SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Daniel Dooley, 62, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture, where he has served since 2008. Dooley has served in multiple positions at the University of California, Office of the President since 2008, including vice president and senior advisor for agriculture and natural resources and senior vice president of external relations. He was a partner at Herr and Peltzer LLP from 1993 to 2007 and at Kahn Soares and Conway LLP from 1987 to 1993. Dooley was managing general partner at Dooley Farms from 1980 to 2002 and was chief deputy director at the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 1977 to 1980. He is a member of the National Academies of Science Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dooley earned a Juris Doctorate degree from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dooley is a Democrat.
Eric Holst, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Holst has been senior director for working lands at the Environmental Defense Fund since 2006. He was principal at Holst Conservation Consulting from 2004 to 2006 and served as executive director of the Resources Legacy Fund in 2004. Holst was program officer at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation from 1999 to 2003 and was a manager at Conservation Agriculture Program at the Rainforest Alliance from 1996 to 1999. He earned a Master of Science degree in environmental management from Duke University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Holst is a Democrat.
Rodney Taylor, 57, of Moreno Valley, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Taylor has been director of nutrition services at the Riverside Unified School District since 2002. He was director of food and nutrition services at Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District from 1992 to 2002 and management consultant for food services at Marriott Corporation from 1989 to 1992. Taylor is an executive committee member of the Network for a Healthy California and member of the University of California, President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Taylor is a Democrat.
Mario P. Diaz, 59, of Oakland, has been appointed to the California Mexican American Veterans’ Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Committee. Diaz has held multiple positions at the Wells Fargo Foundation since 1989, including vice president and community affairs representative for the San Francisco Bay Region, program officer and program assistant. He was a coodinator for the Healthwise Senior Program at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital from 1986 to 1988 and was a syndications note clerk at Wells Fargo from 1981 to 1985. Diaz was an accountant in the international banking group at Security Pacific National Bank from 1978 to 1981. He is the current chair of The Mexican Museum Board of Trustees. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Diaz is a Democrat.
Helen Galvan, 69, of Santa Maria, has been appointed to the California Mexican American Veterans’ Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Committee. Galvan was a teacher at the Santa Maria-Bonita School District from 1978 to 2006 and a teacher at the Santa Barbara Unified School District from 1976 to 1978. She is state chair of the American GI Forum Women of California and is founding board member of the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts and Education Center. Galvan earned a Master of Education degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Galvan is a Democrat.
Ricardo Reyes, 32, of South Gate, has been appointed to the California Mexican American Veterans’ Memorial Beautification and Enhancement Committee. Reyes has been political coordinator at Service Employees International Union, United Long Term Care Workers since 2011 and also owner of Veterans Energy Transition Solutions since 2012. He was an administrative assistant at TELACU Education Foundation, Veterans Upward Bound Program from 2010 to 2011 and director of military outreach at The Veterans Project from 2009 to 2010. Reyes was a consultant at Brave New Foundation from 2008 to 2009 and held multiple positions at S and D Mortgage Inc. from 2005 to 2008, including senior mortgage consultant and branch manager. He was an infantry rifleman in the United States Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004. He is a member of the South Gate Citizens Advisory Committee and the Truman National Security Project. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Reyes is a Democrat.
Christina Curry, 43, of Elk Grove, has been appointed assistant secretary for planning, preparedness and prevention at the California Emergency Management Agency. Curry has held multiple positions at the California Emergency Management Agency since 2001, including assistant secretary for planning, protection and preparedness, deputy director for preparedness and training, assistant director and senior emergency services coordinator. She held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from 1991 to 2001, including staff services analyst and emergency services coordinator. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $114,000. Curry is a Republican.
David Fukutomi, 47, of Camarillo, has been appointed assistant director and superintendent of the California Specialized Training Institute at the California Emergency Management Agency. Fukutomi has been a consultant at the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute since 2009 and a self-employed emergency management and homeland security consultant since 2005. He has been a senior consultant at the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security since 2007 and was a vice president at ICF International from 2006 to 2008. Fukutomi was a federal coordinating officer at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security from 1998 to 2005. He is a board member of Pier Into the Future. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $114,072. Fukutomi is a Republican.
Kelly Huston, 42, of West Sacramento, has been appointed director for crisis communications and public affairs at the California Emergency Management Agency. Huston has been assistant secretary at the California Emergency Management Agency since 2009. He was deputy director at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from 2008 to 2009 and vice president of corporate communications and marketing for PMZ Inc. from 2005 to 2007. He was assistant deputy director at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security in 2005 and served as commander of public affairs at the California Highway Patrol from 2004 to 2005. Huston was legislative affairs and media relations manager at Stanislaus County from 2000 to 2004 and held multiple positions at the City of Modesto Police Department from 1989 to 2000, including public information officer and reserve police officer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $108,636. Huston is a Democrat.
Lona “Grace” Koch, 48, of Elk Grove, has been appointed special advisor to the secretary at the California Emergency Management Agency. Koch has been office chief at the California Department of General Services since 2008. She held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from 1989 to 2006, including program manager and deputy director of emergency operations, planning and training. Koch is a member of the American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $110,580. Koch is a Republican.
Mitch Medigovic, 47, of Elk Grove, has been appointed assistant secretary for logistics management at the California Emergency Management Agency. Medigovic has been chief of staff at the California Military Department since 2011. He was a brigade commander for the United States Army from 2010 to 2011 and a director at Army Aviation Safety Program from 2005 to 2010. Medigovic was inspector general at the California Military Department from 2002 to 2003 and deputy chief of staff and logistics at the California Military Department, 49th Combat Support Command from 2000 to 2002. He is a member of the Army Aviation Association of America and of the National Guard Association. Medigovic earned a Master of Arts degree in strategic studies at the United States Army War College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $118,431. Medigovic is a Republican.
Brendan Murphy, 35, of Folsom, has been appointed assistant secretary for finance and administration at the California Emergency Management Agency. Murphy has held multiple positions at the California Emergency Management Agency since 2009, including assistant secretary of grants management, acting undersecretary and director of grants management. He held various positions at the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009, including deputy director of administration and grants management and assistant deputy director. Murphy was a financial analyst at the California Department of Finance from 2002 to 2005 and held multiple positions at the California Department of Transportation from 2000 to 2002, including assistant Caltrans administrator and right of way agent. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $119,616. Murphy is a Democrat.
Charles Rabamad, 55, of Mather, has been appointed assistant director for recovery at the California Emergency Management Agency. Rabamad has been an engineer and project manager at the California Department of Water Resources since 2009. He held multiple positions at the California Emergency Management Agency from 1991 to 2009, including program manager, public assistance officer and disaster assistance program specialist. Rabamad is a board member of the Community Housing Opportunities Corporation. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $97,900. Rabamad is a Democrat.
Stephen Sellers, 59, of Cameron Park, has been appointed assistant director for response at the California Emergency Management Agency. Sellers has been assistant secretary for prevention, information analysis and operations at the California Emergency Management Agency since 2009. He held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from 1995 to 2009, including deputy director of the regional operations division, regional administrator of the southern region, senior emergency services coordinator and disaster worker specialty services. Sellers earned a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $108,636. Sellers is a Democrat.
Charles Simpson, 55, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant secretary for response and recovery operations at the California Emergency Management Agency. Simpson has been a security specialist at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency since 2009. He held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services from 2000 to 2008, including deputy chief and chief of law enforcement. Simpson was a lieutenant at the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department from 1974 to 2000. He has been a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates since 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $118,431. Simpson is a Republican.