Golden State Today

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced several new appointments.

Summer Mothwood, from San Francisco, has been appointed Principal Analytics Engineer at the Office of Data and Innovation. Mothwood previously served as a Customer Relationship Management Data Engineer at the Mozilla Foundation since 2024 and held roles at the Nature Conservancy, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Yerba Buena Center for Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Hampshire College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and offers compensation of $156,000. Mothwood is a Democrat.

Matthew Zhou, from Oakland, has been named Assistant Chief Data Officer at the Office of Data and Innovation. Zhou has served as Data and Analytics Governance Lead since 2023 and held positions at Peloton Interactive, Aspen Tech Policy Hub, VillageMD, New York Times, and Columbia University. He earned a Master of Public Health degree in Health Informatics from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Northwestern University. This role does not require Senate confirmation and provides compensation of $144,096. Zhou is a Democrat.

Isaiah Green, from Fresno, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director and Central Valley Regional Advisor at the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Green has worked as Organizational Culture Manager at the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission since 2024 with various roles since 2020. Previously, he was a professional athlete for teams including the Toronto Argonauts and Pittsburgh Steelers. Green is involved with several organizations including the Fresno Housing Authority and United Way of Fresno and Madera. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation with compensation set at $123,600. Green is a Democrat.

David Neill, from Sacramento, will serve as Chief Counsel at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Neill's career includes roles such as Assistant Chief Counsel at the same office since 2021 and various legal positions within state departments including Attorney General's office and Department of Human Resources. He is part of the Sacramento County Bar Association and holds a Juris Doctor degree from University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law along with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from UC Davis. The position does not require Senate confirmation with compensation totaling $212,484. Neill is a Democrat.

Barnie Gyant, from Vallejo, has been appointed to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy following an extensive career with U.S Forest Service where he held numerous roles until 2022. Gyant possesses a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology from East Carolina University. The appointment does not need Senate confirmation with compensation based on per diem rates amounting to $100 per day served. Gyant registers without party preference.

Alan Driscoll, also from Sacramento, joins the State Mining and Geology Board as an appointee requiring Senate confirmation receiving per diem compensation of $100 per day served. Driscoll currently serves as Vice President at Forsgren Associates since 2015 among other prior positions including Project Manager roles at Tetra Tech Inc., HydroGeoLogic Inc., Dames & Moore Inc., while holding degrees in Geology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Master’s) and Purdue University (Bachelor’s). Driscoll identifies as Republican.