Governor Newsom announces appointments 8.28.25

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Christine Harada, of La Crescenta-Montrose, has been appointed Undersecretary of the California Government Operations Agency. Harada was Senior Advisor at the United States Office of Management and Budget from 2023 to 2025. Harada was the Executive Director at the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council from 2021 to 2023. Harada was the President of i(X) Investments from 2018 to 2020. She was the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer for The White House Council on Environmental Quality from 2015 to 2017. Harada held multiple positions at the United States General Services Administration from 2014 to 2015 including Acting Chief of Staff, Associate Administrator for Government-Wide Policy, and Chief Acquisition Officer. Harada earned a Master of Business Administration degree and a Master of the Arts degree in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $224,940. Harada is a Democrat.

Jason Shultz, of Placer County, has been appointed Warden at California State Prison, Sacramento. Schultz has been Acting Warden at California State Prison, Sacramento since 2024. Shultz held multiple positions at the California State Prison, Solano from 2007 to 2024, including Acting Warden and Correctional Officer. He held several positions at the California Health Care Facility from 2022 to 2024, including Chief Deputy Warden, Associate Warden, and Correctional Administrator. Shultz held multiple positions at the California State Prison, Sacramento 2008 to 2020, including Correctional Captain, Correctional Lieutenant, and Correctional Sergeant. He was a Correctional Officer at High Desert State Prison from 2005 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $199,332. Schultz is registered without party preference. 

Bryan Bishop, of Placer County, has been appointed Director of Division of Adult Parole Operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Bishop was Deputy Chief at the Office of Correctional Safety at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2022, where he has held multiple positions since 2009, including Special Agent-In-Charge, Senior Special Agent, Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force in the Office of Correctional Safety, Lieutenant of Intel Operations and Forensic Lab, and Lieutenant of the Emergency Operations Unit in the Office of Correctional Safety. Bishop has been the Consultant and Lead Instructor at Disaster Preparedness Inc., since 2019. He was a Correctional Lieutenant at Folsom State Prison from 2008 to 2009. Bishop held multiple positions at the California State Prison, Sacramento since 2002, including Correctional Sergeant and Correctional Officer. Bishop was the Weapons Platoon Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1992 to 1996. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $200,520. Bishop is registered without party preference.

Le-Mai Lyons, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director and General Counsel at the Board of State and Community Corrections. Lyons has been a Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the California Attorney General since 2024, where she was Deputy Attorney General from 2019 to 2024. She was a Deputy City Attorney in the Civil Litigation Unit at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2017 to 2019. Lyons was an Associate Attorney at Balestreri Potocki and Holmes from 2014 to 2017. She was a Staff Attorney at Bernstein Litowitz and Grossmann from 2013 to 2014. Lyons was a Contract Attorney at William J. Ward and Associates from 2012 to 2013. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego, School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $205,224. Lyons is a Democrat. 

Patrick Tyler Haas, of San Francisco, has been appointed as a Senior Data Scientist at the Office of Data and Innovation. Haas has been a Senior Data Scientist at Zipline since 2024. He was the Senior Data Scientist II at GM Cruise from 2019 to 2024. Haas was the Data Science Consultant at the Office of Data and Innovation from 2020 to 2021. He was the Senior Data Analyst at Scoot Networks from 2018 to 2019. Haas was the Senior Manager of Data Analytics at Room to Read from 2016 to 2018. He earned a Master of the Arts degree in Classical Archaeology from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Archaeology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $164,400. Haas is a Democrat.

Rosalind Sargent-Burns, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, has been appointed to the Board of Parole Hearings. Burns has been a Senior Deputy Pardon Attorney in the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the United States Department of Justice since 2018, here she has held multiple roles since 2008, including Acting Pardon Attorney, Senior Attorney Advisor, and Attorney Advisor. She was a Staff Attorney at the Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau from 2003 to 2008. Burns earned a Juris Doctor degree from Drake University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Bradley University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210, 249. Sargent-Burns is a Democrat.

Jack Weiss, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2022. Weiss was the Founder of Pacific Intelligence and Cyber from 2019 to 2022. He was the Co-Founder of BlueLine Grid from 2013 to 2018. Weiss was Managing Director at Kroll/Altegrity from 2010 to 2013. He was City Councilmember of District 5 at the Los Angeles City Council from 2001 to 2009. Weiss was Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Attorney’s Office at the Central United States Department of Justice from 1994 to 2000. He was an Associate at Irell and Manella from 1993 to 1994. He was a Judicial Law Clerk at the Central District of California in United States District Court from 1992 to 1993. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Weiss is a Democrat.

William Muniz, of Monterey County, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2022. Muniz was the Chief Deputy Administrator of the Prison to Employment initiative at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2019 to 2020. He held several positions at Salinas Valley State Prison from 1998 to 2019, including Warden, Chief Deputy Warden, Associate Warden, Captain, Correctional Lieutenant, and Correctional Sergeant. Muniz was a Correctional Officer at the Correctional Training Facility from 1994 to 1998. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Muniz is a Republican.

Teal Kozel, of Sutter County, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2022. Kozel was a Senior Psychologist Supervisor in the Forensic Assessment Division at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2009 to 2022. She was a Psychologist Specialist at California Medical Facility in 2009. Kozel was a Staff Psychologist and Suicide Prevention Coordinator at San Quentin State Prison from 2007 to 2009. She was a Staff Psychologist at Napa State Hospital at the Department of State Hospitals from 2004 to 2007. Kozel earned a Doctor of Psychology degree in Clinical Psychology from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Kozel is a Democrat.

Mary Thornton, of Fresno County, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2019. Thornton was a Deputy Commissioner, Administrative Law Judge at the Board of Parole Hearings from 2018 to 2019. She was a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Madera County District Attorney’s Office from 2016 to 2017. Thornton was a Deputy District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office from 2013 to 2015. She was a Senior Deputy District Attorney at the Madera County District Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2013. Thornton earned a Juris Doctor degree from San Joaquin College of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Marketing from California State University, Fresno. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Thornton is registered without party preference.

Patricia Cassady, of Contra Costa County, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where she has served since 2016. Cassady held multiple roles at the Board of Parole Hearings from 1995 to 2016, including Deputy Commissioner, Associate Chief Deputy Commissioner, Chief Deputy Commissioner, and Administrative Law Judge. She was an Attorney at the Law Offices of Patricia A. Cassady from 1988 to 1995. Cassady earned a Juris Doctor degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Cassady is a Democrat.

Michael Ruff, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the Board of Parole Hearings, where he has served since 2017. Ruff held multiple positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2003 to 2017, including, Retired Annuitant Special Agent on the Special Projects Team at the Office of Correctional Safety and Senior Special Agent. He held multiple positions at the Deuel Vocational Institute from 1998 to 2003, including Captain and Lieutenant. Ruff held several positions at San Quentin State Prison from 1986 to 1994, including Sergeant and Correctional Officer. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $210,249. Ruff is a Democrat.