SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — On Wednesday, Calif. Governor Gavin Newsom announced the following appointments: First, Joseph W. McCullough, 45, of Wilton, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, where he has served as Division Chief since 2019.
McCullough served in several positions at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control from 2001 to 2019, including Deputy Division Chief, Northern Division; Deputy Division Chief, Headquarters; District Administrator, Stockton District Office; and District Administrator, Special Operations Unit. McCullough is a member of the California Peace Officers Association and National Liquor Law Enforcement Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $172,020. McCullough is registered without party preference.
Kathryn Clarkin, 28, of Sacramento, has been appointed Special Advisor to the Directorate at the California Department of Social Services. Clarkin has been Special Assistant to the Governor in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2019. She was a Research Associate for the California Policy Lab at the University of California, Los Angeles from 2017 to 2019 and a Research Assistant at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University from 2016 to 2017. Clarkin served in several positions as an appointee of President Obama at the U.S. Department of Energy from 2014 to 2016, including Special Assistant to the Deputy Secretary, Scheduler to the Deputy Secretary and Special Assistant in Scheduling and Advance. Clarkin earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $93,468. Clarkin is a Democrat.
Torene L.M. Schwab, 54, of Davis, has been reappointed Deputy Director and Chief Counsel at the California Department of Social Services, where she has served in that role since 2015. She held multiple positions at the California Department of Social Services from 2000 to 2015, including Assistant Chief Counsel, Senior Staff Counsel and Staff Counsel. She was an Associate Attorney at McDonough, Holland and Allen from 1995 to 2000 and at Burger and Plavan from 1993 to 1995. Schwab is a member of the American Association of Health and Human Services Attorneys. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $199,368. Schwab is a Democrat.
Debra Thomson, 60, of Sacramento, has been reappointed Deputy Director of the Adult Programs Division at the California Department of Social Services, where she has served in that position since 2016. Thomson held several positions at the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services from 2012 to 2016, including Manager of the Senior and Adult Services Division and Program Manager for In-Home Supportive Services. She was a Staff Services Manager at the California Department of Social Services from 2010 to 2012, where she was a Subject Matter Expert for In-Home Supportive Services from 2008 to 2010. Thomson was Social Worker Supervisor at the Yolo County Department of Employment and Social Services from 2000 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,832. Thomson is a Democrat.
Kilolo Brodie, 48, of Turlock, has been reappointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, where she has served since 2013. Brodie has been a Professor at California State University, Stanislaus since 2010. She held several positions for the Master of Social Work Program at California State University, Stanislaus from 2010 to 2020, including Department Chair, Master of Social Work Program Director and Director of Field Education. She was an Assistant Professor at California State University, East Bay from 2008 to 2010, where she was the Title IV-E Child Welfare Stipend Project Coordinator from 2004 to 2008. Brodie was a Supervised Visitation Program Social Worker at the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative in 2004 and a Lecturer at the Catholic University of America and at Eastern Mennonite University in 2003. She was a Family Group Conference Project Manager at Columbia Heights Shaw Family Support Collaborative from 2001 to 2003 and a Graduate Assistant at Howard University from 2000 to 2001. Brodie served in several positions at the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency Child Protective Services Division from 1998 to 2000, including Emergency Response Intake Worker and Family Reunification Case Worker. Brodie is a member of Nurture in Nature, City of Turlock and Stanislaus State Joint Taskforce on Diversity and Inclusion, California State University, Stanislaus Disability Resource Services Committee, American Leadership Forum and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in social work from the Howard University School of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree from California State University, Stanislaus. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brodie is a Democrat.
Jonathan Nelson, 28, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Nelson has been a Policy Director for the Community Water Center since 2016. He was an Associate for Weideman Group from 2014 to 2016 and a Government Affairs and Special Projects Manager for the California Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists from 2012 to 2014. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Nelson is a Democrat.
Jennifer Schmid, 49, of Benicia, has been appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun. Schmid has served as Lieutenant at the Oakland Fire Department since 2018, where she has held several positions since 1998, including Engineer and Firefighter/Paramedic. She was a Deck Officer for Chevron and BP from 1994 to 1998. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Schmid is registered without party preference.
Karen F. Tynan, 55, of Fairfield, has been appointed to the Board of Pilot Commissioners for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun. Tynan will begin her term in January 2021. She has been Counsel at Ogletree Deakins since 2018. She was Owner at the Law Offices of Karen Tynan from 2009 to 2018. Tynan was an Associate at Walter and Prince from 2008 to 2009. She was Attorney at Jordan, Aqui and Tynan from 2005 to 2009. Tynan was Deck Officer at Chevron USA from 1987 to 1997. She served as Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1987 to 2000. Tynan earned a Juris Doctor degree from Empire College School of Law. She is a member of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Tynan is a Democrat.
