Golden State Today

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom announced several appointments today, spanning various departments and agencies within the state of California.

Jenny Cho, from Carlsbad, has been appointed Deputy Director for the Division of Financial Assistance, Federal Programs, at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Cho has held roles in federal relief and recovery since 2022 and previously worked with the San Diego Housing Commission. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Health Geography from McMaster University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Sciences and Geography from Concordia University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, with compensation set at $170,400. Cho is a Democrat.

Anastasia Carney, from Sacramento, will serve as Deputy Secretary of External Affairs at the California Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency. Carney has been Senior Advisor since 2022 and previously served in Governor Newsom's office as Deputy Director for Civic Engagement and Strategic Partnerships. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in History from California Polytechnic State University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco. This role does not require Senate confirmation, with compensation at $147,108. Carney is a Democrat.

Sarah Keber, also from Sacramento, has been named Assistant Secretary for Business Transformation and Strategic Development at the California Government Operations Agency. Keber was previously Senior Manager of Strategic Projects and Performance at the Sacramento Regional Transit District. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Economics from UC Berkeley and a Master’s degree in Law from McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $130,008. Keber is a Democrat.

Sarah Brady will take on the role of Assistant Executive Director for Governmental and International Affairs at the California Energy Resources Conservation Development Commission (California Energy Commission). Brady has been Interim CEO at the California Council on Science and Technology since 2023. She holds dual Bachelor's degrees in Chemistry and French from North Central College and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Oregon. This appointment does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $168,432. Brady is a Democrat.

Jessica Meng, based in Oakland, has been appointed Senior Product Manager at the Office of Data and Innovation. Meng’s previous experience includes roles at Instacart as Senior Product Manager across various divisions until 2023. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Electronic Art from Carnegie Mellon University. The position does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $150,348. Meng is a Democrat.

Khaesha Brooks will join the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists as an appointee based out of Sacramento. Brooks currently works as an Engineering Project Manager at Siemens Mobility after serving as an HVAC System Engineer there since 2016. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University. This position does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $100 per diem. Brooks is a Democrat.

Nathan Voegeli has been appointed to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Board based out of Sacramento after serving as Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary under Governor Newsom until 2024 among other roles related to tribal negotiations since 2021. He holds multiple degrees including Bachelor's degrees in Philosophy along with Mathematics & Physics from University of Alaska Fairbanks; Master's degree in International Policy Studies from Middlebury Institute; Juris Doctorate Degree obtained through UC College Of Law San Francisco . The appointment doesn’t need Senate confirmation; compensations stands at $100 per diem .Voegeli registers without party preference .

Betty Andrews joins Central Valley Flood Protection Board representing Santa Rosa area ,serving recently as Consulting Engineer/Strategic Advisor post-2021 following extensive tenure within Environmental Science Associates where she rose up ranks culminating into Vice President/Principal Engineer among other significant positions held throughout career span .She possesses Master’s Degree In Civil Engineering via UC Davis coupled alongside Bachelor's Degree In Technology & Human Affairs awarded by Washington Univ-St.Louis .The appointment requires Senate Confirmation ;compensation fixed @ $55k approx .Andrews identifies herself aligned politically towards Democrats