SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Bennae Calac, of Pauma Valley, has been appointed to the California Native American Heritage Commission. Calac has been President, Owner and Managing Member at Native Grounds Monitoring Research and Consulting LLC since 2000, at 7G Foundation since 2018, and at Onoo Po Strategies since 2020. She is an enrolled member of the Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, President of the Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, and a member of the 7G Foundation. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Calac is a Democrat.

John Perez, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the University of California Board of Regents, where he has served since 2014. Perez served as an Assemblymember for the 46th and 53rd Districts in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014, and served as Speaker from 2010 to 2014. He was the Political Director of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union from 2001 to 2008. Perez was the Political Director of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union State Council from 1995 to 2000 and the Political Director of the California Labor Federation from 2000 to 2002. He was an Organizer for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades from 1992 to 1995. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Perez is a Democrat.

Sam Rodriguez, of San Rafael, has been appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun. Rodriguez has been Principal at Rodriguez Strategic Partners LLC since 2017. He was Director of Legislative Affairs at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Western States Council from 2013 to 2017. Rodriguez was Principal at KSR Strategy Group from 2012 to 2013. He was Manager of Government Affairs for Latin America at Hewlett-Packard Inc. in 2012. Rodriguez was State Director of Government and Legislative Affairs at Comcast from 2009 to 2011. He was Principal at KSR Strategy Group from 2006 to 2008. Rodriguez was Political Director for the California Democratic Party from 2005 to 2006. He was Washington State Director for John Kerry for President from 2004 to 2005. Rodriguez was Chief Deputy Director at the California Employment Development Department from 2000 to 2004. He was Assistant Director for Science Education and Communications at the U.S. Department of Energy from 1993 to 1999. Rodgriguez is Vice Chair of the San Francisco Workforce Development Investment Board. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Texas at Dallas. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $600 per diem. Rodriguez is a Democrat.

Danny Jimenez, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Jimenez has been an Account Executive at Outfront Media since 2024. He was a Program Manager for Improve your Tomorrow from 2022 to 2024. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jimenez is a Democrat.

Setareh Tais, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California Board of Naturopathic Medicine. Tais has been Owner of Fresno Holistic Medicine since 2014. Tais is a member of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. She earned a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from Bastyr University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Tais is a Democrat.

Kevin Cheng, of San Marino, has been appointed to the Dental Board of California. Cheng has been Director of Construction at the City of Hope since 2021 and was a Senior Manager there from 2017 to 2021. Cheng was a Construction Manager for Shapell Properties from 2016 to 2017. He was a Project Manager for Prestige Homes from 2013 to 2016. Cheng earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Riverside. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cheng is registered without party preference.

Robert David, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Dental Board of California. David has been a self-employed Health Care Consultant since 2020. He was Director of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development from 2012 to 2020. David earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. David is registered without party preference.

Doug Aguilera, of Palo Alto, has been appointed to the California Board of Accountancy. Aguilera has been a Forensic Accountant at Aguilera & Associates since 2008. He was Director of Ethics and Compliance Investigations for Stanford University from 2017 to 2022. He was Senior Manager at Ernst & Young LLP from 2003 to 2008. He was a Director at KPMG from 2002 to 2003. Aguilera is a member of the California Society of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration with a Concentration in Accounting from California State University, San Jose. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Aguilera is a Democrat.

Nancy Duong, of San Gabriel, has been appointed to the California Board of Accountancy. Duong has been Co-Founder of Tocqueville Investment since 2019 and a Partner at Santa Clarita In Home Tutoring since 2021. She was a Senior Investment Associate for Prudential Private Capital from 2015 to 2019. She was a Markets and Policy Associate for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2010 to 2016. Duong is Vice Chair of the Community Services Commission for the City of San Gabriel. She earned a Master of Public Affairs degree in Economics from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Duong is a Democrat.

Henry Nutt III, of American Canyon, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. Nutt has been a Preconstruction Executive for Southland Industries since 2019 and a Sheet Metal General Superintendent for Southland Industries since 2007. Nutt is a member of the Lean Construction Institute, Associated General Contractors of America and the Associated General Contractors of California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Nutt is a Democrat.

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