Governor Newsom announces appointments
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:
James De La Torre, of Altadena, has been reappointed to the Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board, where he has served since 2023. De La Torre has been a Physician at Emergent Medical Associates since 2008. He is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians. De La Torre earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Harvard Medical School and a Master of Medical Management degree from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. De La Torre is a Democrat.
Jane Kang, of Oakland, has been reappointed to the Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board, where she has served since 2023. Kang has been an H-3 Level II Paramedic at the San Francisco Fire Department since 2014, where she was an H-3 Level I Paramedic from 2011 to 2014. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Kang is a Democrat.
David Konieczny, of Santa Clarita, has been reappointed to the Paramedic Disciplinary Review Board, where he has served since 2023. Konieczny has been Operations Manager at McCormick Ambulance since 2020, where he was QA/QI Manager and Paramedic Coordinator from 2014 to 2020. He has been a DMAT Health Technician Paramedic at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services since 2019. Konieczny held several roles at Hall Ambulance Service Inc. between 2007 and 2014, including Assistant Manager of the Ambulance Division and Paramedic Field Supervisor. He was a Paramedic Firefighter for Queen Anne’s County, Maryland from 2005 to 2007. Konieczny was a CCT Paramedic at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 2005 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Konieczny is a Democrat.
Nick Boyd, of Spring Valley, has been reappointed to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, where he has served since 2023. Boyd has been Director of Clinical Training for Counseling at VA San Diego Healthcare System since 2020 and has been a Staff Therapist for the Cognitive Therapy Institute since 2019. Boyd has been a Consultant with the eScreening Program at VA San Diego Healthcare System since 2017, Adjunct Faculty at the University of San Diego since 2018 and an Associate Professor there since 2023. Boyd was a Study Therapist with VA San Diego Healthcare System from 2018 to 2020. He was a Psychological Health Consultant at the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control, Leidos from 2015 to 2016. Boyd was an Assessment Therapist at VA San Diego Healthcare System from 2017 to 2018 and a Resiliency Trainer with the UCLA Semel Institute, FOCUS Marine Corps Air Station Miramar from 2016 to 2017. Boyd was a Sex Offender Treatment Specialist for the Counseling and Psychotherapy Center from 2014 to 2016. He was a Founder, Clinical Director and Lead Therapist with e3 Civic High from 2014 to 2015. Boyd was a Clinical Counseling Trainee with North County Lifeline from 2013 to 2014 and at Springall Academy from 2012 to 2013. Boyd was a Psychological Assessment Consultant and Psychological Trauma Consultant from 2011 to 2015. He was a Clinical Research Coordinator with the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control, Leidos from 2014 to 2015. Boyd is a member of the American Counseling Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, Military and Government Counseling Association, California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Boyd earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of the Cumberlands. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of San Diego and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Portland State University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Boyd is a Democrat.
Christopher Jones, of Santa Clarita, has been reappointed to the Board of Behavioral Sciences, where he has served since 2020. Jones has been Owner and Licensed Educational Psychologist with Dynamic Interventions Inc. since 2006. He has been a School Psychologist at several institutions from 1997 to 2024, including iLEAD CA Charter Schools, William S. Hart High School District, Arcadia Unified School District and Danvers Public Schools. Jones is President-Elect of the California Association of School Psychologists and a member of the National Association of School Psychologists. He earned an Education Specialist degree and a Master of Arts degree in School Psychology from Tufts University. Jones earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child Development from California State University, Northridge. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Jones is a Republican.
Hemesh Patel, of Huntington Beach, has been reappointed to the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, where he has served since 2020. Patel is a Family Physician and Obesity Medicine Specialist for Southern California Permanente Medical Group, where he has worked since 2011. He served as a member of the Human Relations Committee for the City of Huntington Beach from 2020 to 2023 and was an Expert Reviewer for the Osteopathic Medical Board of California from 2015 to 2019. He was a Yoga Instructor with Corepower Yoga from 2013 to 2015. Patel was a Resident Physician at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center from 2008 to 2011. He served on the Education Committee and Ethics Committee for the Federation of State Medical Boards and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Accreditation Review Committee for the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. He is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific. Patel earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Science degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Patel is a Democrat.
Sandra Sims, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California State Board of Optometry, where she has served since 2021. Sims has been HR Business Partner and Personnel Manager for the University of California, Los Angeles since 2023. She was Human Resources Manager for Long Beach City College from 2021 to 2023. Sims was a Freelance Reporter and Writer with various news publications from 2016 to 2021. She was a Principal Analyst and Policy Human Resources Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources from 2007 to 2016. Sims was a Civil Service Advocate for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services from 2006 to 2007. She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Sims earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco and Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sims is a Democrat.
Antonio Benjamin, of Fremont, has been reappointed to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, where he has served since 2020. Benjamin has been a Partner at PA Consulting Group since 2018. He was Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Token.io from 2014 to 2019. Benjamin was Global Chief Technology Officer at Citibank from 2011 to 2013. He is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery. Benjamin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of the Philippines. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Benjamin is a Democrat.
Francisco Silva, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the California Health Facilities Financing Authority, where he has served since 2020. Silva has been President and Chief Executive Officer of the California Primary Care Association since 2022. Silva was General Counsel and Senior Vice President of the centers for Legal Affairs, Health Policy and Economic Services at the California Medical Association from 2006 to 2022. He was Vice President and Counsel of Legislative Affairs at the California Apartment Association from 2004 to 2006. Silva was an Associate at Downey Brand LLP from 2003 to 2004 and at Heller Ehrman LLP from 2001 to 2003. Silva was a Law Clerk at the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California from 2000 to 2001. He was an Assembly Fellow in the Office of State Assemblymember Denise Moreno Ducheny from 1996 to 1997. Silva is a member of Cien Amigos, the Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Board of Directors, the California Health Information Partnership and Services Organization Board of Directors, California Society for Healthcare Attorneys and the Gil Basketball Academy Board of Directors. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Santa Clara University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Silva is a Democrat.
Denise Tugade, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Court Reporters Board of California, where she has served since 2021. Tugade has been Legislative Analyst for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Substance Abuse Prevention and Control Bureau since 2024. Tugade was a Government Relations Advocate for SEIU United Health Workers West from 2020 to 2024. She was Legislative Director in the Office of State Assemblymember Christy Smith from 2019 to 2020. Tugade was a Legislative Aide in the Office of State Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez from 2018 to 2019. She was a Mail Tree Program and Assembly Democrats Volunteer Coordinator with Christy Smith for State Assembly 2018 in 2018. Tugade was Communications Director and Legislative Assistant in the Office of State Assemblymember Monique Limon from 2017 to 2018. She held several positions at Cambria Solutions from 2015 to 2017 including Senior Associate, AGILE, Human Centered Design Lead and Social Media Manager. Tugade was District Coordinator for DelAgua Health Ltd. from 2014 to 2015 and Public Relations Consultant and International Research Intern with Planet Risk in 2014. Tugade is a member of the Feminist Democrats of Sacramento, Young Asian American Pacific Islander Sacramento Democrats, New Leaders Council Sacramento, California Asian Pacific Islander Staff Academy, Asian Pacific Islander Capitol Association and Barkada Sacramento. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs: Conflict and Security Studies and Europe and Eurasian Studies from George Washington University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Tugade is a Democrat.
Lessie Moore, of Highland, has been reappointed to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, where she has served since 2022. Moore has been an Adjunct Professor at San Bernardino Valley College since 2020 and a Retired Annuitant with Patton State Hospital since 2024. She was a Senior Psychiatric Technician at Patton State Hospital from 1996 to 2022 and a Psychiatric Technician at the Fairview Development Center from 1993 to 1996. Moore is a member of the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science from Ashford University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Moore is a Democrat.
Amanda Gallo, of Oakland, has been reappointed to the Contractors State License Board, where he has served since 2023. Gallo has been Assistant to the General Manager at the East Bay Regional Park District since 2023. She was a Management Analyst II with the City of Fremont from 2018 to 2023 and a Senior Policy Analyst at the Santa Clara County Housing Authority from 2014 to 2018. Gallo is a member of the Municipal Management Association of Northern California and Emerge California. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Santa Clara University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gallo is a Democrat.
Michael Mark, of Stockton, has been reappointed to the Contractors State License Board, where he has served since 2020. Mark has held several positions with SMART Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 since 2012, including Planning and Development Director, Business Representative and Union Officer. He held several roles at Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 162 from 2002 to 2012. Mark has been either a Sheet Metal Worker or representing the Sheet Metal Industry from 2002 to 2015 at multiple organizations including Champion Industrial Contractors, Lawson Mechanical, Melrose Metal Products, Brown Sheet Metal, Mendenhall Manufacturing, Vic Myers, Critchfield Mechanical and Southland Industrial. He is a member of San Joaquin Building and Construction Trades Council, United Cerebral Palsy of San Joaquin, Calaveras and Amador Counties, North Valley Labor Federation and Leadership Stockton Class of 2014. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Mark is a Democrat.
Kyle Finley, of Loomis, has been reappointed to the Structural Pest Control Board, where he has served since 2020. Finley has been President of Twin Termite and Pest Control since 2007. He is a member of xHope and Redeemer House. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Finley is a Republican.
