SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Steve Beneto, 74, of Carmichael, has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board. He has been president of Beneto Inc. since 1979. Beneto was a member of the California State Fair and Exposition Board from 2000 to 2004 and 2005 to 2011. He served as chair of the Board from 2001 to 2002. He has been a member of the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame board of directors since 2009. He was a founding member and has served as chair of the University of California Davis MIND Institute since 1998 and was a member of the Shriner’s Hospital board of directors from 2008 to 2010. Beneto was inducted into the California State Fair Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2011 and was awarded the California State Fair Golden Bear Award in 2004. This position requires Senate confirmation and compensation is $100 per diem. Beneto is a Republican.
Chris Masami Myers, 41, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the 52nd District Agricultural Association, Sacramento County Fair Board. He has been managing director at the California Democratic Party since 2011, where he was research director from 1998 to 2010. He served as a legislative aide to Assemblymember Don Perata from 1997 to 1998. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Myers is a Democrat.
Connie M. Perez, 36, of Porterville, has been appointed to the California Lottery Commission. Perez has held a number of positions at Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation since 2002, including staff accountant, senior accountant, manager, partner-in-training and partner. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Perez is registered decline-to-state.
Mike Taugher, 49, of Benicia, has been appointed assistant deputy director of communications, education and outreach at the California Department of Fish and Game. Taugher has been a reporter for the Bay Area News Group and Contra Costa Times since 2000. He was an environmental reporter for the Albuquerque Journal from 1995 to 2000, a reporter for Greeley Tribune from 1992 to 1995 and a reporter for the Tahoe Daily Tribune and North Lake Tahoe Bonanza from 1989 to 1992. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $90,000. Taugher is registered decline-to-state.
Jordan Traverso, 36, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of communications at the California Department of Fish and Game. Traverso has been deputy director of communications, education and outreach for the Department of Fish and Game since 2008 and served as director of communications for the Consumer Attorneys of California from 2007 to 2008. She was director of communications for the California Restaurant Association from 2004 to 2007, director of public liaison for the California State Treasurer’s Office from 2003 to 2004 and assistant press secretary for Governor Gray Davis from 2000 to 2003. Traverso has been a member of the Sacramento Press Club since 2004. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $98,844. Traverso is registered decline-to-state.