Governor Newsom announces appointments

.SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Forest Michael Kaser, of Berkeley, has been appointed Director at the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. Kaser has been Chief Deputy Executive Director at the California Public Utilities Commission since 2024, where he has held several roles since 2015, including Deputy Executive Director for Safety Enforcement, Safety Policy and Water, Program and Project Supervisor of Resiliency and Microgrids, Energy Advisor to the President, and Senior Public Utilities Regulatory Analyst. He was Senior Project Manager at Energy Solutions from 2009 to 2015. Kaser was a Staff Research Associate and Graduate Student Researcher at University of California, Berkeley from 2005 to 2009. He was an Assistant Scientist at Pesticide Action Network in 2004. Kaser was a Natural Resources Volunteer at the United States Peace Corps from 2001 – 2003. He was an Apprentice Inside Wireman at Farwest Electric from 2000 – 2001. Kaser was a Program Associate at Illahee Society from 1999 – 2000. He earned a Master of Science degree in Energy and Resources and Master of Science degree in Microbiology from University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Reed College. This position requires Senate Confirmation and the compensation is $218,256. Kaser is a Democrat.

Jerry Ourique, of Hanford, has been appointed the Warden at Pleasant Valley State Prison. Ourique has been the Acting Warden at Pleasant Valley State Prison, for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2025, where he has held multiple positions since 2024, including Chief Deputy Warden and Acting Chief Deputy Warden. He has held multiple positions with California State Prison, Corcoran and the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2003 to 2024, including Correctional Administrator, Correctional Captain, Correctional Lieutenant. Correctional Sergeant, and Correctional Officer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $199,332. Ourique is a Republican.

Nicole Shimosaka, of Plumas Lake, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the California Department of Aging. Shimosaka has been Deputy Director of Administrative Services at the California Department of Aging since 2023, where she has held multiple positions since 2017, including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Fiscal Officer, and Budget Specialist. Shimosaka 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 $193,212. Shimosaka is a Democrat.

Jessica Bonitz, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Public Advisor at the California Energy Commission. Bonitz has been Deputy Attorney General in the Land Use and Conservation Section at the California Department of Justice since 2022, where she was also a Legal Intern in 2022. She was a Legal Intern at the California Air Resources Board in 2022. Bonitz was a Legal Intern at the California Coastal Commission in 2021. She held multiple positions at the California Energy Commission from 2015 to 2019, including Student Assistant, Energy Analyst, and Planner. Bonitz earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,264. Bonitz is a Democrat.

Christin Hemann, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Legislative Affairs at the California Health and Human Services Agency. Hemann has been Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs at the California Department of Managed Health Care since 2021. She was the Associate Director and Executive Director at the California Association for Adult Day Services from 2018 to 2021. Hemann was the Assistant Director of Legislative and Public Affairs at the California Department of Aging from 2013 to 2018. She was a Legislative Aide in the Office of Assemblymember Richard Gordon at the California State Assembly from 2011 to 2013. Hemann was a Public Policy Analyst at Leading Age California from 2006 to 2011. She was a Legislative Analyst at Consumer Attorneys of California from 2004 to 2006. Hemann was a Scheduler in the Office of Assemblymember Hannah Beth Jackson in the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2004. She was a Research Assistant at Schott and Lites Government Relations from 1999 to 2002. Hemann earned a Master of Arts degree in Gerontology & Social Services from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communications from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $179,208. Hemann is a Democrat.

Brent Houser, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Program and Fiscal Affairs at the California Health and Human Services Agency. Houser has been Assistant Secretary at the California Health and Human Services Agency since 2025. He held several positions at the Department of State Hospitals from 2021 to 2025, including Chief Deputy Director of Operations, Interim Director of Legislation, and Deputy Director of Administrative Services. Houser was Principal Program Budget Analyst at the Department of Finance from 2019 to 2021. He held multiple positions at the Department of State Hospitals from 2016 to 2019, including Assistant Budget Officer, Staff Services Manager II and Staff Services Manager I. Houser was a Program Specialist and Program Manager at the Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development from 2014 to 2016. He was an Analyst at the Office of Statewide Health Planning & Development from 2012 to 2014. Houser earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $212,832. Houser is registered without party preference.

Mitchell “Mitch” Dion, of Newcastle, has been appointed to the 20th District Agricultural Association – Gold Country Fair Board. Dion has been a Senior Consultant at Zanjero, Inc. since 2025 and Director of Business Analytics at MSD Science and Engineering since 2014. He was Assistant General Manager of the City of Pasadena Water and Power from 2017 to 2021. Dion was General Manager of Calaveras County Water from 2012 to 2014. He was General Manager of Rincon Del Diablo from 2007 to 2015. Dion was Director of San Diego County Water Authority from 2008 to 2013. He was General Manager and Production Director of the Western Region for American Water from 2003 to 2006. Dion earned a Master of Science degree in Engineer from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dion is registered to vote with no party preference.

Anupriya “Anu” Ramraj, of Granite Bay, has been appointed to the 20th District Agricultural Association – Gold Country Fair Board. Ramraj has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vaultzy, Inc. since 2025 and Co-Author of When Robots Knock since 2026. She was Partner of Cloud, Data, and AI at PricewaterhouseCoopers from 2022 to 2025. Ramraj was Vice President of Cloud Services at Unisys from 2019 to 2022. She held multiple roles at DXC Technology from 2017 to 2019, including Director of AWS Offering General Manager and Director of Offering Delivery. Ramraj held multiple positions at Hewlett Packard Enterprise from 1998 to 2017, including Director of Cloud Architecture and Senior Engineering Manager – Public Cloud. She was a Software Engineer at Siemens Communication Software from 1996 to 1998. Ramraj is a Board Member of the International Action Network for Gender Equity and Law, an Executive Board Member an Advisory Board Member of the Strategic Artificial Intelligence Program at University of San Francisco, and the Stanford LEAD Incubator and Startup Accelerator, on the Board of Advisors of the Indian Association of Sacramento, a Mentor for the STEM Universal Reach Foundation, and a member of Asian Pacific Islander American Affairs. She earned a Master of Science in Computer Science from California State University, Chico and a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering from PSG College of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ramraj is a Democrat.

Diana Gomez, of Parlier, has been appointed to the 21st District Agricultural Association – Big Fresno Fair Board. Gomez has been Senior Project Director and Vice President at HNTB since 2025. She was District Six Director at the California Department of Transportation from 2020 to 2024. Gomez was Central Valley Regional Director at the California High Speed Authority from 2012 to 2020. She held multiple roles at the California Department of Transportation from 1998 to 2012, including Manager of the Office of Traffic Operations for District Seven and Chief for the Officer of System Management Operations in the Division of Traffic Operations. Gomez earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gomez is a Democrat.

Edward “Ed” Lujano, of Fresno, has been appointed to the to the 21st District Agricultural Association – Big Fresno Fair Board. Lujano was Chief Executive Officer of Castle Family Health Centers from 2006 to 2025. He was Chief Financial Officer of Valley Health Team, Inc. from 1996 to 2005. Lujano is a member of the Merced Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Atwater Chamber of Commerce, and Atwater Rotary. He earned a Doctor of Business Admistration degree from California Coast University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lujano is a Democrat.