SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Kathleen Allison, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of facility support at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has served as acting deputy director since 2012. Allison was associate director of female offender programs and services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2011 to 2012. She served in multiple positions at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison from 2002 to 2011, including warden, chief deputy warden, associate warden and correctional health services administrator. She was community resources manager at Avenal State Prison from 1996 to 2002, senior medical technical assistant at Avenal State Prison from 1994 to 1996, senior medical technical assistant at North Kern State Prison from 1993 to 1994 and medical technical assistant at Avenal State Prison from 1987 to 1993. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $143,904. Allison is a Republican.
Monica Diaz, 33, of Cloverdale, has been appointed administrator of the skilled nursing facility at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville. Diaz has been an instructor of skilled nursing administration at Ascend Learning since 2012. She held multiple positions at The Ensign Group Services Inc. from 2006 to 2011, including operational resource consultant, executive director of skilled nursing and social services director. Diaz was social manager at the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2003 to 2005 and a mental health care specialist at Mepsi Center Hospital from 2002 to 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and compensation is $95,808. Diaz is registered decline-to-state.
Michael Gomez, 59, of Nevada City, has been appointed deputy director of the Division of Investigation and Enforcement Programs at the California Department of Consumer Affairs. Gomez has been a bureau chief with the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training at the California Department of Justice since 2005. He was vice mayor and a councilmember for the City of Dixon from 2006 to 2008, chief of the Division of Investigation at the Department of Consumer Affairs from 1995 to 2004 and principal and chief consultant for the Senate Committee on Business and Professions from 1987 to 1995. Gomez served as deputy sheriff and sergeant at the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department from 1982 to 1987 and deputy sheriff at the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department in West Sacramento from 1980 to 1982. He was a federal correctional officer with the United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons from 1975 to 1978 and a United States Marine from 1972 to 1975. Gomez graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in 2000. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $106,308. Gomez is a Democrat.
Jessica Pearson, 33, of Sacramento, has been appointed legislative and policy advisor at the Delta Stewardship Council, where she has served as senior policy advisor since 2011. Pearson served as deputy secretary at the California Natural Resources Agency in 2010, and worked at the California Department of Water Resources as policy advisor to the director from 2007 to 2010 and special assistant to the chief deputy director from 2006 to 2007. She earned a Master of Science degree in community development at the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100,428. Pearson is registered decline-to-state.
Riley Ray Robbins, 40, of Los Angeles, has been appointed deputy director for communications at the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Robbins has been vice president of development at Krasnow Productions since 2009. He served in various positions at FremantleMedia North America from 2005 to 2009, including director of development, creative director and development producer. Robbins was a development consultant at Mentorn USA in 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $110,004. Robbins is registered decline-to-state.
Vicky Waters, 37, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of public affairs at the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Waters has been director of media relations at the California Charter Schools Association since 2009 and was an account executive at BPcubed Inc. from 2007 to 2009. Waters was a self-employed freelance journalist, public relations consultant and a translator from 2003 to 2009. She was Sacramento correspondent at La Opinión from 2001 to 2003, reporter, anchor and producer at Univision Sacramento from 2000 to 2001, evening anchor, reporter and producer at Univision Corpus Christi from 1998 to 2000 and ENG news editor and broadcast operator for WRAL-TV from 1996 to 1998. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $104,148. Waters is a Democrat.