Governor Newsom announces appointments 5.21.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Joseph Donaldson, of Sacramento has been appointed Deputy Director for Legislation at the California Department of Human Resources. Donaldson has been Principal Program Budget Analyst II at the Department of Finance since 2024, where he has held several positions since 2021, including Staff Finance Budget Analyst and Finance Budget Analyst. He was a Legislative Coordinator at the Department of Public Health from 2019 to 2021. Donaldson was a Legislative Analyst at the Department of Health Care Services from 2018 to 2019. He was a Training Consultant at the Employment Development Department from 2017 to 2018. Donaldson earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $155,004. Donaldson is a Democrat.

Leticia Ramirez, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy. Ramirez has been an Attorney at Thatch & Hooper, LLP since 2024. She was General Counsel at Calbright College from 2022 to 2024. Ramirez was Deputy County Counsel at Sacramento County from 2021 to 2022. She held multiple positions at the City of Tracy from 2016 to 2022, including City Attorney and Assistant City Attorney. Ramirez was an Attorney at Meyers Nave from 2014 to 2016. She was a Judicial Law Clerk at the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas from 2013 to 2014. Ramirez was a Policy Analyst at Advancement Project California from 2006 to 2009. She was an Organizer at Service Employees International Union from 2004 to 2006. Ramirez earned a Juris Doctor degree from University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ramirez is a Democrat

Sushma Bhatia, of Cupertino, has been appointed to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Bhatia has been Global Business and Applied AI Director at Google since 2024, where she was Global Head of Strategy and Operations from 2019 to 2024. She held multiple roles at Accenture from 2014 to 2019, including Business Strategy Senior Manager, Manager, and Consultant. Bhatia was Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dreeya from 2012 to 2016. Bhatia held multiple roles at the San Francisco Department of the Environment from 2003 to 2013, including Toxics Reduction Program Manager and Coordinator. Bhatia earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $250 per diem. Bhatia is a Democrat. 

Farfalla Borah, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Borah held multiple positions at University of California, Santa Barbara, from 1989 to 2018, including Manager, Employee & Labor Relations, Whistleblower Coordinator, Assistant Manager, and Sexual Harassment Prevention Education Coordinator. She earned a Juris Doctor Degree from The Colleges of Law, Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. Borah is a Democrat.