SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Heather Sanders, 46, of Folsom, has been appointed special advisor at the California Public Utilities Commission. Sanders has been principal manager of integrated grid strategy and engagement at Southern California Edison since 2015. She held several positions at the California Independent System Operator from 2009 to 2015, including director of regulatory affairs, director of smart grid technologies and strategy, project manager of the California Transmission Planning Group and renewable integration support manager. Sanders was managing director of power market sales and strategic planning partnerships at APX in 2009, where she was managing director, head of power markets technology from 2005 to 2009. She was director at the Structure Group from 2002 to 2005, where she was market intelligence manager from 1999 to 2002. Sanders was a senior consultant at Anderson Consulting from 1997 to 1999 and an engineer at L-3 Communication Systems from 1993 to 1997. Sanders earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Utah, School of Business. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $146,004. Sanders is registered without party preference.
Christopher Chase, 44, of Mount Shasta, has been appointed to the California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Chase has been timberland manager for the Michigan-California Timber Company and timber manager for its affiliate, Timber Products Company, since 2010. He has held several positions at the Timber Products Company since 1997, including timber manager, log and fiber procurement manager, resource manager for the Michigan hardwood veneer and lumber division, plywood and veneer mill product specialist and log buyer. Chase is a licensed professional forester. He earned a Master of Business Management degree from Southern Oregon University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Chase is a Republican.