Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Joseph McCullough, of Wilton, has been appointed Director of the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. McCullough has been Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control since 2020 and has served in several roles there since 2001, including Division Chief, Deputy Division Chief, District Administrator, Supervising Agent and Agent. McCullough is a member of the California Peace Officers Association and the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $211,460. McCullough is registered without party preference.

Susan R. Sommercamp, of Rocklin, has been appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary at the California State Transportation Agency. Sommercamp has been Policy Advisor and Speechwriter to the Secretary at the California State Transportation Agency since 2022. She was Speechwriter to the Director at the California Department of Transportation from 2020 to 2022. Sommercamp held several positions at the California Department of Justice from 2015 to 2020, including Training Officer and Editor in the Office of Professional Development and Associate Governmental Program Analyst in the Bureau of Gambling Control. She was an Associate Governmental Program Analyst at the California Department of Child Support Services from 2014 to 2015. She is a member of Women in Transportation Seminar International. Sommercamp earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from California State University, Long Beach. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $103,788. She is a Democrat.

Kimberly Goncalves, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary at the California Natural Resources Agency. Goncalves has served as a Staff Services Manager at the California Natural Resources Agency since 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,804. Goncalves is a Democrat.

Cliff Rechtschaffen, of Oakland, has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board. Rechtschaffen has served as a Commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission since 2017. He served as a Senior Advisor on Climate and Energy in the Office of Governor Brown from 2011 to 2017. Rechtschaffen was Acting Director of the California Department of Conservation in 2011 and served as Special Assistant Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Office from 2007 to 2010. Rechtschaffen was a Professor and Co-Founder of the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic at Golden Gate University School of Law from 1993 to 2007. He served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Environment Section of the California Department of Justice, Attorney General’s Office from 1986 to 1993. Rechtschaffen earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Princeton University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $54,114. Rechtschaffen is a Democrat.

Nicholas Speal, of South Lake Tahoe, has been appointed to the Tahoe Transportation District. Speal has been a Software Engineer at Zipline since 2018. He held several roles at 3D Robotics from 2015 to 2017, including Software Engineer and Engineering Project Manager. Speal was a Project Manager at McGill Robotics from 2013 to 2014. He was a Project Manager at McGill LunarEx Robotics from 2011 to 2013. Speal is President of the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition and a member of the City of South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Speal is a Democrat.