SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Jana Ganion, of Arcata, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Offshore Wind. Ganion has been Director of Sustainability and Government Affairs at the Blue Lake Rancheria since 2004. Ganion is Co-Chair of the U.S. Department of Energy, Indian Country Energy and Infrastructure Working Group and Alternate Director of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority Board of Directors. She is a member of the PG&E Sustainability Advisory Council, SB 350 Disadvantaged Communities Advisory Group, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management California Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, and the California Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency Program Technical Advisory Council. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Western Washington University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $180,000. Ganion is a Democrat.
David Hochschild, of Berkeley, has been reappointed to the California Energy Commission, where he has served since 2013. Hochschild was Vice President of External Affairs at Solaria Corporation from 2007 to 2013. He was Executive Director at PV Now from 2005 to 2007 and Co-Founder and Director of Policy for the Vote Solar Initiative from 2002 to 2005. Hochschild was Special Assistant to San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown from 2000 to 2001 and Program Director at The President’s Award, Port Alfred, South Africa from 1996 to 1997. He was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs from 1994 to 1995. Hochschild also served as a Commissioner on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission from 2007 to 2008. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $181,156. Hochschild is a Democrat.
Meghan Hertel, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Biodiversity and Habitat at the California Natural Resources Agency. Hertel has been North American Director for Land Life Company since 2022. She held multiple positions at Audubon California from 2010 to 2022, including Director of Land and Water Conservation. Hertel was Conservation Program Administrator at the Resources Legacy Fund from 2007 to 2010. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Clark University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Florida. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,008. Hertel is a Democrat.
Kristina Khokhobashvili, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director, Office of Communications at the California Department of Health Care Services. Khokhobashvili has been Chief, Strategic Communication and External Affairs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2021. Khokhobashvili served in several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2014 to 2021, including Chief of External Affairs, Deputy Chief of External Affairs and Public Information Officer. She held several positions at Gold Country Media from 2011 to 2014, including Editor and Features Editor. Khokhobashvili was City Editor at Calaveras First Company from 2007 to 2012. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $162,192. Khokhobashvili is a Democrat.
Judith Recchio, of Davis, has been appointed Deputy Director and Chief Counsel, Office of Legal Services at the California Department of Health Care Services, where she has been Interim Deputy Director and Chief Counsel since 2023, and a Senior Assistant Chief Counsel since 2018. She was a Deputy Attorney General and Supervising Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice from 2006 to 2018. She was Of Counsel at Harrang, Long, Gary & Rudnick from 2005 to 2006. She was Partner at Tomlinson Zisko LLP from 2003 to 2005 and at Skjerven Morrill LLP from 2001 to 2003. Recchio earned a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $217,896. Recchio is a Democrat.
Serge Mistivar, of Lemoore, has been appointed Chief of Primary Care Services for the California Department of State Hospitals, Coalinga, where he has served as Chief Physician and Surgeon since 2022. He was a Physician and Surgeon at the California Department of State Hospitals, Coalinga from 2020 to 2022. He was Medical Director of the Adult Medicine Division/Physician for the Healthcare Network of Southwest Florida from 2014 to 2020. He was Medical Director of Urgent Care at EAMC-Lanier Hospital – Urgent Care from 2012 to 2014 and a Physician for the Roman Medical Group from 2010 to 2011. He was a Physician for the Florida Community Health Center from 2007 to 2010. Mistivar is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Osteopathic Association. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Hunter College of the City University of New York. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $356,724. Mistivar is registered without party preference.
Christina Alicia Spagnoli, of Carmichael, has been appointed Assistant Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Spagnoli has served in several roles at the California Government Operations Agency, including Senior Advisor since 2022 and Deputy Secretary of Legislation from 2019 to 2022. She was Vice President of State Government Relations for the California Bankers Association from 2018 to 2019. Spagnoli was Capitol Director in the Office of State Assemblymember Blanca Rubio from 2016 to 2018. She was Chief Lobbyist and Legislative Director for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California from 2014 to 2016. Spagnoli was Legislative Director in the Office of State Assembly Majority Whip Jimmy Gomez from 2013 to 2016. She was Senior Legislative Aide at the Office of State Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Nora Campos from 2011 to 2013. Spagnoli was Scheduler and Legislative Aide in the Office of State Assemblymember Gilbert Cedillo from 2010 to 2011. She was a Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellow in the Office of State Assemblymember Dave Jones from 2008 to 2009. Spagnoli is a member of the California Latino Capitol Association Foundation and Women’s Empowerment. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $173,004. Spagnoli is a Democrat.
Sandra Matsumoto, of Davis, has been reappointed to the California Water Commission, where she has served since 2022. Matsumoto has been Director for the California Water Program at the Nature Conservancy since 2020, where she was Associate Director from 2015 to 2020 and Project Director from 2004 to 2015. She was Project Manager at the Los Angeles Community Design Center from 2003 to 2004 and a Project Analyst at Mintz Levin from 1997 to 1999. She is an advisor to the Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center, a board member of the Water Education Foundation and a board member of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy. Matsumoto earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Matsumoto is a Democrat.
Kate Moulene, of Agoura Hills, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Moulene has been CEO of River LA since 2021. She was Founder and CEO of Capian Enterprises from 2002 to 2018. Moulene was Founder and CEO of Global Creative Forum from 2010 to 2015. She was West Coast Bureau Chief with Time Warner/InStyle Magazine from 1995 to 2002. Moulene was a Journalist at the International Herald Tribune from 1980 to 2012. Moulene earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Vassar College. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Moulene is a Democrat.
Sean Maguire, of Carmichael, has been reappointed to the State Water Resources Control Board, where he has served as a member since 2018. Maguire held multiple positions at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2015 to 2018, including Supervising Water Resources Control Engineer and Senior Water Resources Control Engineer. He held multiple positions at Kennedy Jenks Consultants from 2003 to 2015, including water Resources Practice Leader, Senior Associate Engineer and Senior Staff Engineer. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,578. Maguire is a Democrat.
Christina Jaromay, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed to the California State Park and Recreation Commission, where she has served since 2022. Jaromay has been Director of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department for the City of Lodi since 2021. She was Partnerships Division Chief at the California Department of Parks and Recreation from 2016 to 2021 and Contract Manager there from 2010 to 2016. Jaromay was Lead Client Services Liaison at Comtek Computer Systems from 2005 to 2010 and Crew Leader at MKTG from 2005 to 2009. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jaromay is a Democrat.
Ariana Dindzans, of San Ramon, has been appointed to the State Independent Living Council. Dindzans has been a Volunteer Writer and Outreach Representative for the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program since 2023. They have also been a Research Assistant for Dr. Christina Chin-Newman since 2023. Dindzans is a member of the Disability Justice Club and the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dindzans is a Democrat.
Meleana Chun-Moy, of Burlingame, has been appointed to the State Independent Living Council. Chun-Moy was a Legal Extern for Communities for a Better Environment in 2023. She was a Legal Litigation Intern for the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2023. She was a Judicial Extern at the San Mateo County Superior Court in 2022. Chun-Moy was Co-Campaign Manager and Social Media Director for Ligia Andrade Zuniga for San Mateo Union High School District Board of Trustees in 2020. She was a Bay Area Americorps (JusticeCorps) Intern from 2017 to 2018. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chun-Moy is a Democrat.
Rima Barkett, of Stockton, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Commission. Barkett has been Founder of Stockton Community Kitchen since 2020, Owner of BellaVista Event since 2016 and President of A Tavola Together/Ambassador of Peace since 2008. She was International Relations Officer for the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates from 2006 to 2007. Barkett was Owner of Café Luna Spaghetteria from 2002 to 2006. She was an Italian Language Instructor at the University of the Pacific from 1996 to 2002. Barkett was a member of the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors from 2012 to 2023. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barkett is registered without party preference.
Sarah Fogarty, of Lone Pine, has been appointed to the 18th District Agricultural Association, Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fair Board of Directors. Fogarty has been an Elementary School Teacher for the Lone Pine Unified School District since 2014. She was an Elementary School Teacher for the Carson City School District from 2005 to 2010. Fogarty earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business from the University of Nevada, Reno and a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Fogarty is a Republican.
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