SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Joseph Carresi, of Rossmoor, has been appointed to the Fraud Assessment Commission. Carresi has been Senior Advisor of Workers’ Compensation and Disability Management for Southern California Edison since 2004. He was a Regional Claims Consultant in the Western Region for CNA Insurance in 2004. Carresi was a Regional Claims Compliance Reviewer for AIG Claim Services from 1995 to 2004. He was a Senior Claims Representative for Industrial Indemnity from 1991 to 1995. Carresi is a member of the Board of Managers for the California Self-Insurers Association and the California Workers’ Compensation Institute Claim Committee. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Management from California State University, Long Beach. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Carresi is a Democrat.
Tim Cloney, of Anaheim, has been appointed to the Fraud Assessment Commission. Cloney has been Assistant Vice President of the Special Investigations Unit for Zenith Insurance since 2023, where he has held several positions since 2019, including Director of Special Investigations and Special Investigations Manager. He was Vice President of Investigation Solutions for ACM from 2013 to 2019. Cloney was Owner of Cloney Investigations from 2009 to 2013. He was Owner and Partner of Capital Claims Services from 2004 to 2009. Cloney was Owner of JLC Investigations from 2002 to 2004. He was Regional Manager of the Western Region at Gates McDonald from 2000 to 2002. Cloney was Supervisor of Field Investigations for Liberty Mutual Insurance from 1996 to 2000. He was a Fraud Investigator for UniCARE Insurance Company from 1993 to 1996. Cloney was a Commercial Liability Claims Adjustor for Nationwide Insurance from 1989 to 1994. He was an Officer with the California Highway Patrol from 1985 to 1989. Cloney is a member of the California Association of Highway Patrolman. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cloney is registered without party preference.
Branden Lopez, of Tustin, has been reappointed to the Fraud Assessment Commission, where he has served since 2019. Branden has been Executive Director of the Center for Contract Compliance since 2017, where he has held several positions since 2005, including Senior Labor Investigator and Labor Investigator. Lopez was a Construction Craft Laborer for Nuevo Engineering from 2002 to 2005. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Fair Contracting and Construction Industry Force Account Council. Lopez is a Management Trustee for IPM & Welfare Trust and the Laborers Vacation-Holiday Trust Fund. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science/Law and Society from the University of California, Riverside. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lopez is a Democrat.
Tyrone Spears, of Eastvale, has been appointed to the Fraud Assessment Commission. Spears has served as Chief of the Workers’ Compensation Division for the City of Los Angeles since 2020, where he was Workers’ Compensation Administrator from 2013 to 2020. He was a Workers’ Compensation Administrator for Sempra Energy from 2007 to 2013. Spears was a Senior Workers’ Compensation Examiner for ESIS from 2000 to 2007. He is Vice-Chair of the Board of Managers for the California Self-Insurers Association and Vice-Chair of the Southern California Chapter of the Public Agency Risk Management Association. Spears earned a Doctor of Theology degree from Shiloh University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Salem University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Spears is a Democrat.
Soraya Wright, of Hayward, has been appointed to the Fraud Assessment Commission. Wright has been Global Head of Corporate Risk Management and Claims at Amazon since 2022. She was Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for RIMS, the risk management society, from 2020 to 2022. Wright was Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management for the Target Corporation in 2016. She was Vice President of Global Risk Management and Crisis Management for the Clorox Company from 1983 to 2016. Wright is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., the Executive Leadership Council, and the National African American Insurance Association. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Economics from Holy Names University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wright is a Democrat.
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