SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Christopher Stevens, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief counsel at the California Department of Technology. Stevens has been chief counsel at the Delta Stewardship Council since 2010. He served as chief counsel at the California Bay-Delta Authority from 2003 to 2010, general counsel at the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 2000 to 2003 and deputy legislative counsel at the Legislative Counsel Bureau from 1997 to 2000. Stevens was a staff attorney in the Hawaii State Senate Majority Office from 1995 to 1997, legislative counsel for the Parliament of the Republic of the Marshall Islands from 1993 to 1995 and corporate counsel at Viatel Ltd. from 1992 to 1993. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation the compensation is $151,680. Stevens is a Democrat.
Joseph DeAnda, 35, of West Sacramento, has been appointed deputy director of communications at the California Department of Human Resources. DeAnda has served as an information officer at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2012. He was an information officer at the California State Treasurer’s Office from 2007 to 2012 and a press aide for the Lockyer for Treasurer Committee from 2004 to 2007. DeAnda earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Drexel University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $90,864. DeAnda is a Democrat.
Matt Navo, 45, of Clovis, has been appointed to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. Navo has been superintendent for the Sanger Unified School District since 2013, where he has served in several positions since 1999, including area administrator, director of pupil services and principal at Ronald Reagan Elementary School, at Sanger Education Center and at Jefferson Elementary School. He has been adjunct faculty at the California State University, Fresno Education Department since 2001. Navo was adjunct faculty at Clovis Community College from 2002 to 2003 and held several positions for the Clovis Unified School District from 1992 to 1999, including director of learning, summer school principal, counselor, resource specialist case manager, special day class teacher and coach. He is a member of the Sanger Rotary Club, Association of California School Administrators, American Association of School Administrators, California Practitioners Advisory Group and the California Advisory Commission on Special Education. Navo earned a Masters of Arts degree in special education from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Navo is a Republican.