SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Saul Gomez, 38, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy cabinet secretary in the Office of the Governor. Gomez was deputy secretary for energy at the California Natural Resources Agency in 2016, where he served as special assistant for oil, gas and geothermal resources from 2014 to 2016. He was executive director at the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority from 2013 to 2014 and advisor to California Energy Commission member Carla Peterman from 2011 to 2012. Gomez was director of advocacy at the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies from 2009 to 2011, a legislative consultant for the California State Senate Democratic Caucus in 2008 and a legislative aide in the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2006. He earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $143,880. Gomez is a Democrat.
Darcy Wheeles, 42, of Alameda, has been appointed to the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Wheeles has been a director at California Environmental Associates since 2015 and program director at the Modular Energy Storage Architecture Standards Alliance since 2014. She was a senior associate at California Environmental Associates from 2005 to 2014, where she was an associate from 1998 to 2003. Wheeles was an urban planner at Pacific Municipal Consultants from 2003 to 2004, an independent consultant from 1997 to 1998 and a program assistant at the Environmental Policy Center from 1996 to 1997. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wheeles is registered without party preference.
Beth Chaton, 59, of McKinleyville, has been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Before and After School Programs. Chaton has served as a program coordinator at the Humboldt County Office of Education since 1997. She was president of the California Alliance Concerned with School Age Parenting and Pregnancy Prevention from 2002 to 2004 and case manager for pregnant and parenting teens at the Humboldt Child Care Council from 1994 to 1997. Chaton was an educator at Six Rivers Planned Parenthood from 1993 to 1994, where she was a clinic assistant from 1981 to 1987. She was an office manager at Larry Ulrich Photography from 1988 to 1993 and a childbirth educator at Eureka General Hospital from 1982 to 1996. Chaton is a member of the Mendocino County Office of Education’s Region 1 Afterschool Advisory Committee. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from the University of La Verne. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chaton is a Democrat.
Elizabeth Becerra, 51, of Victorville, has been appointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors. Becerra has served as public works supervisor at the City of Victorville since 1996. She is a member of the City of Victorville’s Cinco de Mayo Festival Committee, Public Works Day Committee, Spice of Life Festival Committee, Fall Festival Committee and Strut Your Mutt Committee. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Becerra is a Republican.