SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Lisa Halko, 56, of Davis, has been appointed chief counsel at the California Department of Conservation. Halko has been an administrative law judge at the California Department of Social Services since 2012. She was an attorney at California Correctional Health Care Services from 2010 to 2012 and at Greenberg Traurig LLP from 2004 to 2010. She served in several positions at the Yolo County Superior Court from 1997 to 2003, including court executive officer, general counsel and court counsel. Halko was in solo practice from 1994 to 1997 and an associate at Livingston and Mattesich Law Corporation from 1990 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,424. Halko is a Democrat.
Linda Bridges, 46, of Elk Grove, has been appointed superintendent at the Northern California Youth Correctional Center, where she has been acting superintendent since 2017. Bridges served in several positions at N.A Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility from 2012 to 2016 and from 1997 to 2001, including assistant superintendent, program administrator, parole agent and youth correctional counselor. She held several positions at O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility from 2006 to 2012, including parole agent and senior youth correctional counselor and was a sergeant at the Stockton Training Center from 2002 to 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $141,852. Bridges is a Democrat.
Maria Soria Harper, 55, of Camarillo, has been appointed superintendent at Ventura Youth Correctional Facility, where she has been acting superintendent since 2016 and has served in several positions since 1991, including assistant superintendent, program administrator, treatment team supervisor, lieutenant, senior youth correctional counselor, sergeant, youth correctional officer and Ventura Fire Camp administrator. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $141,852. Harper is a Democrat.
DaiNette Bowens, 50, of Salida, has been appointed to the Board of Juvenile Hearings. Bowens has been a reentry coordinator at N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility since 2011. She was a parole agent at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Juvenile Justice, Integrated Behavioral Treatment Team from 2007 to 2011 and held several positions at O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility from 2000 to 2007, including parole agent and youth correctional counselor. Bowens was a youth correctional counselor at N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional facility from 1998 to 2000 and a group supervisor at Heman G. Stark Youth Training School from 1997 to 1998. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,095. Bowens is a Democrat.