Governor Newsom announces appointments 8.25.2026
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
Cynthia Stein, of Piedmont, has been appointed General Counsel at the California Housing and Homelessness Agency. Stein has been the Senior Counselor for LA Recovery in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2025 where she has been a Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary since 2022. She was Deputy City Attorney at Oakland City Attorney’s Office from 2019 to 2022. Stein was Associate in the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 2015 to 2019. She was a Judicial Law Clerk to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from 2014 to 2015. Stein earned a Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Stanford University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $228,984. Stein is a Democrat.
Nicole Richardson, of San Ramon, has been appointed Administrative Director of the Division of Workers Compensation at the Department of Industrial Relations. Richardson has been Chief Counsel of the Division of Workers Compensation at the Department of Industrial Relations since 2026. She was Staff Counsel IV at the Division of Workers’ Compensation from 2017 to 2026. Richardson was an Attorney at SiliconBay Training from 2013 to 2017. She was Staff Counsel at Pacific Compensation Insurance Company from 2011 to 2013. Richardson was Staff Counsel at State Compensation Insurance Fund from 2004 to 2011. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $217,692. Richardson is registered without party preference.
Sherri Sarro, of Escondido, has been appointed Deputy Director of Response at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Sarro has been Assistant Director of Response, South at the California Office of Emergency Services since 2020, where she has held multiple positions since 2015, including Deputy Chief of Law Enforcement and Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement. She was Chief at San Diego County Sheriff from 1985 to 2015. Sarro is a member of the California Emergency Services Association. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from National University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $182,964. Sarro is a Republican.