News Blog - McHugh Koepke Padron Government Relations

Additional Gubernatorial Appointments Announced, Top Business, Labor and Environmental Liaisons Among them

Prior to being formally sworn-in as California’s 40th governor, Gavin Newsom named Julie Su as secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Since 2011, she has served as state labor commissioner under Governor Jerry Brown. Newsom also named Lenny Mendonca as chief economic and business advisor and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Mendonca has been the co-chairman of California Forward.

Additionally, former U.S. EPA official Jared Blumenfeld will be named the new secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. Blumenfeld served as regional administrator in U.S. EPA's San Francisco office under President Barack Obama and was head of San Francisco's Environment Department from 2001-2009. One of his first tasks will be to name heads of two CalEPA departments: the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and Department of Pesticide Regulation.

Newsom further announced the appointment of several key senior staff and finance and legislative deputies. They include the following individuals:

Lindsey Cobia as Deputy Chief of Staff.
Kate Gordon as Director of the Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
Analea Patterson as Deputy Legal Affairs Secretary.
Erin Suhr as Director of Operations.
Vivek Viswanathan as Chief Deputy Director of Finance — Budgets.
Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez remains Chief Deputy Director of Finance — Policy.
Stuart Thompson as Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary.
Joey Freeman as Chief Deputy Legislative Affairs Secretary for Policy.
Che Salinas as Chief Deputy Legislative Affairs Secretary for Operations.
Melinda Grant remains a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Melissa Immel as a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Jennifer Johnson remains a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Tam Ma as a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Ronda Paschal remains a Deputy Legislative Secretary.
Rachel Machi Wagoner as a Deputy Legislative Secretary.