SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Ashutosh Bhagwat, 52, of Moraga, has been reappointed to the California Independent System Operator Board of Governors, where he has served since 2011. Bhagwat has been a professor of law at the University of California, Davis School of Law since 2011. He was a professor of law at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law from 1994 to 2011 and an associate at Sidley and Austin from 1992 to 1994. Bhagwat was a law clerk for the Honorable Anthony M. Kennedy at the U.S. Supreme Court from 1991 to 1992 and for the Honorable Richard A. Posner at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit from 1990 to 1991. He was a research assistant at the Federal Reserve System Board of Governors from 1986 to 1987. Bhagwat earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $20,000, in addition to per diem meeting preparation and attendance expenses. Bhagwat is a Democrat.
Angelina Galiteva, 50, of Fountain Valley, has been reappointed to the California Independent System Operator Board of Governors, where she has served since 2011. Galiteva has been principal at New Energy Options Inc. since 2003. She was executive director of strategic planning at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power from 1997 to 2003 and a member of the California Independent System Operator and California Power Exchange, Office of the Trustee from 1996 to 1997. Galiteva was a power analyst at the New York Power Authority from 1994 to 1996. She is founder and board president of the Renewables 100 Policy Institute. Galiteva earned Master of Laws and Juris Doctor degrees from the Pace University School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $20,000, in addition to per diem meeting preparation and attendance expenses. Galiteva is a Democrat.
Kirsten Barnes, 49, of Lemoore, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, where she has served since 2013. Barnes has been lead counselor at the Hanford Joint Union High School District since 2016, where she has served in several positions since 1993, including school counselor, independent study teacher and continuation high school teacher. She has served as a teacher at the Crossroads Charter Academy in the Armona School District since 2008, where she was a school counselor from 2008 to 2015. Barnes is a member of the California Teachers Association, American School Counselor Association and the California Association of School Counselors. She earned a Master of Education degree in school counseling from Fresno Pacific University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barnes is a Democrat.
Alicia Hinde, 39, of Santa Cruz, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, where she has served since 2011. Hinde has been a teacher at Ocean Grove Charter School since 2016. She was a teacher at Bagby Elementary School in the Cambrian School District from 2001 to 2016. She was president of the Cambrian District Teachers Association from 2010 to 2014. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hinde is a Democrat.
Haydee Rodriguez, 50, of El Centro, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, where she has served since 2014. Rodriguez has served as a teacher for the Central Union High School District since 2006. She was a teacher at Holtville Middle School from 2004 to 2006, education director at the Farmworker Institute for Education and Leadership Development in 2004 and a teacher at East Palo Alto Academy from 2001 to 2003. Rodriguez served as lead adult education teacher and literacy specialist at Desert Oasis High School from 1998 to 2001. She earned a Master of Arts degree in education from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rodriguez is a Democrat.
Ref Rodriguez, 45, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, where he has served since 2013. Rodriguez has been a lecturer at the Loyola Marymount University, School of Education’s Institute of School Leadership and Administration since 2009. He was co-founder and corporate treasurer at Partnerships to Uplift Communities Inc. from 2009 to 2015, president and chief executive officer at Partners for Developing Futures Inc. from 2009 to 2013 and parish manager at the St. Francis de Sales Parish from 1998 to 2000. Rodriguez was director of administration and development at the Divine Savior School from 1996 to 1998 and an analyst and executive assistant at the California State University, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance from 1995 to 1996. He has been a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education since 2015. Rodriguez earned a Doctor of Education degree from Fielding Graduate University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rodriguez is a Democrat.
Ed Lowry, 65, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the California Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, where he has served since 2011. Lowry was founder and corporate secretary at 13th Avenue Funding Inc. and a part-time hearing officer at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 2009 to 2011. He served as a deputy attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2005 to 2007 and from 1988 to 1995. Lowry was director at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control from 1999 to 2004, environmental project director at the California District Attorneys Association from 1995 to 1999 and a deputy city attorney in the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office from 1987 to 1988. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $124,055. Lowry is a Democrat.
Eric Sklar, 54, of St. Helena, has been reappointed to the California Fish and Game Commission, where he has served since 2015. Sklar has been founder and managing partner at Yount Ridge Cellars since 2012 and president at Preslar Ventures Inc. since 2001. He was founder and managing partner at Alpha Omega Winery from 2005 to 2013 and served as a member of the St. Helena City Council from 2003 to 2010 and of the City of St. Helena Planning Commission from 2002 to 2003. Sklar was chairman and chief executive officer at Infohaze Inc. from 1999 to 2001, an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business from 1997 to 1999 and founder and chief executive officer at Burrito Brothers Inc. from 1989 to 1999. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sklar is a Democrat.