Governor Newsom announces appointments 11.27.24

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Erin Curtis, of Carmichael, has been appointed Executive Director at the Strategic Growth Council. Curtis has been Vice President at Fiona Hutton & Associates since 2023. She was Deputy Secretary of Communications and External Affairs at the California Environmental Protection Agency from 2020 to 2023. Curtis was Assistant Regional Director of Communications at United States Fish and Wildlife Service from 2019 to 2020. She was Public Affairs Officer for the Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region from 2017 to 2019. Curtis was Deputy State Director of Communications for the Bureau of Land Management from 2015 to 2017. She earned a Master of Public Affairs degree from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government/Journalism from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $190,023. Curtis is a Democrat. 

Edward “Eddie” Moreno, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Moreno has been the Legislative Manager and Environmental Science and Policy Advisor at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2022. He was a Legislative Analyst at the California Office of Emergency Services from 2020 to 2022. Moreno was a Program Associate at the California Environmental Justice Alliance from 2018 to 2020. He was a Policy Advocate at Sierra Club California from 2013 to 2018. Moreno was an Administrative Assistant at American Indian Public Charter School II from 2012 to 2013. He was a Biological Science Technician at the United States Geological Survey from 2011 to 2012. Moreno received his Bachelor of the Arts degree in Biology from Dartmouth College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $137,615. Moreno is a Democrat.

Tyrique Shipp, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Shipp has been an Advocacy and Community Organizing Associate at Anti-Recidivism Coalition since 2024, where he was a Policy and Community Organizing Fellow from 2023 to 2024. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Shipp is a Democrat.

Isaiah Barber, of Moreno Valley, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Barber has been a Youth Life Coach at the Anti-Recidivism Coalition since 2024. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barber is registered without party preference.

Monte Magic Mckay, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Mckay is a member of Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Healing Dialogue and Action and Underground Scholars Initiative. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. McKay is registered without party preference.  

Tecoy Porter, of Elk Grove, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Porter has been Senior Pastor at Genesis Missionary Baptist Church, Inc. since 1999 and President and Executive Director at the National Action Network Sacramento Chapter since 2018. He was an Adjunct Professor at William Jessup University School of Business from 2013 to 2018. Porter was an Adjunct Professor at Epic Bible College School of Graduate Studies from 2014 to 2018. He is a Senior Fellow at the American Leadership Forum. Porter earned a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Leadership & Leadership Coaching from Regent University, a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Porter is a Democrat.

Michael Duncan, of Woodland, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Duncan has been Executive Director at Native Dads Network Inc. since 2014. He was a Substance Abuse Counselor at Northern Valley Indian Health Inc. from 2016 to 2021. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Duncan is registered without party preference.

Cristian Franco, of Yolo, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  Franco has been a Policy and Program Coordinator at Motivating Individual Leadership for Public Advancement since 2017. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Franco is a Democrat.

Joe Baca Jr., of Rialto, has been appointed to the State Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Baca has been a Supervisor at the San Bernardino Board of Supervisors since 2020. He was a Teacher at Rialto Unified School District from 2009 to 2020. Baca was a Member of the Rialto City Council from 2007 to 2020. He was a Member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2006. Baca was a Probation Officer at San Bernardino County from 1995 to 2001. He was a Correctional Officer at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 1994 to 1995. Baca received a Master of Education degree from Azusa Pacific University, a Master of Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California State University, San Bernardino. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Baca is a Democrat.

Gonzalo Medina, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the Boating and Waterways Commission. Medina has been the Marine Safety Chief at the City of Long Beach Fire Department since 2014. He has held many other positions at the City of Long Beach Fire Department since 1995 including Administrative Capitan from 2013 to 2014, Operations Capitan from 2012 to 2013, Public Safety Dive Team Supervisor from 2009 to 2012, Rescue, Swiftwater Team Member from 2006 to 2012, Marine Safety Officer from 2004 to 2012, and Ocean Lifeguard from 1995 to 2004. Medina is a member of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Coast Guard Area Maritime Security Committee, and a Board Member of the Centro Community Hispanic Association. He earned his Master of the Arts degree in Writing and his Bachelor of the Arts degree in English from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Medina is a Democrat.

Maricela Rosales, of Crestline, has been appointed to the Boating and Waterways Commission. Rosales has been the California Associate Program Director, Conservation Lands Foundation since 2020. She was the Front Desk Staff/Head Coach of Recreation & Intermediate Team at Cliffs of Id, Touchstone Climbing from 2018 to 2020.  Rosales was the Los Angeles Regional Coordinator at Latino Outdoors from 2015 to 2018. She was a Community Advocacy Program Coordinator at the Disability Rights Legal Center from 2015 to 2016. Rosales was a Customer Service and Marketing Brand Associate at Mad Rock Climbing, Inc. from 2013 to 2016. She was a 10th Grade Teen Conference Instructor at Step Up Women’s Network from 2014 to 2015. Rosales was a Challenge Course Team Leader at the University of California, Riverside – Outdoor Excursions Challenge Course from 2009 to 2013. She was a Data Collections Assistant at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus USDA ARS from 2012 to 2013. Rosales earned her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology, Law and Society from the University of California, Riverside. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rosales is a Democrat.

José González, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the Boating and Waterways Commission where he has served since 2022. González has been the Equity Officer at the East Bay Regional Park District since 2023. He was Partner at The Avarna Group from 2017 to 2023. González was a Fellow at Pisces Foundation from 2019 to 2020. He was the Founder and Executive Director at Latino Outdoors via Community Initiatives from 2013 to 2017.  González was the Latino Outreach and Education Manager at the Tuolumne River Trust from 2013 to 2014. He was a Butler Koshland Fellow at Radio Bilingue from 2012 to 2013. Gonzalez was Faculty at National Hispanic University from 2011 to 2013. He was Program Coordinator at California Mini Corps, Butte County Office of Education from 2010 to 2012.  González was Faculty at Eastside College Preparatory School from 2009 to 2010. He was Faculty and Coordinator at Douglass Middle School, Woodland Unified School District from 2005 to 2007. González is a member of the Parks California Board of Directors and the Resource Media Board of Directors, and an advisor of National Recreation Foundation. He earned his Master of Science degree in Behavior, Education and Communication from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment, and his Bachelor of the Arts degree in History from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gonzalez is a Democrat.

Jamey Matalka, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at the California High-Speed Rail Authority, where he has held multiple roles including Director of Risk Management and Project Controls since 2020 and Assistant Chief Financial Officer from 2016 to 2020. Matalka held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2011 to 2016, including Principal Program Budget Analyst III, Principal Program Budget Analyst II, and Staff Finance Budget Analyst. He was a Corporation Examiner at the Department of Managed Healthcare from 2006 to 2011. Matalka earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Accountancy from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $262,008. Matalka is registered without party preference.

Courtni Pugh, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the Exposition Park and California Science Center Board of Directors. Pugh has been a Partner at Hilltop Public Solutions since 2014. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Ball State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pugh is a Democrat.