Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 10.10.23

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Jessica Grimes, of Bakersfield, has been appointed Executive Director of the Employment Training Panel. Grimes has been Associate Vice Chancellor of Career Education and Workforce Development for the Kern Community College District since 2023, where she was Regional Chair and Dean of Workforce and Economic Development from 2021 to 2023. Grimes was Dean of Instruction and CTE for Taft College from 2019 to 2021. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the Kern Regional K16 Education Collaborative, the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSU, Bakersfield, the STEM Careers Liaison Council at CSU, Bakersfield, the President’s Community Ambassadors Council at CSU, Bakersfield, the Adventist Health Board of Directors, the United Way of Kern County Board of Directors and the Black Infant and Maternal Health Initiative Subcommittee of the Kern County Public Health Department. Grimes earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Literature and Criticism from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Arts degree in Religion from the Yale Divinity School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Religious Studies from the University of the Pacific. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $165,000. Grimes is a Democrat.

Roberto C. Herrera, Jr., of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Veterans Services at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Herrera has been Assistant Deputy Secretary at the California Department of Veterans Affairs since 2021 and has served in several positions there since 2015, including Chief of Veterans Community Engagement and Section Chief of Transition Assistance. He was Program Coordinator at the California Interagency Council on Veterans from 2014 to 2015. Herrera was a Scientific Applications Specialist (9S100) in the U.S. Air Force from 2008 to 2012, ultimately attaining the rank of Senior Airmen. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $155,760. Herrera is a Democrat.

Martin Juarez, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Veterans Board. Juarez was a Special Agent at the Internal Revenue Service from 1984 to 2014. He served at the rank of O-6 (Colonel) in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2011 to 2020, where he held several positions, including Command Inspector General for the 311th Expeditionary Sustainment Command and Chief of Internal Revue for the 79th Theater Sustainment Command. Juarez served at the rank of O-4 in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1989 to 2011, where he was Material Maintenance Center Chief. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles, a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the Army War College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia College. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Juarez is a Democrat.

Christopher Riesen, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Operating Officer for Programs at the California Department of Health Care Services. Riesen has been Chief Information Officer at the California Department of Health Care Services since 2018. He was Chief Information Officer at the California State Lottery from 2014 to 2018 and Chief Enterprise Architect for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2009 to 2014. He was Chief Enterprise Architect for the California State Teachers Retirement System from 2000 to 2009. He was a Consultant for HG Consulting Group from 1996 to 2000. Riesen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $191,292. He is registered without party preference.

Jason Kenney, of Carmichael, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of General Services. Kenney has been Deputy Director of Real Estate Services at the California Department of General Services since 2018, where he has served in several positions since 2016, including Assistant Deputy Director of Real Estate Services, Chief of the Project Management and Development Branch and Deputy Director of Strategic Planning, Policy and Research. He was Chief of the Business Management Branch at the California Department of State Hospitals from 2013 to 2015. Kenney earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $211,896. Kenney is registered without party preference.

Russell Atterberry, of Folsom, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Strategic Initiatives at the California Government Operations Agency. Atterberry served as Undersecretary at the California Department of Veterans Affairs from 2016 to 2023. He served as Executive Officer at the Navy Operational Support Center, Sacramento from 2014 to 2016. Atterberry was Head of the Surface Warfare Officers Department at the U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers School Command from 2012 to 2013. He was Operations and Training Department Head at the U.S. Navy Cruiser Class Squadron from 2008 to 2010. Atterberry served in several roles in the U.S. Navy from 1994 to 2008, including Command Control Center Officer, Ordinance Officer and Assistant Force Protection Officer, and Engineer. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Washington. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $168,432. Atterberry is a Democrat.

Willie Rudman, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, where he has served as Assistant Deputy Director of Communications since 2021. Rudman was Business Relations Lead for the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force at the California Department of Public Health in 2021. He was an Account Manager at Honey from 2018 to 2021 and a Senior Account Supervisor at Rescue Agency from 2017 to 2018. He was a Senior Digital Brand Manager at Nike Inc. from 2014 to 2017. Rudman was an Account Executive at MKTG from 2011 to 2014. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $133,308. Rudman is a Democrat.

Varnell Smith, Sr., of Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director, Office of Legislation and Regulations at the California Department of Developmental Services. Smith has been a Committee Assistant for the California State Senate since 2022. He was a Legislative Assistant and Executive Assistant in the Office of California State Senator Connie Leyva from 2017 to 2022. He was a Security Technician at the California State Capitol from 2015 to 2017 and a Lead Custodian for the California Department of General Services from 2008 to 2015. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $123,792. Smith is a Democrat.

Matt Rocco, of Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of Transportation. Rocco has been Acting Assistant Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of Transportation since 2022, where he served in several positions since 2006, including Division Chief of Public Affairs, Office Chief of Public Affairs, Media Relations Manager and Information Officer. He was Marketing Coordinator at the Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union from 1997 to 2001. Rocco was Advertising Coordinator at the AIDS Project Los Angeles from 1993 to 1997. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $140,280. Rocco is a Democrat.

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