SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Shannon Swain, 53, of Danville, has been appointed superintendent at the Office of Correctional Education of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has served as deputy superintendent since 2014. Swain was a subject matter expert of correctional education at Synergy Correctional Technology Services from 2012 to 2014. She served in several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Parolee Educational Programs, operated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, from 1989 to 2012, including principal, program manager, project coordinator and teacher. Swain was an assistant program manager at Orange County Youth and Family Services from 1984 to 1989. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $151,200. Swain is a Democrat.
Eraina Ortega, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed inspector general in the Office of Audits and Investigations at the California Department of Transportation. Ortega has served as chief deputy director of policy at the California Department of Finance since 2013. She was a senior legislative representative at the California State Association of Counties from 2008 to 2013. Ortega served as manager of the Judicial Council’s Office of Governmental Affairs from 2001 to 2008 and as a policy analyst at the California Legislative Analyst’s Office from 1999 to 2001. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $190,404. Ortega is registered without party preference.
Virgil Welch, 41, of Sacramento, has been appointed special counsel to the chair at the California Air Resources Board. Welch has been a partner at AJW Inc. since 2016. He was special assistant to the chair at the California Air Resources Board from 2008 to 2016. Welch was an attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund from 2006 to 2008, where he was climate change coordinator from 2006 to 2007. He was legislative director at the Planning and Conservation League from 2005 to 2006, where he was legislative advocate and project manager from 2003 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $156,168. Welch is registered without party preference.
George Parisotto, 57, of Oakland, has been appointed administrative director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation at the California Department of Industrial Relations, where he has been acting administrative director since 2016 and has served in several positions since 1998, including acting chief counsel and industrial relations counsel. Parisotto was a workers’ compensation claims examiner at the U.S. Department of Labor, Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program from 2004 to 2007 and an associate at the Thierman Law Firm from 1990 to 1998. Parisotto earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $148,032. Parisotto is a Democrat.
Rachelle Arizmendi, 45, of Sierra Madre, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Arizmendi has been mayor of the City of Sierra Madre since 2017, where she served as a member of the city council from 2014 to 2017. She has been vice president and chief operating officer at the Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment since 2016, where she was director of head start from 2000 to 2014 and a registered dietitian from 1998 to 2000. Arizmendi was nutrition adjunct faculty at Pasadena City College from 2013 to 2015. She earned a Master of Science degree in family and consumer sciences from Eastern Illinois University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Arizmendi is registered without party preference.
Crystal Hayling, 53, of San Mateo, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Hayling has been executive director at the Libra Foundation since 2017. She was managing director at the Aspen Institute from 2016 to 2017, a principal at C2 Projects from 2010 to 2015, president and chief executive officer at the Blue Shield of California Foundation from 2004 to 2009 and senior advisor at the Marguerite Casey Foundation from 1997 to 2003. She was senior program officer at the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund from 1995 to 1997, senior program officer at the California Wellness Foundation from 1992 to 1995, an associate director at the University of California, Los Angeles California Self-Help Center from 1990 to 1992 and program director at the Los Angeles Women’s Foundation from 1988 to 1990. Hayling is a member of the OvaCure US Foundation Board, Women’s Foundation of California Board and the Center for Effective Philanthropy Board. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hayling is a Democrat.
Andrew Thulin, 62, of San Luis Obispo, has been appointed to the California State Board of Food and Agriculture. Thulin has served as dean of the California Polytechnic State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences since 2013, where he was head of the Animal Science Department from 1998 to 2013. He was technology manager at the Cargill Corporation from 1991 to 1998 and an associate professor at Michigan State University from 1985 to 1991. Thulin earned Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees in nutrition from Kansas State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Thulin is a Republican.
Robert Forshay, 69, of Palmdale, has been reappointed to the 50th District Agricultural Association, Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2014. Forshay was a realtor at Burnett Realty from 2001 to 2005, vice chair at MVP Projection Services from 1993 to 1995 and an assistant at World Stage from 1988 to 1993. Forshay is vice chair of the Antelope Valley Human Relations Commission, director of the Sunrise HIV-AIDS Coalition, president of the Filipino Association of San Bernardino County and a member of the United Way of Antelope Valley Board of Directors and the Antelope Valley Interfaith Council. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Forshay is a Democrat.
Lilia Galindo, 61, of Quartz Hill, has been reappointed to the 50th District Agricultural Association, Antelope Valley Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2013. Galindo has been owner and host of radio talk show Café Con Leche, since 2010. She served as a human resources manager at the Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency from 2007 to 2010 and as a consumer service coordinator at the North Los Angeles County Regional Center from 2006 to 2007. Galindo was an independent day trader from 2004 to 2006, assistant director at the Latin American Civic Association from 1999 to 2003 and a case manager and business office supervisor at the Antelope Valley Mental Health Center from 1997 to 1999. She served as administrative director for Mexico’s Fisheries Ministry in the state of Sinaloa from 1991 to 1996 and as budget director for Mexico’s Secretary of Energy, Mines and Public Enterprise from 1986 to 1991. Galindo earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Galindo is a Democrat.