SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Today, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Cynthia Cotharn, 56, of Playa Vista, has been appointed to the Cal Humanities Board. Cotharn has been a private physician since 2002. She was a medical director in the Substance Abuse Division at the Watts Health Foundation Inc. from 1996 to 2001 and at the General Motors Luxury Car Division from 1994 to 1995. She was a research and project assistant to the medical director at the Chicago Park District in 1994. Cotharn completed a dual residency in internal medicine and occupational medicine at Cook County Hospital from 1990 to 1994.
Cotham was a sales representative at the American Hospital Supply Corporation from 1984 to 1985 and an account executive at the XEROX Corporation from 1979 to 1984. She earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Chicago Medical School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cotharn is a Democrat.
Alice Y. Hom, 46, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the Cal Humanities Board, where she has served since 2012. Hom has held multiple positions at Asian Americans-Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy since 2007, including director and philanthropic advocacy manager. She was a director at the Intercultural Community Center at Occidental College from 2001 to 2006. Hom earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in history from Claremont Graduate University and a Master of Arts degree in Asian American studies from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hom is a Democrat.
Fritz Friedman, 63, of West Hollywood, has been appointed to the Cal Humanities Board. Friedman has been the senior vice president of worldwide publicity at Sony Pictures Entertainment since 1980. He was assistant manager at Columbia Artists Management Inc. from 1976 to 1979. Friedman earned a Master of Arts degree in communications from the University of Pennsylvania, Annenberg School for Communications. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Friedman is a Democrat.
Brenda Wright, 71, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the Cal Humanities Board, where she has served since 2012. Wright has held multiple positions with Wells Fargo since 1985, including senior vice president and regional manager of community relations, senior vice president of premier banking and vice president district manager. She is a founding member and former president of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women and a founding and advisory board member of the Museum of the African Diaspora. Wright is also a member of the Women’s Foundation of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Wright is a Democrat.
Kirsten Barnes, 45, of Lemoore, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Barnes has been a counselor and teacher at Crossroads Charter Academy in the Armona School District since 2008 and has served in multiple positions for the Hanford Joint Union High School District since 1993, including guidance counselor, independent study teacher and continuation high school teacher. Barnes is a member of the California Teachers Association, the American School Counselors Association and the California Association of School Counselors. She earned a Master of Arts degree in school counseling from Fresno Pacific University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barnes is a Democrat.
Mary Jones, 61, of Merced, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Jones has been interim deputy superintendent for the Denair Unified School District since 2013 and an instructor at Brandman University since 2009. She served in multiple positions for the Ceres Unified School District from 1997 to 2013 and from 1993 to 1995, including principal, assistant superintendent, deputy superintendent and assistant principal. Jones was assistant principal for the Merced City School District from 1995 to 1997 and a teacher for the Atwater Elementary School District from 1984 to 1993 and for the Newark Public School District from 1973 to 1983. Jones is a member of the Association of California School Administrators. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in organization and leadership from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Arts degree in educational administration from California State University, Stanislaus. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Jones is a Democrat.
Ref Rodriguez, 41, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Rodriguez has served as president and chief executive officer at Partners for Developing Futures since 2009 and has been lecturer for the Institute of School Leadership and Administration at the Loyola Marymount School of Education since 2009. He is co-founder of Partnerships to Uplift Communities Inc., where he has held multiple positions since 1999, including corporate treasurer and co-chief executive officer. Rodriguez was parish manager at St. Francis de Sales Parish from 1998 to 2000, director of administration and development at the Divine Savior School from 1996 to 1998 and an analyst and executive assistant at the California State University Office of the Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance from 1995 to 1996. Rodriguez earned a Doctor of Education degree from Fielding Graduate University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rodriguez is a Democrat.
Juliet Tiffany-Morales, 42, of Campbell, has been appointed to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Tiffany-Morales has been a research analyst at SRI International since 1999. She was a site support director at College Kids from 1996 to 1999. Tiffany-Morales is a member of the American Education Research Association, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Campbell Union School District Governing Board. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Tiffany-Morales is a Democrat.
Michael Bishop, 62, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the Medical Board of California, where he has served since 2011. Bishop has been director of anesthesia for same-day surgery at the University of California, San Diego Hillcrest Medical Center since 2008 and an attending anesthesiologist and clinical professor of anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego since 2006. He was a staff anesthesiologist at the Commonwealth Orthopedics Surgery Centers from 2004 to 2006, at Henrico Doctors Hospital from 2003 to 2004, at Fauquier Hospital from 1993 to 2003, at Smyth County Community Hospital in 1993 and at Fredericksburg Anesthesia Associates from 1992 to 1993. Bishop earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bishop is registered decline-to-state.
Prescott Cole, 63, of Berkeley, has been appointed to the California Professional Fiduciaries Advisory Committee. Cole has been senior staff attorney at the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform since 1995. He was law clerk at Cheasty Davis and Pollack Conservation Partners from 1990 to 1991, advertising sales agent for SF Weekly from 1989 to 1990 and advertising sales coordinator for the California Democratic Party from 1988 to 1989. Cole was a sales manager at Pacific Coast Chemicals Co. from 1987 to 1988 and at Abbot Cole and DeGraf Inc. from 1975 to 1987. He was staff reporter at the Sterling Colorado Journal-Advocate in 1974. Cole earned a Juris Doctorate degree from John F. Kennedy University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cole is a Democrat.
Billie Greer, 75, of Westlake Village, has been appointed to the California Science Center Board of Directors, where she has served since 2010. Greer has been the president of the Southern California Leadership Council since 2011. She served as director of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Los Angeles Office and was a member of his senior staff from 2004 to 2010. Greer was the president and founding principal of Greer Dailey from 1993 to 2003 and was senior vice president of public affairs at Braun Ketchum from 1977 to 1993. She was a teacher with the Long Beach Unified School District from 1959 to 1960. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Greer is a Democrat.
Carol Sartori-Silva, 62, of Merced, has been appointed to the 35th District Agricultural Association, Merced County Fair Board, where she has served since 2010. Sartori-Silva was fiscal and management information supervisor at the Merced County Welfare to Work Department from 1982 to 2001. She was a civil assistant at the Merced County Marshal’s Office from 1979 to 1982. Sartori-Silva is a member of California Women in Agriculture and a charter member of the Friends of the Merced County Fair. She is a member of the Merced County Historical Society and the Western Fairs Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Sartori-Silva is a Republican.
