalization from 2002 to 2004. He was Tax Counsel at the California State Board of Equalization from 1999 to 2002. He is Treasurer for the Junior Marauders Football and Cheer. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $191,328. He is a Democrat.

Jennifer Hanson, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director of External Affairs at the Department of Housing and Community Development. Hanson has been Press Secretary in the California State Controller’s Office since 2019, where she was Public Information Officer II from 2015 to 2019. She was Communications Director in the Office of State Senator Roderick D. Wright from 2011 to 2014. Hanson served as Communications Director in the Office of State Senator Dean Florez from 2002 to 2010 and was Press Secretary in the Office of State Assemblymember Dean Florez from 2000 to 2002. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $124,428. Hanson is a Democrat.

Vera Singleton, 45, of Piedmont, has been appointed to the Naturopathic Medicine Committee, where she has served since 2018. Singleton has been a Naturopathic Doctor in private practice since 2011. She was Executive Medical Director at My Fertility Cures from 2014 to 2016 and a Naturopathic Doctor at Tara Natural Medicine, at Paeonia Health and at Lolo Health Center from 2011 to 2015. Singleton served as a Project Manager in the inaugural MBA Fellows program at the U.S. Department of Labor from 2003 to 2007. She is a member of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association, American Association of Naturopathic Physicians and the American Medical Spa Association. Singleton earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Health Information Systems at Wayne State University and a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Singleton is registered without party preference.

Dara F. Thompson, 51, of San Rafael, has been appointed to the Naturopathic Medicine Committee, where she has served since 2015. Thompson has been a Naturopathic Doctor at Azzolino Chiropractic Neurology and Integrative Wellness since 2013 and a Naturopathic Doctor in private practice since 2002. She was a Medical and Nutrition Writer at KQED from 2012 to 2014, a Western Medical Professor at the Traditional Chinese Medical College of Hawaii from 2003 to 2012 and Adjunct Faculty for the Department of Holistic Health Education at John F. Kennedy University from 2007 to 2008. Thompson earned a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from the National College of Natural Medicine. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Thompson is a Democrat.

Minna Yoon, 47, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the Naturopathic Medicine Committee, where she has served since 2018. Yoon has been Owner at Bay Natural Medicine since 2008. She is a member of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. Yoon earned a Master of Science degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Bastyr University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Yoon is registered without party preference.

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