SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Julie Henderson, 55, of San Francisco, has been appointed deputy secretary for climate and health policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency. Henderson served as senior vice president of the Public Affairs Division at the University of California, Office of the President from 2015 to 2017, where she was chief of staff to the senior vice president of external relations from 2013 to 2015. She was a senior advisor in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2011 to 2013, special assistant attorney general at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2008 to 2010 and vice president and associate general counsel at the Gap Inc. from 2000 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,568. Henderson is a Democrat.
Andrea Spears, 56, of Elk Grove, has been appointed deputy director in the Office of Statewide Project Delivery at the California Department of Technology. Spears has served as chief of technology information and business advancement at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2016, where she was chief of portfolio management services from 2010 to 2015. She was program management officer at the California Department of Health Care Services from 2015 to 2016, chief of the Planning and Project Management Branch at the California Department of Public Health from 2008 to 2010, chief of systems administration at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2007 to 2008 and IT project manager at the California Department of Justice from 2005 to 2007. Spears served as IT project manager in the Infrastructure Services Management Division at the California Employment Development Department in 2005, where she held several positions from 1993 to 2005, including IT project manager in the Project Management Division, information systems-business analyst, project coordinator and employment program representative. She is a member of Women in Technology International. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $160,560. Spears is a Democrat.
Joel Riphagen, 43, of Sacramento, has been appointed senior advisor to the director at the Financial Information System for California. Riphagen has been captain at Code for Sacramento since 2016. He was principal at Riphagen Consulting from 2014 to 2017 and housing finance analyst and policy analyst at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency from 2006 to 2013. Riphagen served as principal fiscal and policy analyst at the California Legislative Analyst’s Office from 2001 to 2005 and as senior auditor at the California Bureau of State Audits from 1999 to 2001. He earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Chicago. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $120,000. Riphagen is registered without party preference.
Angela Shell, 43, of Wheatland, has been appointed chief procurement officer at the California Department of General Services. Shell has been division chief and chief procurement officer in the Division of Procurement and Contracts at the California Department of Transportation since 2016, where she has served in several positions since 1998, including assistant director of the Office of Business and Economic Opportunity, chief of the Office of Construction Support, labor compliance program manager and labor compliance program analyst. She was an office technician at the California Department of Insurance from 1996 to 1998 and an office assistant at the Contractors State License Board from 1994 to 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $172,452. Shell is a Republican.
Shaleen Schmutzer-Smith, 45, of West Sacramento, has been appointed deputy general counsel at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, where she has been an attorney since 2007. She was a research attorney at Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP from 2001 to 2006, where she was a paralegal from 2000 to 2001, and a tax specialist at KPMG LLP in 2001. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $152,004. Schmutzer-Smith is a Libertarian.
Lark Park, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Educational Commission of the States. Park has been senior advisor to the Governor for policy in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. since 2015, where she served as a deputy legislative affairs secretary from 2011 to 2015. She was a consultant to the California State Senate’s Committee on Human Services from 2009 to 2011 and to the Committee on Health from 2005 to 2009. Park served as a legislative aide and consultant to California State Senator Gloria Romero in 2005 and as legislative aide and press secretary to California State Assemblymember Joe Simitian from 2002 to 2005. She was a staff writer at the Industry Standard from 2000 to 2001, editor of equity research at W.R. Hambrecht and Co. in 2000 and a staff reporter at Technologic Partners from 1998 to 2000. Park was a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton from 1995 to 1997 and served as a writer at the White House from 1994 to 1995. She earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Georgetown University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Park is a Democrat.
Ilene Straus, 68, of Marina del Rey, has been appointed to the Educational Commission of the States. Straus has been a part-time faculty member in the education doctoral program at the University of California, Los Angeles since 2013, where she was part-time faculty and a professor for the education master’s program from 2005 to 2007. She has been an independent consultant for student achievement issues since 2011. Straus was an assistant superintendent for educational services for the Beverly Hills Unified School District from 2006 to 2011. She served in several positions for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District from 1986 to 2006, including senior director of secondary education, chief educational officer and principal at Santa Monica High School and at Lincoln Middle School. Straus was adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California in 2005. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from the University of Southern California and a Master of Arts degree in educational administration from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Straus is a Democrat.
Tom Torlakson, 68, of Pittsburg, has been appointed to the Educational Commission of the States. Torlakson has been California State Superintendent of Public Instruction since 2010. He served as an assemblymember in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2010 and from 1996 to 2000. Torlakson served as a senator in the California State Senate from 2000 to 2008. He served as a member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors from 1981 to 1996 and as a member of the Antioch City Council from 1978 to 1981. Torlakson served as a fireman in the U.S. Merchant Marine from 1967 to 1970. He earned a Master of Arts degree in education from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Torlakson is a Democrat.
Jamillah Moore, 47, of Mountain View, has been reappointed to the California Student Aid Commission, where she has served since 2011. Moore has been president at Cañada College since 2016 and vice chancellor of educational services for the San Mateo County Community College District since 2015. She was chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District from 2012 to 2015, president of the Los Angeles City College from 2007 to 2012 and director of legislative and community college services at School Services of California in 2007. Moore was chief deputy and senior vice chancellor at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office from 2004 to 2007 and interim superintendent and interim president for the Compton Community College District from 2005 to 2006. She served as director of government relations at the Los Angeles County Office of Education from 1998 to 2004. Moore is a member of the Association of California Community College Administrators, Educating Young Minds, Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership Council, National Council on Black American Affairs and the Southern California Chapter of the International Women’s Forum. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in international and multicultural education from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Arts degree in intercultural communication and public policy from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Moore is a Democrat.
John M. Erickson, 32, of West Hollywood, has been appointed to the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Erickson has been a legislative representative at Los Angeles World Airports since 2017. He served in several positions for the City of West Hollywood from 2011 to 2017, including community events technician, deputy for city council member Abbe Land and administrative services specialist. Erickson was an adjunct instructor in the Harvey Mudd College Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts from 2011 to 2013 and a student liaison for the Claremont Graduate University Applied Women’s Studies Program from 2010 to 2013. He is president of the Hollywood Chapter of the National Organization for Women, founding president of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Alumni Association and a member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3339, American Academy of Religion, National Women’s Studies Association and the Stonewall Democratic Club. Erickson earned Master of Arts degrees in applied women’s studies and in women’s studies in religion from Claremont Graduate University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Erickson is a Democrat.
Judith E. Salter, 68, of Redding, has been appointed to the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Salter was chief executive officer at Turtle Bay Exploration Park from 1991 to 2005. She was director of government and public affairs at the Simpson Investment Company from 1985 to 1991 and at the Container Corporation of America from 1979 to 1985. Salter was associate director at the Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture from 1977 to 1979 and a legislative aide in the Office of U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen from 1970 to 1977. She is a member of the Commonwealth Club, City of Redding Community Services Advisory Commission, Women’s Fund, Rotary Club of Redding, American Association of University Women and the California Humanities Board of Directors. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Salter is a Democrat.
Richard Bookwalter, 57, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California Board of Occupational Therapy, where he has served since 2014. Bookwalter has been a rehabilitation outcomes coordinator at Kaiser Foundation Hospitals since 2012 and a durable medical equipment occupational therapist since 2008. He was supervisor of outpatient rehabilitation at the California Pacific Medical Center from 2006 to 2008, an occupational therapist and program manager for the Institute on Aging from 1996 to 2006 and a home health occupational therapist at the University of California, San Francisco Home Health Care from 1998 to 1999. Bookwalter was an occupational therapist at the Davies Medical Center from 1995 to 1997, a development associate at the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation from 1988 to 1993 and a manager for development communications at Teachers College, Columbia University from 1986 to 1987. He is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Occupational Therapy Association of California. Bookwalter earned a Master of Science degree in occupational therapy from San Jose State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bookwalter is a Democrat.