SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Shawn Huff, 48, of Yuba City, has been appointed assistant chief of housing standards at the California Department of Housing and Community Development Division of Codes and Standards, where he has served in multiple positions since 2006, including codes administrator I and district representative I and II. He was a building inspector for the City of Woodland from 2003 to 2006 and a contract building inspector at Construction Testing and Engineering from 2002 to 2003. Huff was an inspector and auditor at Pacific Property Consultants in 2002 and a carpenter at Joe Burns Construction from 1992 to 2002. He earned an Executive Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $95,808. Huff is a Democrat.
Jill Talley, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief counsel at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Talley has served as a supervising deputy attorney general at the California Attorney General’s Office since 2012 and has been a professor of law at Lincoln Law School of Sacramento since 2011. She served as a deputy attorney general at the California Attorney General’s Office from 2002 to 2012 and was an associate at Loeb and Loeb LLP from 1999 to 2002. Talley was a partner at Feldman and Talley LLP from 1998 to 1999 and an associate at Feldman and Shaffery from 1996 to 1998 and at Hornberger and Criswell from 1994 to 1996. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Pepperdine University School of Law and is a member of the Anthony M. Kennedy Inn of Court and the Sacramento County Bar Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $136,008. Talley is a Democrat.
Ian Altman, 54, of Tiburon, has been appointed to the California Actuarial Advisory Panel. Altman has been a managing partner at Altman and Cronin Benefit Consultants LLC since 1996. He held multiple positions at William M. Mercer Inc. from 1980 to 1996, including principal, associate and consultant. Altman is a fellow at the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries and the Western Pension and Benefits Council. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Altman is a Democrat.
John Bartel, 63, of San Mateo, has been appointed to the California Actuarial Advisory Panel, where he has served since 2010. Bartel has been president of Bartel Associates since 2003. He was vice president at Aon Consulting from 1998 to 2003 and senior manager at KPMG Peat Marwick from 1990 to 1998. Bartel was a managing consultant at Foster Higgins from 1986 to 1990 and an actuary at Actuarial Consultants Inc. from 1985 to 1986. He was a consultant for Towers Perrin from 1977 to 1985 and an actuarial assistant at the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company from 1972 to 1977. Bartel is a fellow of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and an associate at the Society of Actuaries. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bartel is a Democrat.
Matthew Jacobs, 38, of Los Angeles, has been designated chair of the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Jacobs has been principal at Bulldog Partners LLC since 2010. He was western region manager of acquisitions and development at Turnberry Ltd. from 2005 to 2010 and acquisitions and development manager at the Pulte Homes Corporation Urban Infill Group from 2003 to 2005. Jacobs was a planning intern at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation in 2002 and manager of operations at Yale University Properties from 1998 to 2001. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School. This designation does not require Senate confirmation and compensation on the Board is $100 per diem. Jacobs is a Democrat.
Preston Prince, 49, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors. Prince has been chief executive officer and executive director at the Fresno Housing Authority since 2007. He was executive director at the Aurora Housing Authority from 2002 to 2007 and senior housing development program manager at the Seattle Housing Authority from 1999 to 2002. Prince was director of housing development at Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority from 1995 to 1999 and a housing developer at Common Ground from 1990 to 1995. He is president of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. Prince earned a Master of Arts degree in urban affairs and policy analysis from the New School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Prince is a Democrat.
Dalila Sotelo, 45, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors. Sotelo has been principal of the Sotelo Group since 2011. She served in multiple positions at the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles from 2007 to 2011, including deputy chief executive officer and deputy chief of operations. Sotelo was senior vice president at McCormack Baron Salazar from 1995 to 2007, a finance officer at the City of Los Angeles Housing Department from 1993 to 1995 and project manager for the Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles from 1991 to 1993. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sotelo is a Democrat.
Charles Adams III, 24, of Rancho Cucamonga, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Board of Commissioners. Adams has been a case manager at the Youth Action Project since 2012. He was a program specialist at the California State University, San Bernardino Recreation Center from 2010 to 2012. Adams is a member of the UpStart Systems Inc. Board of Directors and was a member of the Student African American Brotherhood at California State University, San Bernardino from 2007 to 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Adams is registered decline-to-state.
Donna Bojarsky, 54, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Board of Commissioners, where she has served since 2003. Bojarsky has been an editorial consultant at Los Angeles Magazine since 2008, director at the Tides Foundation Foreign Policy Roundtable since 2006, advisor to Norman Pattiz since 1999 and a consultant at dblagroup since 1990. She was an advisor to Richard Dreyfuss from 1990 to 2003. Bojarsky was an administrative assistant at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office from 1984 to 1987 and an administrative assistant at California State Assemblymember Richard Katz’s Office from 1982 to 1984. She is a co-founder of L.A. Works. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bojarsky is a Democrat.
Mark Pulido, 44, of Cerritos, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Board of Commissioners. Pulido has served as Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Cerritos and as district director for Congressman Alan Lowenthal since 2013 and has been a member of the Cerritos City Council since 2011. He was district director for California State Senator Alan Lowenthal from 2005 to 2012 and a consultant at the California State Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services from 2000 to 2004. Pulido was a deputy at the Democratic National Convention Committee Community Relations Department in 2000 and served as an administrative analyst and management assistant at the Long Beach City Manager’s Office from 1997 to 1999. He was a member of the ABC Unified School District Board of Education from 2001 to 2011 and was president in 2008. He is a member of the Cerritos Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Wittmann Elementary PTA and the Friends of the Cerritos Library. Pulido earned a Master of Public Policy degree from The University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pulido is a Democrat.
Kenneth Martinet, 72, of Glendale, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Board of Commissioners, where he has served since 2000. Martinet has been president and chief executive officer at Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters since 1995. He was president and chief executive officer at Franciscan Communications from 1990 to 1995 and an independent real estate professional from 1987 to 1990. Martinet was founder, president and chief executive officer at St. Eligius Home Health Care from 1984 to 1987 and chief financial officer and senior vice president at Alpha Therapeutic from 1975 to 1984. He was a controller for Litton Data Systems at Litton Industries from 1967 to 1975. Martinet earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Martinet is a Republican.
Robert Weist III, 51, of Vacaville, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Board of Commissioners. Weist has served in multiple positions at the City of Davis Fire Department since 1985, including fire captain and firefighter. Weist was a field representative at Carroll Burdick and McDonough from 1999 to 2007. He is a member of Davis Firefighters L3494 board and chair of the City of Davis Fire Department Joint Apprentice Committee. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Weist is a Democrat.
Donn Harris, 58, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Arts Council. Harris has been executive and artistic director at the Oakland School for the Arts since 2007. He was principal at the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, Academy of Arts and Sciences from 2001 to 2008. Harris held multiple positions at the Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School from 1997 to 2001 including principal and assistant principal and held multiple positions at the Galileo Academy of Science and Technology from 1993 to 1997, including assistant principal and dean of students. Harris was a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District and the San Francisco Unified School District from 1988 to 1993. He is a member of the California Subject Matter Project Advisory Board for Arts. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Harris is a Democrat.
Arnie Romanello, 84, of Grass Valley, has been appointed to the 17th District Agricultural Association, Nevada County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2001. Romanello has been a park monitor for the City of Grass Valley since 2008. He was a partner at Arnie Romanello’s Appliance Installers from 2002 to 2005 and owner of Arnie’s Bluebird Café from 1994 to 2001. Romanello was managing partner at Birds Landing Hunting Preserve from 1980 to 1993. He is a member of the Lions Club International. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Romanello is a Democrat.
Steven Steele, 56, of Rough and Ready, has been appointed to the 17th District Agricultural Association, Nevada County Fair Board of Directors. Steele has been an owner and operator of Hog Hollow Farm since 1988. He served in multiple positions for Nevada County from 1980 to 2012, including road superintendent and fleet services manager for the Department of Public Works and equipment shop supervisor for the Department of Transportation. Steele is a member of the Nevada County Farm Bureau, the Nevada County Ag Youth Boosters and the California Pork Producers Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Steele is a Democrat.
Andrew Trygg, 31, of Grass Valley, has been appointed to the 17th District Agricultural Association, Nevada County Fair Board of Directors. Trygg has been a lead instructor at Public Safety Training Consultants since 2011. He has served in multiple positions at the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office from 2008 to 2013, including communications manager and senior sheriff’s dispatcher. Trygg was a public safety dispatcher at the Placer County Sheriff’s Office from 2005 to 2007 and a sheriff’s dispatcher at the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office from 2002 to 2005. He is a volunteer fire captain at the Nevada City Fire Department and a member of the Firefighters Association of Nevada City. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Trygg is registered decline-to-state.
Larry Serpa, 61, of Fresno, has been appointed to the 21st District Agricultural Association, Big Fresno Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2005. Serpa has been a manager of member relations at Land O’Lakes Inc. since 1998. He was a field representative at Western United Dairymen from 1982 to 1998 and a feed salesman at Carnation Milling from 1976 to 1982. Serpa is vice chairman of the Dairy Cares Board of Directors and president of the California Creamery Operator’s Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Serpa is a Republican.
Dora Westerlund, 42, of Fresno, has been appointed to the 21st District Agricultural Association, Big Fresno Fair Board of Directors. Westerlund has been chief executive officer and founder at the Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation since 2004. She was chief executive officer at the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2002 to 2011 and an executive assistant to the Consul of Mexico at the Mexican Consulate from 1997 to 2001. Westerlund was a customer service representative at Bank of America in 1997. She is a member of the Comerica Bank Community Advisory Board, the Fresno County Office of Education Board of Directors and of California State University, Fresno President Joseph Castro’s transition team. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Westerlund is registered decline-to-state.
Jill Bower, 33, of Modesto, has been appointed to the 38th District Agricultural Association, Stanislaus County Fair Board of Directors. Bower has held multiple positions at Foster Farms Poultry since 2008, including editor of the employee newsletter and marketing assistant. She was a district sales manager at Dot Foods from 2006 to 2007 and held multiple positions at Foster Farms Dairy from 2002 to 2006, including sales representative, marketing manager and accounts receivable clerk. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bower is a Republican.
Ted Metzgar, 45, of Lancaster, has been appointed to the 50th District Agricultural Association Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors. Metzgar has served in multiple positions at the Edwards Air Force Base since 1993, including team lead supervisor, work leader and aircraft mechanic. He was an airframe and power plant mechanic at Aerotest in 1992 and served as an aircraft mechanic for the U.S. Air Force from 1987 to 1991. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Metzgar is a Republican.