SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Hugo López, 53, of Elk Grove, has been appointed director of the California State Lottery. López has been chief deputy director at the California Department of Motor Vehicles since 2013. He served as director of administration at the California State Treasurer’s Office from 2000 to 2013, director at the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission from 1999 to 2000 and was chief budget consultant for the California State Assembly from 1997 to 1999. López was a staff finance budget analyst at the California Department of Finance from 1989 to 1997 and a business tax representative at the California Board of Equalization from 1987 to 1989. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,650. López is not registered to vote.
Brady Van Engelen, 35, of Sacramento, has been appointed special assistant to the state oil and gas supervisor at the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. Van Engelen was a budget consultant for the California State Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee from 2011 to 2015 and a consultant at the California State Senate Office of Research in 2011. He was a military legislative assistant in the Office of U.S. Senator John F. Kerry from 2007 to 2010, an associate director at Veterans for America from 2006 to 2007 and a project analyst at Morgan Franklin Corporation from 2005 to 2006. Van Engelen served in the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2005. He earned a Master of Arts degree in government from Johns Hopkins University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $92,100. Van Engelen is a Democrat.
Maria Audero, 57, of Culver City, has been appointed to the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Audero has held several positions at Paul Hastings LLP since 2004, including partner, co-chair of the Los Angeles Employment Law Department and associate. She was an associate at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler and Marmaro from 2002 to 2004 and at Barger and Wolen LLP in 2000. Audero was a law clerk at Greene, Broillet, Taylor, Wheeler and Panish LLP from 1998 to 2000 and in the Law Offices of F. James Feffer from 1996 to 1998. She was a paralegal in the Law Offices of Richard F. Seone from 1995 to 1996 and owner and operator at the Attorney Assisted Legal Centers from 1991 to 1996. Audero earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Audero is a Republican.
Katie Buckland, 52, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Buckland has been executive director at the Writers Guild Foundation since 2013. She was executive director at the California Women’s Law Center from 2005 to 2013 and served in several positions at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2005 and 1989 to 1991, including communications director, special assistant to the city attorney and deputy city attorney in the Criminal Branch. She held several positions at the Democratic National Committee from 1991 to 1996, including New York state political director, director of women’s outreach, deputy political director for California and California director. Buckland was an associate at the Richards, Watson and Gershon Municipal and Labor Departments from 1987 to 1989. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Buckland is a Democrat.