Governor Newsom announces appointments 11.21.2025

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Claudia Quiroz, of Mill Valley, has been appointed as General Counsel at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Quiroz held multiples roles at the United States Department of Justice from 2022 to 2025, including Deputy Chief of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, and Deputy Director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team. She was an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California from 2014 to 2024. She was an Associate at K&L Gates LLP from 2008 to 2014. Quiroz was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Micaela Alvarez, Southern District of Texas from 2007 to 2008. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association and Bar Association of San Francisco. Quiroz earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree in French and Speech Pathology from Marquette University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $225,504. Quiroz is a Democrat.

Jane Sadler, of Sacramento, has been appointed Senior Policy Advisor at the California Air Resources Board. Sadler has been Senior Associate of State Policy at Rocky Mountain Institute since 2024, where she was Associate from 2022 to 2024. Sadler was a Researcher at the Center for Law, Energy & the Environment at Berkeley Law and a Research Assistant at the California China Climate Institute in 2020 and 2021. She was Scheduler to the First Partner at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom from 2019 to 2020. Sadler earned a Master of Science in Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $140,004. Sadler is a Democrat.

Paulette Brown-Hinds, of Riverside, has been appointed to the California Transportation Commission. Brown-Hinds has been the Founder and Partner of Voice Media Ventures since 2004 and a Publisher at Black Voice News since 2012. Brown-Hinds was a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford from 2021 to 2023. She was an Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Riverside from 2016 to 2021. She was an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati from 1998 to 2000. Brown-Hinds is the Vice Chair of The James Irvine Foundation, a Democracy Policy Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and a member of the American Press Institute and the California Press Foundation. Brown-Hinds earned a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of California, Riverside, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from California State University, San Bernardino. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brown-Hinds is registered without party preference.

Martin Muoto, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors. Muoto has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Model/Z since 2023 and Founder and Chief Executive Officer at SoLa Impact since 2012. Muoto was Senior Vice President of Sales and Strategy at Walz Group from 2006 to 2012. He was a Founder and Principal at Accretive Partners from 1999 to 2005. Muoto was Director of Research at General Atlantic Partners from 1996 to 1999. He held multiple positions at Gartner Inc from 1993 to 1996, including Research Analyst, Founder of Marketing, Knowledge, and Technology Practice and Research Associate. Muoto earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the Wharton School and Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Muoto is registered without party preference.

Preston Prince, of San Jose, has been reappointed to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors, where he has served since 2013. Prince has been Executive Director at Santa Clara Housing Authority since 2021. He was Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director at Fresno Housing Authority from 2007 to 2021. Prince was Executive Director at Aurora Housing Authority from 2002 to 2007. He was Senior Housing Development Program Manager at Seattle Housing Authority from 1999 to 2002. Prince was Director of Housing Development at Kitsap County Consolidated Housing Authority from 1995 to 1999. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Urban Affairs and Policy Analysis from New School of Architecture and Design and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from The New School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Prince is a Democrat.

James “Jim” Cervantes, of Lafayette, has been reappointed to the California Housing Finance Agency Board of Directors, where he has served since 2022. Cervantes has been City Councilmember at City of Lafayette since 2024. He was a Managing Director of Public Finance at Stifel Financial Corporation from 2011 to 2020. Cervantes was a Managing Director and Partner at Stone and Youngberg from 1986 to 2011. He was a Property Manager and Finance Director at Mission Housing Development Corporation from 1980 to 1984. Cervantes earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology from Harvard College. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cervantes is a Democrat.

Dr. Cedric “Jamie” Rutland, of Lake Forest, has been appointed to the South Coast Air Quality Management District Board. Dr. Rutland has been Medical Director and Chief Executive Officer at West Coast Lung – Rutland Medical Group since 2019, a Pulmonary/Critical Care Physician at Newport Critical Care since 2019, Producer of “Medicine Deconstructed” on YouTube since 2020, Co-Founder and Principal Consultant at Medical Digital Opinion Leaders since 2023, and Host of The Health Exchange Podcast since 2025. He was Medical Director of Respiratory Care and Pulmonary Rehabilitation at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center from 2023 to 2024. Dr. Rutland was Pulmonologist Medical Director at Private Health Management from 2020 to 2023. He was a Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician and Assistant Clinical Professor at Pacific Pulmonary Group, a Medical Corporation, from 2015 to 2019. Dr. Rutland is a member of the YouTube Health Creator Council and the California Health Workforce Training and Education Council. Dr. Rutland earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensations is $100 per diem. Dr. Rutland is a Democrat.

Antoinette “Toni” Marengo, of San Diego, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Dr. Marengo has been Chief Medical and Transformation Officer at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest since 2025, where she was Chief Medical Officer from 2018 to 2025. She held several positions at Naval Medical Center San Diego from 2010 to 2018, including Staff Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Director of Family Planning, and Associate Residency Program Director. Dr. Marengo was an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Residency Program Director at the University of California Irvine Medical Center from 2007 to 2010. Dr. Marengo was an Active-Duty Obstetrician and Gynecologist in the United States Navy and served at Naval Hospital 29 Palms from 2004 to 2007. She is Chair-Elect for the California district (District IX) of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a Board Examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a Member of the Scientific Advisory Boards for Afaxys and HerAnova Lifesciences. Dr. Marengo earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Stanford University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Dr. Marengo is a Democrat.

Kasheica McKinney, of Oakland, has been appointed to the California Architects Board. McKinney has been the Director of Transit-Oriented Development at the Bay Area Rapid Transit District since 2024. She was Vice President of Community Development and Government Relations at Thomas James Homes from 2022 to 2023. McKinney was a Project Executive for the Hunters Point Shipyard & Candlestick Point Redevelopment Project from 2014 to 2022. She was a Contract and Procurement Compliance Officer at the Oakland Housing Authority from 2012 to 2014. McKinney was a Contract and Procurement Compliance Officer at the Marin Housing Authority from 2011 to 2012. She is a member of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California, the Charles Houston Bar Association, and the National Bar Association. McKinney earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San Francisco State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. McKinney is a Democrat.

Christopher Ferguson, of West Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Ferguson has been Executive Vice Chancellor of Finance and Strategic Initiatives, California Community Colleges since 2024. He held several roles at the California Department of Finance from 2007 to 2024, including Program Budget Manager, Assistant Program Budget Manager, Principal Program Budget Analyst, Staff Finance Budget Analyst, Associate Finance Budget Analyst, and Assistant Finance Budget Analyst. Ferguson earned a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Wichita State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Riverside. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Ferguson is a Democrat.

Brian Haynes, of Rancho Cucamonga, has been reappointed to the California Student Aid Commission, where he has been serving since 2024. Haynes has been Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of California, Riverside since 2018. He was Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University, San Bernardino from 2013 to 2018. Haynes is a member of NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, American College Personnel Association – College Student Educators International, Council on Student Affairs – Public Land Grant Universities, and the Editorial Board of the Student Affairs Journal. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education from Ohio University and a Bachelor of Arts in History from The Ohio State University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Haynes is a Democrat.