Golden State Today

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced several appointments.

Heather Geldart, of Lincoln, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director of the Office of Oil Spill Prevention and Response at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Geldart has served as Deputy Director of Disaster Debris Removal Operations at the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery since 2023. Her previous roles include Integrated Program Manager at Arlington County Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management from 2020 to 2023, Senior Managing Associate at Hagerty Consulting from 2019 to 2020, Founder and President at 1240 Performance LLC from 2013 to 2019, and Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton from 2005 to 2013. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Virginia. This position requires Senate confirmation with compensation set at $186,696. Geldart is a Republican.

Kaitlin “Katie” Talbot, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Talbot has served as Director of Communications for State Assembly Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon since 2023. She held multiple roles in the Office of State Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon from 2019 to 2023, including Deputy Director of Communications, Press Secretary, and Communications Specialist. Previously, she was Special Projects Producer for KTXL FOX40 from 2014 to 2019 and Reporter/Producer for Capitol Television News Service from 2014 to 2015. Talbot earned a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies and History from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position does not require Senate confirmation with compensation set at $143,232. Talbot is a Democrat.

Brandon Williams, of Carmichael, has been appointed General Counsel at the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Williams has served as Assistant Chief Counsel there since 2021 after serving as Attorney III from 2019 to 2021. His prior roles include Sole Practitioner (2018-2019), Founding Partner/General Counsel at King, Williams & Gleason LLP (2014-2017), Partner/Chair Real Estate & Business Law Group at Cota Cole LLP (2012-2014), Associate at Downey Brand LLP (2006-2012), In-House Counsel at KMS Development LLC (2004-2006), positions with Holland & Hart LLP (2002-2004), Summer Associate Stoel Rives LLP (2001). He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and a Bachelor's degree in History/Philosophy from the University Notre Dame. This position does not require Senate confirmation with compensation set at $203,640. Williams is a Democrat.

David Shabazian, also based in Sacramento, has been appointed to the State Board Food Agriculture following his role as Director California Department Conservation since 2019 Rural Urban Connections Strategy Program Manager Sacramento Area Council Governments between years Graduate Researcher University Davis Planner City Planning member Dean's Advisory Council College Agricultural Environmental Sciences UC Davis holding both Master's Science Transportation Technology Policy Bachelor's Science Agricultural Managerial Economics UC Davis position requires no Senate confirmation offers no compensation registered without party preference

Katherine “Kelly” Williams Dodd Napa reappointed Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board serving since previously Deputy Secretary Legal Affairs Office Governor Edmund Brown Jr Assistant General Manager Corporate Secretary Frog’s Leap Winery multiple positions American Civil Liberties Union Legislative Advocate Aide earning Juris Doctor McGeorge School Law Bachelor Liberal Arts Eugene Lang College Liberal Arts New School position requires Senate confirmation compensation $180845 Democrat

Paul Kelly San Francisco joins Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board having practiced solo attorney Kirkpatrick Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis Senior Counsel Gordon Rees Assistant District Attorney San Francisco Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann Girard degrees Boston College Law English Literature requiring Senate confirmation compensated similarly fellow appointee Dodd identified Democrat