SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Erin Mellon, 29, of Sacramento, has been appointed assistant director of public affairs at the California Department of Water Resources. Mellon has served as communications and outreach advisor at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2016. She was communications director at ChargePoint Inc. from 2014 to 2016, director at Mercury Public Affairs from 2013 to 2014 and a communications consultant for the California State Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services in 2013. Mellon was an associate deputy media and political specialist at the Dewey Square Group from 2011 to 2013, deputy campaign manager at Victor Chaltiel for Mayor from 2010 to 2011 and an organizer for the California Public Interest Research Group in 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $123,732. Mellon is a Democrat.
Earl “Bob” Jennings, 68, of Fresno, has been appointed to the Prison Industry Board of Directors. Jennings has been Northern California regional director for the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California since 2013. He was business manager for the United Association of Plumbers, Pipe and Refrigeration Fitters Local Union 246, Fresno from 1998 to 2013 and president at the Pipe Trades District Council 36 from 2009 to 2013, where he was secretary-treasurer from 2002 to 2009. Jennings was vice president and a member of the Executive Board of the California State Pipe Trades Council from 2009 to 2013. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Jennings is a Democrat.
Samara Ashley, 38, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, where she has served since 2010. Ashley has been director of government affairs at the Port of Long Beach since 2007. She was an account executive at Cerrell Associates Inc. from 2004 to 2007 and a district field representative in the Office of California State Senator Betty Karnette from 2002 to 2004. Ashley is a member of the Community Coalition and the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from Pepperdine University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ashley is a Democrat.
Deborah Brown, 60, of Ahwahnee, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, where she has served since 2012. Brown has been an adjunct professor at Fresno State University since 2015. She was a teacher for the Yosemite Unified School District from 1994 to 2015 and a part-time accountant at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona from 1991 to 1993. Brown served as mayor pro tem for the City of Rancho Cucamonga from 1986 to 1991 and was a loan officer for Crocker Bank from 1982 to 1985. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Northridge. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brown is a Democrat.
Christina Wong, 50, of Chico, has been reappointed to the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, where she has served since 2011. Wong has been health services program coordinator for Glenn County Health Services since 2010 and a part-time mental health clinician at the Butte County Probation Department since 2008. She was a senior mental health counselor for the Children’s System of Care Program at Glenn County Health Services from 2002 to 2010, a grant writer for Gary Bess & Associates from 2002 to 2007, dean of student affairs at Hong Kong Shue Yan College from 1993 to 1997 and a school social worker at Hong Kong Children and Youth Services from 1992 to 1993. Wong is a member of the National Association of Social Workers. She earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Hull. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wong is a Democrat.