SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Ralph M. Diaz, 46, of Sacramento, has been appointed undersecretary for operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served as deputy director of facility operations since 2014 and was associate director of high security institutions from 2013 to 2014. He served in several positions at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran from 2000 to 2013, including warden, acting warden, chief deputy administrator, captain and counselor supervisor. Diaz was a correctional counselor and correctional officer at the California State Prison, Corcoran, from 1993 to 2000 and a correctional officer at Wasco State Prison from 1991 to 1993. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $167,364. Diaz is registered without party preference.
Kathleen Allison, 51, of Sacramento, has been appointed director of the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has been deputy director of facility support since 2012 and was associate director of female offender programs and services from 2011 to 2012. Allison served in several positions at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran from 2002 to 2011, including warden, chief deputy warden, associate warden and correctional health services administrator. She held several positions at Avenal State Prison from 1987 to 2002, including community resources manager, senior medical technical assistant and medical technical assistant. Allison was a senior medical technical assistant at North Kern State Prison from 1993 to 1994. She is a licensed registered nurse. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $163,212. Allison is a Republican.
Jeffrey Macomber, 46, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of facility support in the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He has been warden at California State Prison, Sacramento since 2014, where he served as chief deputy warden from 2009 to 2014 and associate warden from 2008 to 2009. Macomber served as associate warden at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Institutions from 2004 to 2008, where he was staff services manager from 1997 to 2000 and associate governmental programs analyst from 1994 to 1997. Macomber was a correctional business manager at the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center from 2000 to 2004 and a correctional officer at Ironwood State Prison from 1993 to 1994. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $151,116. Macomber is a Republican.
Guillermo Viera Rosa, 41, of Riverside, has been appointed director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has been regional parole administrator since 2015 and has served in several positions since 2000, including associate director, parole administrator, parole agent supervisor and parole agent. Viera Rosa served in several positions at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2004 to 2009, including deputy commissioner, correctional counselor supervisor and parole agent specialist. He was an instructor at the Riverside County Office of Education from 2003 to 2004 and a deputy probation officer at the San Bernardino County Probation Department from 1995 to 2000. Viera Rosa earned a Doctor of Law and Policy degree from Northeastern University and a Master of Arts degree in social science from Azusa Pacific University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $151,116. Viera Rosa is registered without party preference.
Connie Gipson, 52, of Bakersfield, has been appointed deputy director of facility operations in the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, where she has served as associate director of general population male offenders since 2013. Gipson served in several positions at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2010 to 2013, including warden, acting warden and chief deputy warden. She was associate warden at North Kern State Prison from 2008 to 2010 and held several positions at Wasco State Prison from 1997 to 2008, including captain, business manager and health program coordinator. Gipson was a senior medical technical assistant at the California Institution for Women from 1994 to 1997, where she was a medical technical assistant from 1988 to 1994. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $149,556. Gipson is a Democrat.
Lucy Dunn, 63, of Coto de Caza, has been reappointed to the California Transportation Commission, where she has served since 2008. Dunn has been president and chief executive officer at the Orange County Business Council since 2005. She was director at the California Department of Housing and Community Development from 2004 to 2005 and senior vice president at Hearthside Homes Inc. from 1990 to 2004 and at Signal Landmark from 1987 to 1990. Dunn was principal at the Law Offices of Lucetta Dunn from 1981 to 1987. She is a member of the Ontario International Airport Authority and the Lennar Charitable Housing Foundation Board of Directors. Dunn earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dunn is a Republican.
John Dunbar, 52, of Yountville, has been reappointed to the 25th District Agricultural Association, Napa Town and Country Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Dunbar has been mayor of Yountville since 2010. He was senior graphic designer at the University of California, Berkeley from 1990 to 2014 and sports editor and reporter at the Tahoe Daily Tribune from 1987 to 1989. Dunbar is president of the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater Board of Directors and a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West and Friends of the Community United in Service. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dunbar is registered without party preference.
Newton Pham, 33, of Fountain Valley, has been appointed to the 32nd District Agricultural Association, Orange County Fair Board of Directors. Pham has been vice president at California Bank and Trust since 2014. He was principal financial analyst at Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. from 2012 to 2014, senior analyst at McGladrey Capital Markets LLC from 2007 to 2012 and associate consultant at Smith Barney, Citigroup Global Markets from 2004 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pham is a Democrat.
Geoff Bitle, 38, of Artois, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors. Bitle has been a pest control advisor at Colusa County Farm Supply since 2009. He was a manager at Broken Box Ranch from 2002 to 2009. Bitle is president of the Glenn-Colusa Cattlemen Association and a member of the California Cattlemen’s Association and the California Association of Pest Control Advisers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bitle is a Republican.
Candice Pierce, 36, of Orland, has been appointed to the 42nd District Agricultural Association, Glenn County Fair Board of Directors. Pierce was a substitute teacher for the Glenn County Office of Education from 2005 to 2007. She is a member of the Capay Parent Teacher Organization, Orland Little League Baseball and the Butte County Mothers of Multiples. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pierce is a Democrat.