Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Bridget Kolakosky, of Woodland, has been appointed Deputy Director for Legislative and Governmental Affairs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Kolakosky has served as Deputy Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the State Council of Developmental Disabilities since 2021. She served as Legislative Director for State Senator Holly Mitchell, State Assemblymember Tony Thurmond and State Assemblymember Toni Atkins from 2012 to 2020. Kolakosky was a Legislative Consultant for State Assemblymember Bob Blumenfield from 2009 to 2012 and a Legislative Aide for State Senator Carole Migden from 2007 to 2008.  She is a member of the California Native Plant Society and the Woodland Tree Foundation. Kolakosky earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $154,632. Kolakosky is a Democrat.

Nailah Pope-Harden, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director for Equity and Tribal Affairs at the California Department of Transportation. Pope-Harden has been Executive Director at ClimatePlan since 2021 and was Policy Manager there from 2019 to 2021. She has been Principal at Nailah Consulting since 2012. Pope-Harden was an Organizer at the Capital Region Organizing Project from 2016 to 2017 and a Parent Organizer at the California Charter Schools Association in 2015. Pope-Harden is a member of the New Leaders Council. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $164,016. Pope-Harden is a Democrat.

Eric Sundquist, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director for Sustainability at the California Department of Transportation. Sundquist has served as Sustainability Advisor at the California Department of Transportation since 2021. He was Director of the State Smart Transportation Initiative at the University of Wisconsin, Madison from 2010 to 2021 and a Senior Associate there from 2007 to 2010. Sundquist held several positions at the Georgia Institute of Technology including Research Scientist from 2004 to 2007 and Research and Teaching Assistant from 2003 to 2004. He held editor positions at several publications including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Virginian Pilot, the Free Lance-Star, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the Daily Press and Times Herald from 1981 to 2007. Sundquist earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Miami University of Ohio, a Master of Arts degree in Humanities from the University of Richmond, a Master of Science degree in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $164,016. Sundquist is a Democrat.

Terrence O’Brien, of Sacramento, has been appointed to and designated Chair of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. O’Brien was Chairperson of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy from 2018 to 2024. He was a Senior Environmental Consultant at Environmental Resources Management from 2012 to 2014. O’Brien was Senior Advisor for Forests to Governor Brown in 2018. O’Brien was Environmental and Compliance Advisor to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management on Renewable Energy Development in the Western U.S. from 2012 to 2013. He was Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection and Siting Division at the California Energy Commission from 2002 to 2011. O’Brien was Chief Advisor to the Chairman of the California Energy Commission from 2000 to 2002. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Arts degree in Geography from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. O’Brien is a Democrat.

Katherine “Katie” Delbar, of Potter Valley, has been reappointed to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, where she has served since 2016. Delbar has been County Executive Director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties since 1998 and for Mendocino and Lake Counties since 1992. She was a Program Technician for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service from 1989 to 1992. She is a member of Potter Valley Community Parks and Recreation and of the Mendocino County Cattlemen’s Association. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Delbar is a Republican.

Ali Jahangiri, of Newport Beach, has been appointed to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Jahangiri has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eb5Investors and Uglobal since 2012 and has been Owner and Chief Executive Officer at Hotels Magazine since 2020. He was an Attorney at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth from 2002 to 2005. Jahangiri earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Irvine and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jahangiri is registered without party preference.

Eric Holst, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the State Mining and Geology Board. Holst has been Associate Vice President of Natural Climate Solutions at the Environmental Defense Fund since 2021 and has held several roles there since 2006, including Associate Vice President of Working Lands and Senior Director of Working Lands. He was California Regional Director of the Forest Stewards Guild from 2004 to 2006. Holst was Principal at Holst Conservation Consulting from 2004 to 2006 and Executive Director at the Resources Legacy Fund from 2003 to 2004. Holst was Environmental Program Officer at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation from 1999 to 2003. He was Manager at the Conservation Agriculture Program from 1996 to 1999 and Program Associate at the Ford Foundation from 1994 to 1996. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Board of Food and Agriculture, State Forest Guild, American Wild and Wildlife Institute and the University of California President’s Advisory Commission on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Holst earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Botany from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources Ecology from Duke University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Holst is a Democrat.

Fred Jung, of Fullerton, has been appointed to the State Mining and Geology Board. Jung has been Mayor of the City of Fullerton since 2021 and has served as a City Councilmember there since 2020. He is a Member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors, Chair of the Orange County Power Authority, Vice Chair of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency Board of Directors, Chair of the Transit Committee for the Orange County Transportation Authority and a Member of the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Board of Directors. Jung earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jung is a Democrat.

Marc Los Huertos, of Claremont, has been reappointed to the State Mining and Geology Board, where he has served since 2016. Los Huertos has been Chair of the Environmental Analysis Program at Pomona College since 2022 and an Associate Professor at Pomona College since 2014. He was an Associate Professor at California State University, Monterey Bay from 2006 to 2014. Los Huertos was Assistant Research Faculty at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 2001 to 2004. He is a member of the Ecology Society of America. Los Huertos earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biochemistry and Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, a Master of Arts degree in Plant Systematics and Ecology from California State University, San Francisco and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Los Huertos is a Democrat.

Zia Zafir, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the State Mining and Geology Board, where he has served since 2020. Zafir has been Vice President, Chief Engineer and Practice Leader at Kleinfelder since 2010. He held multiple roles at Kleinfelder from 1994 to 2009, including Principal Engineer, Staff Engineer and Senior Engineer. Zafir was Staff Engineer at Geo Spectra Inc. from 1993 to 1994. He is President of the Sacramento Chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Seismological Society of America, Association of State Dam Safety Officials and the U.S. Society on Dams. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila, a Master of Science degree in Geotechnical Engineering from Iowa State University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Zafir is registered without party preference.

Joyce Anthony, of Woodside, has been appointed to the Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee. Anthony has been Principal and Co-Founder at Prime Fiduciary Services since 2005. Anthony earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Anthony is a Democrat.