SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Melinda McClain, 33, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of legislation and policy review at the California Department of Consumer Affairs. McClain has been a lobbyist at Platinum Advisors since 2006. She was a legislative aide at the Office of California State Senator Kevin Murray from 2003 to 2006 and a legislative analyst at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees from 2001 to 2003. McClain is a member of the California State University, Sacramento Governmental Alumni Association, the Institute of Governmental Advocates and the California Association of African American Advocacy Professionals. She earned a Master of Arts degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $106,104. McClain is a Democrat.
Danielle Anderson, 28, of Thousand Oaks, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2012. Anderson has been executive director at the Independent Living Resource Center of Santa Barbara since 2014. She was a community living advocate at the Independent Living Resource Center Ventura from 2013 to 2014 and served as a staff services analyst at the California Department of Health Care Services from 2012 to 2013 and as a management services technician at the California Department of Rehabilitation from 2008 to 2012. She was a project assistant at the California Health Incentives Improvement Project from 2007 to 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Anderson is a Republican.
Victoria Benson, 60, of Fresno, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Benson has been project director of Self-Awareness, Overcoming Obstacles, Achieving Success, Reaching for the Stars Parent Training and Information Center since 2005, where she has held several positions since 1992, including special education advocate, training coordinator, family resource coordinator, assistant program manager and director of the Central Valley Inclusion Network. She is a member of the Fresno County Mayor’s Council on Disability, the Fresno Community College Advisory Board for Disabled Student Services, the California Regional Coordinating Council for Special Education and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel for Fresno Unified School District and Fresno County Office of Education. Benson is chairperson and founder of the Community Transition Task Force and is a member and advisor at the Central California Adult Transition Network. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Benson is registered without party preference.
Patricia Collins-Day, 55, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Collins-Day has been chief operating officer at the Mental Health Association in Santa Barbara County since 1994. She is a member of Mental Health America, the Mental Health Association in California, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Santa Barbara Human Resources Association and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce. Collins-Day earned a Master of Science degree in quality assurance health care from California State University, Dominguez Hills. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Collins-Day is registered without party preference.
Manuel Cons, 63, of Santa Monica, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Cons has been director of ResCare Workforce Services in Los Angeles County since 1998. He was assistant chief grants administrator at the City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department, Workforce Development Division from 1997 to 1998, corporate regional director for the Center for Employment Training from 1991 to 1997 and an executive assistant at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office from 1990 to 1991. Cons was a legislative analyst at the Los Angeles Chief Legislative Analyst’s Office from 1989 to 1990, a legislative assistant at the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Legislative Services Office from 1987 to 1989, a management analyst for the City of Los Angeles Community Development Department from 1986 to 1987 and an assistant to California State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown from 1983 to 1986. Cons is a member of the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce and the Catholic Charities of Los Angeles Inc. Archdiocesan Youth Employment Services Advisory Board. He earned a Master of Science degree in urban planning from Pepperdine University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cons is a Democrat.
Lesley Ann Gibbons, 44, of Santa Rosa, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Gibbons has been director at Sterling Adaptives since 2007. She was an administrator at Access Ingenuity from 2002 to 2007, an executive assistant at Beta Breakers Inc. from 2001 to 2002 and office manager at Alpha Vision from 1999 to 2001. Gibbons was assistant to the director at the Cornwall Rural Community Council from 1996 to 1999, clinic administrator at Berks Physiotherapy Centre from 1992 to 1996 and sales office manager at Data Translation from 1989 to 1992. Gibbons is a member of EmploymentLINK California Corporation Board. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gibbons is registered without party preference.
Deanna Strachan, 44, of Atascadero, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2012. Strachan has been program manager at Transitions Mental Health Association since 2006. She held several positions at the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Santa Barbara County from 2005 to 2006, including grants manager and executive assistant. Strachan was a clinic manager at Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics from 2000 to 2005, a program coordinator at the Mental Health Association of Orange County from 1995 to 2000 and a mental health counselor at Olive Vista Care and Rehabilitation Center from 1994 to 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Strachan is a Democrat.
Michael Torres, 38, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Torres has served as an education programs consultant at the California Department of Education since 2013 and has been online faculty at the University of Phoenix since 2009. Torres was a math teacher for the Natomas Unified School District from 2005 to 2013 and for the Mount Diablo Unified School District from 2004 to 2005. He was a scientist at MMI Genomics from 1999 to 2004. Torres earned a Master of Education degree from the University of Phoenix. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Torres is a Democrat.
Rebecca Walsh, 45, of Rocklin, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Walsh has been senior director of client delivery at Randstad Sourceright since 2011. She was a regional vice president at the Adecco Group from 2004 to 2011, where she was regional manager from 2002 to 2004 and branch manager from 2000 to 2002. Walsh was a contract recruiter at Vertex Business Outsourcing from 1998 to 2000. She is a graduate member of the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Walsh is a Democrat.