SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On Thursday, Calif. Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the following appointments: First, Victoria Benson, 62, of Fresno, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2014. Benson has been adult transition project coordinator at the Exceptional Parents Unlimited Region 3 Parent Training and Information Center since 2005, where she has held several positions since 1992, including special education advocate, training coordinator, family specialist, assistant program manager, director of the Central Valley Inclusion Network and lead trainer.
She is a member of the Fresno City College Advisory Board for Disabled Student Services, California Services for Technical Assistance and Training’s Regional Coordinating Council for Special Education and the Fresno County Office of Education’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Panel. Benson is chair and founder of the Community Adult Transition Task Force. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Benson is registered without party preference.
Lesley Ann Gibbons, 46, of Santa Rosa, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2014. Gibbons has been co-owner and director at Sterling Adaptives since 2007. She was an administrator at Access Ingenuity from 2002 to 2007, an executive assistant at Beta Breakers Inc. from 2001 to 2002 and an office manager at Alpha Vision from 1999 to 2001. Gibbons was an assistant to the director at the Cornwall Rural Community Council from 1996 to 1999, clinic administrator at Berks Physiotherapy Centre from 1992 to 1996 and sales office manager at Data Translation from 1989 to 1992. Gibbons is a member of the EmploymentLINK California Corporation Board. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gibbons is registered without party preference.
Jacqueline Jackson, 60, of San Diego, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2014. Jackson has been an independent nonprofit management consultant since 1994. She was development director and a consultant at the San Diego Center for the Blind from 2002 to 2004 and director for charter school development at Norman and Norman Inc. from 1996 to 2005. Jackson was an education consultant at the School Futures Research Foundation from 1994 to 1996 and director of education, health and family support services at the Urban League San Diego from 1988 to 1994. She is a member of the San Diego County Committee for Persons with Disabilities, San Diego County Disability Issues Committee, American Council of the Blind, San Diego County Voter Accessibility Committee, Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program’s Equipment Program Advisory Committee, San Diego Braille Club, San Diego Delta Foundation Inc. and the California Council of the Blind. Jackson earned a Master of Arts degree in nonprofit leadership and management from the University of San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Jackson is a Democrat.
Abby Snay, 65, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where she has served since 2015. Snay has been chief executive officer at Jewish Vocational Services of San Francisco since 1984, where she has held several positions since 1975, including executive director, assistant director, supervisor and counselor. She is chair of the National Skills Coalition Board of Directors and a member of the California Workforce Investment Board and the California Health Workforce Development Council. Snay earned a Master of Arts degree in education from Washington University in St. Louis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Snay is a Democrat.
Joe Xavier, 57, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where he has served since 2014. Xavier has been director at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 2014, where he has held several positions since 1998, including deputy director of the Specialized Services Division and of the Independent Living and External Affairs Division. He was owner and operator at Snack N Things from 1996 to 1998, at Skyline Food Services from 1986 to 1996 and at the Gold Star Café from 1984 to 1986. Xavier is a member of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Association of California State Employees with Disabilities. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Xavier is registered without party preference.
