SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Anastasia Dodson, 43, of Sacramento, has been appointed associate director of policy at the California Department of Health Care Services. Dodson has been a principal program budget analyst at the California Department of Finance since 2013. She was a management and policy consultant at Harbage Consulting from 2011 to 2012 and a senior policy analyst for self-sufficiency programs at the County Welfare Directors Association of California from 2007 to 2011. Dodson was a management analyst at the Contra Costa County Administrator’s Office from 2006 to 2007 and human services consultant for the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review from 2004 to 2006. She was a finance budget analyst at the California Department of Finance from 2001 to 2004 and a policy analyst at the Alameda County Area Agency on Aging in 2001. Dodson was a policy analyst at the Alameda County Social Services Agency and at the Consumers Union in 2000. She was a legal services administrator at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform from 1998 to 1999. Dodson earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,380. Dodson is a Democrat.
Pilar Williams, 48, of Elk Grove, has been appointed deputy director of health care financing at the California Department of Health Care Services, where she has held multiple positions since 2000, including chief of the Safety Net Financing Division and chief of the Medi-Cal Pharmacy Division. She was an associate finance budget analyst at the California Department of Finance from 1999 to 2000 and a senior budget analyst at the Washington State Health Care Authority from 1997 to 1999. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,380. Williams is a Democrat.
Kari Gutierrez, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of the California Department of Technology’s Information Technology Project Oversight and Consulting Division. Gutierrez has been deputy director of the California Department of Technology’s Professional Development Office since 2013, where she was assistant secretary from 2012 to 2013. She served in multiple positions at the California Department of Transportation from 1996 to 2012, including chief of the Enterprise Technology Investment Division, acting chief information officer, chief of the Office of Project Implementation and manager of desktop and network support. Gutierrez was technical lead of the California Franchise Tax Board’s enterprise network from 1995 to 1996 and served in multiple positions at the California Department of Corrections from 1991 to 1995, including lead programmer and information security analyst. She was a network specialist at the Health and Welfare Data Center in 1991and held multiple positions at the California State Controller’s Office from 1987 to 1990, including programmer II, associate information systems analyst and specialist. Gutierrez was a programmer II at the California Department of Veterans Affairs from 1986 to 1987 and a programmer I and programmer II at the California Department of Mental Health from 1985 to 1986. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $125,004. Gutierrez is a Democrat.
Christin Hemann, 43, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant director of legislation and public affairs at the California Department of Aging. Hemann has served as a legislative assistant to California State Assemblymember Richard Gordon since 2011. She was a public policy analyst and advocate at LeadingAge California from 2006 to 2011. Hemann was a legislative assistant at Consumer Attorneys of California from 2004 to 2006. She was a scheduler and executive assistant for California State Assemblymember Hannah-Beth Jackson from 2002 to 2003 and for California State Assemblymember Judy Chu in 2004. Hemann was an administrative and research assistant at Schott and Lites Advocates Inc. from 1999 to 2002. She served on the Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commission and the Sacramento County Human Services Coordinating Council from 2008 to 2011. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $61,788. Hemann is a Democrat.
Eraina Ortega, 39, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy director of policy at the California Department of Finance. Ortega has served as senior legislative representative at the California State Association of Counties since 2008. She was manager of the Judicial Council’s Office of Governmental Affairs from 2001 to 2008 and a policy analyst at the California Legislative Analyst’s Office from 1999 to 2001. Ortega earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,916. Ortega is registered decline-to-state.
Jena Barrera, 20, of Salinas, has been appointed to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Barrera is a student at Monterey Peninsula College, where she has served as secretary for the Associated Students of Monterey Peninsula College since 2011 and was secretary for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Region IV from 2012 to 2013. Barrera is a volunteer at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Monterey County and a member of the American Red Cross. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Barrera is a Democrat.