SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Suzanne Chan, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed operations and accountability officer in the Administrative Services Division at the California Department of Rehabilitation. Chan has been a staff services manager at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 2011. She served in multiple positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2006 to 2011, including staff services manager in the Office of Labor Relations and the Office of Peace Officer Selection. She also served in multiple positions at the Employment Development Department from 1990 to 2006, including staff services manager in the Fiscal Program Division and research analyst in the Labor Market Information Division. Chan earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $93,444. Chan is registered decline-to-state.
Connie DaMant, 56, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant director of the Office of Legislation and Communications at the California Department of Rehabilitation. DaMant has been assistant director of legislative and external affairs at the California Department of Child Support Services since 2010. She was assistant director of the Office of Legislation at the California Department of Aging from 2006 to 2010 and was legislative coordinator at the California Department of Health Services from 2000 to 2006. DaMant was an aging programs analyst at the California Department of Aging from 1997 to 2000 and an associate governmental programs analyst at the California Department of Social Services from 1989 to 1997. She was a field representative at the office of Assemblymember Phil Isenberg from 1984 to 1989. DaMant is a member of the State Information Officers Council. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $103,392. DaMant is a Democrat.
Elena Gomez, 44, of West Sacramento, has been appointed assistant deputy director of the Specialized Services Division at the California Department of Rehabilitation. Gomez has served in multiple positions at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 1995, including program manager of Services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $85,716. Gomez is registered decline-to-state.
Sherrie Lowenstein, ¬¬¬44, of Elk Grove, has been appointed deputy director of legislative affairs at the California Department of Managed Health Care. Lowenstein has been assistant chief counsel and acting deputy director at the Department of Managed Health Care since 2010, where she served in multiple positions since 2000, including legislative director and supervising senior staff counsel and staff counsel in the Office of Legal Services. She held multiple positions at the California Department of Corporations from 1994 to 2000, including corporations counsel in the Office of Policy, corporations counsel in the Securities Regulation Division and a volunteer attorney in the Enforcement Division. Lowenstein currently serves as District 3 Chair for the University of California, Los Angeles Alumni Scholarship Program. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the salary is $120,516. Lowenstein is registered decline-to-state.
Will Shuck, 50, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of external affairs at the California Department of Transportation. Shuck has been chief of staff for Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal since 2008. He held multiple positions in the office of Assemblymember Patty Berg from 2004 to 2008, including press secretary and chief of staff. Shuck was capitol bureau chief for The Stockton Record from 2001 to 2004 and held multiple positions at the Long Beach Press-Telegram from 1998 to 2001, including staff writer and Sacramento bureau chief. He also held multiple positions at The Easy Reader from 1995 to 1998, including senior writer and editor, and was a staff writer at the City News Service of Los Angeles from 1989 to 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,280. Shuck is a Democrat.
Amy Wall, 37, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant director, developmental center closure, at the California Department of Developmental Services. She has been director of government affairs at the California Disability Services Association since 2010 and served in various positions at Perry Communications Group Inc. from 2005 to 2010, including vice president. Wall was legislative assistant at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California from 2003 to 2005 and was manager of environmental and regulatory affairs at the California Trucking Association from 2000 to 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $86,256. Wall is a Democrat.