Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Rebecca Foster, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation, where she has served since 2019. Foster has been CEO of the San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund since 2016. She was Director of Social Impact Investments for the Office of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee from 2013 to 2016 and a Vice President at Goldman Sachs from 2008 to 2013. Foster is a member of the San Francisco Friends School Board of Trustees and the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California Board. Foster earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Studies from Brown University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Foster is a Democrat.

Dave Rand, of Agoura Hills, has been reappointed to the California Housing Partnership Corporation, where he has served since 2019. Rand has been a Founding Partner at Rand Paster & Nelson since 2022. He was an Attorney and Partner at Armbruster Goldsmith and Delvac LLP from 2012 to 2022. He was a Regional Political Director at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee from 2008 to 2012. Rand was an Associate at Armbruster and Goldsmith LLP in 2008, at Manatt Phelps and Phillips from 2005 to 2008 and at Thelen Reid and Priest from 2003 to 2005. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rand is a Democrat.

Christopher Nellum, of Oakland, has been appointed to the California Cradle-to-Career Data System Governing Board. Nellum has been Executive Director of EdTrust-West since 2021, where he has held several positions since 2017, including Deputy Director of Policy and Research and Senior Director of Higher Education Research and Policy. He has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Diego since 2021. Nellum was Policy Director for Young Invincibles from 2016 to 2017. He was a Senior Researcher for the American Council on Education from 2014 to 2016. Nellum is a member of the Newsweek Expert Forum and the Board of Directors for the James B. McClatchy Foundation and Swipe Out Hunger. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Higher Education Public Policy from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science degree in Counseling and Education from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Nellum is a Democrat.

Phuong Uzoff, of Torrance, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Uzoff has been a STEAM Specialist for the El Segundo Unified School District since 2015. She was a Teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2005 to 2013. Uzoff is a member of the National Science Teaching Association. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in Learning Technologies from Pepperdine University, a Master of Education degree in Elementary Multiple Subjects from Loyola Marymount University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Uzoff is a Democrat.

Darius Anderson, of Kenwood, has been appointed to the California Fish and Game Commission. Anderson has been Founder and Owner of Platinum Advisors since 1998. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from George Washington University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Anderson is registered without party preference.

Alex Clemens, of Mill Valley, has been appointed to the State Board of Optometry. Clemens has been Partner and Co-Founder of Progress Public Affairs since 2022. He was Partner and Co-Founder at Lighthouse Public Affairs from 2016 to 2022. He was Founder of Barbary Coast Consulting from 2003 to 2016. Clemens has been a licensed private investigator in the State of California since 1998. Clemens earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Clemens is a Democrat.

Patricia Batchelor, of Redondo Beach, has been reappointed to the California Board of Accountancy, where she has served since 2023. Batchelor has been Owner of Patricia Batchelor Certified Public Accountant since 2004. She earned a Master of Science degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Redlands. Batchelor is a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Alliance of Black Women Accountants. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Batchelor is a Democrat.

Rajesh Patel, of Arcadia, has been reappointed to the State Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2015. Patel has been City Building Official at the City of Pico Rivera since 2021. Patel served as Assistant Director of Community Development and City Building Official for the City of Beverly Hills from 2014 to 2020. He served in multiple positions for the County of Los Angeles from 1985 to 2014, including Assistant Deputy Director of Public Works from 2012 to 2014, Superintendent of Building from 2003 to 2012, Assistant Superintendent of Building from 2000 to 2003 and Chief Mechanical and Plumbing Engineer from 1985 to 2000. Patel is a member of the Board of Directors of the California Building Officials and a member of the International Code Council and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Patel is a Democrat.

Frank Ramirez, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the State Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2022. Ramirez was Sustainable Freight Project Manager at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development from 2017 to 2021, where he served in several positions from 2011 to 2017, including Deputy Director of Goods Movement and Sustainable Freight, Project Manager and Senior Permit Specialist. Ramirez was Senior Policy Analyst at the California State Library from 2004 to 2011. He was Project Manager in the Governor’s Office of Military Support from 2003 to 2004. Ramirez was Deputy Director of Planning at the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research from 2000 to 2003. He was Director of the Office of Permit Assistance at the California Trade and Commerce Agency from 1997 to 2000. Ramirez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of the Pacific and a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ramirez is a Democrat.

Pedro “Peter” Santillan, of Whittier, has been reappointed to the State Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2015. Santillan has been Secretary-Treasurer at the Southern California District Council of Laborers since 2020. Santillan was Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer for LiUNA Local 1309 from 2014 to 2020. He was Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer at LiUNA Local 507 from 2010 to 2014. Santillan was Assistant Executive Director at CLTF Inc. from 2008 to 2010. He is a member of LiUNA. Santillan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from California State University, Long Beach. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Santillan is a Democrat.

Brenda Davis, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the California Horse Racing Board, where she has served since 2020. Davis has been Principal at the Brenda Davis Law Group since 2007. She was Managing Counsel at the California Farm Bureau Federation from 1999 to 2007. Davis was a Legislative Advocate and Negotiator in the Executive Office of the Attorney General at the California Department of Justice from 1996 to 1999. She is a member of the California State Bar, New Mexico State Bar, Mercy Foundation Board of Trustees and the Friends of Sacramento Arts Board of Directors.  Davis earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy Sciences from Duke University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Davis is a Republican.