SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Holly Pearson, 48, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy secretary and general counsel at the California Government Operations Agency. Pearson has worked in multiple positions at the California Department of Managed Health Care since 2006, including deputy director and general counsel, acting assistant deputy director, assistant chief counsel of the office of legal services, staff counsel at the office of provider oversight and chief of personnel, employment litigation and appellate defense. She was a shareholder and manager at the Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann and Girard education practice group from 2001 to 2005, an associate at Pinnell and Kingsley from 1997 to 2001 and in-house corporate counsel at Financial Pacific Insurance Company from 1995 to 1997. Pearson was a labor law advisor at the California Chamber of Commerce from 1994 to 1995 and an associate at Porter Scott Weiberg and Delehant from 1991 to 1993. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $136,500. Pearson is a Democrat.
Cynthia Cavanaugh, 58, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant deputy director of homeless and housing policy at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, where she has served as coordinator of the Policy Academy to Reduce Chronic Homelessness since 2012. She served in multiple positions at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency from 1999 to 2011, including program manager and assistant director of policy and planning. Cavanaugh served as a program manager and representative at the California Department of Housing and Community Development from 1985 to 1999 and was a fair housing associate at the Sacramento Human Rights-Fair Housing Commission from 1984 to 1985. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $93,276. Cavanaugh is a Democrat.
Susan Riggs, 40, of San Diego, has been appointed deputy secretary of housing policy at the California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Riggs has been executive director at the San Diego Housing Federation since 2010. She was an attorney at Best Best and Krieger LLP from 2008 to 2010, adjunct faculty at San Diego State University from 2006 to 2009 and vice president of government affairs at the San Diego Association of Realtors from 2004 to 2005. Riggs served in multiple positions at the San Diego Housing Commission from 2001 to 2004, including chief policy advisor and senior policy analyst. She was adjunct faculty at Southwestern College from 2000 to 2006, an associate at the Trammell Crow Company from 1999 to 2000 and an associate at CB Richard Ellis in 1999. Riggs earned a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $129,996. Riggs is a Democrat.
Donna Norton, 56, of Dixon, has been appointed to the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Norton has been a licensed vocational nurse at Kaiser Permanente since 1989. She was a licensed vocational nurse at the Fairfield Medical Group from 1985 to 1989 and licensed vocational nurse and phlebotomist at Oneida Hospital from 1984 to 1985. Norton was a licensed vocational nurse at Straub Hospital from 1981 to 1985 and for the U.S. Army at Tripler Army Hospital from 1975 to 1981. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Norton is registered decline-to-state.
Cheryl Williams, 58, of San Diego, has been appointed to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California. Williams has been community relations coordinator at the San Ysidro Health Center since 2010. She was a constituent service manager in the California State Assembly from 2006 to 2010, assistant campaign field manager for Mary Salas for State Assembly from 2005 to 2006 and community development consultant at the Jacobs Foundation, San Diego from 2001 to 2004. Williams was president and chief executive officer at the San Diego Circuit Board Service from 1981 to 2000 and hearing and placement assistant for the San Diego Unified School District from 1977 to 1981. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Williams is a Democrat.
Debra Woo, 57, of Boulder Creek, has been appointed to the Dental Board of California. Woo has been dentist and owner at Debra A. Woo, DDS since 1986 and assistant professor at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry since 2012, where she was adjunct clinical professor of oral diagnosis and treatment from 1986 to 1988. Woo earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Woo is a Democrat.