SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments: First, Margaret Abe-Koga, 42, of Mountain View, has been appointed to the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board. Abe-Koga has served as a councilmember for the city of Mountain View since 2007. She has been corporate and foundation relations manager for Asian Americans for Community Involvement in San Jose since 2012 and was a self-employed consultant from 2005 until 2012.
Abe-Koga was co-owner of Bodies on Bikes LLC from 2000 to 2002, associate director for the Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute at De Anza College from 1999 to 2001, and staff assistant to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo from 1993 to 1999. She was vice chair and later chair of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority and a member of the Housing Trust of Santa Clara County. This position requires Senate confirmation and members receive $100 per diem. Abe-Koga is a Democrat.
William Kissinger, 51, of Mill Valley, has been appointed to the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board. Kissinger has been a partner at Bingham McCutchen since 2003 and was an associate and then a partner at the legacy McCutchen Doyle Brown and Enersen firm from 1989 to 1997. He was senior deputy legal affairs secretary at the Office of Governor Gray Davis from 2001 to 2003. Kissinger served as senior advisor for international economic policy for the National Economic Council at the White House from 2000 to 2001 and was special assistant to the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State from 1997 to 2000. He was staff attorney for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals from 1987 to 1988. Kissinger earned a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and members receive $100 per diem. Kissinger is a Democrat.
William “Bill” Nack, 65, of Menlo Park, has been appointed to the 1a District Agricultural Association, Grand National Rodeo (Cow Palace) Fair Board. Nack has been business manager at the Building and Construction Trades Council of San Mateo County since 1999. He was assistant business manager at the Building and Construction Trades Council of Santa Clara County from 1989 to 1999 and apprentice and air craft mechanic at United Airlines from 1966 to 1987. He served on the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County from 2002 to 2012, San Mateo Community College District Bond Oversight Committee from 2002 to 2010, San Mateo County Fair Board from 2005 to 2007 and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission from 2001 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Nack is a Democrat.
Isabel Barreras, 46, of Madera, has been appointed to the 21a District Agricultural Association, Madera District Fair Board, where she has served since 2003. Barreras has held multiple positions at the Madera Unified School District since 1988, including administrative assistant and outreach consultant. She serves as president of the California Community College Trustee Association and as a trustee of the State Center Community College District. Barreras is a member of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Barreras is a Democrat.
Rosanne Bonilla, 54, of Madera, has been appointed to the 21a District Agricultural Association, Madera District Fair Board. Bonilla has been a real estate broker and office manager with Nora and Associates Realty since 1994. She is a member of the Madera Association of Realtors and Latinas Unidas. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bonilla is a Democrat.
Billie Jelks-Hood, 69, of Madera, has been appointed to the 21a District Agricultural Association, Madera District Fair Board. Jelks-Hood was a financial program control analyst at FMC Corporation from 1985 to 2008. She is a member of the Black Women Organized for Political Action, National Women’s Political Caucus, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Madera Democratic Club and Fresno Masters Gardeners. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Jelks-Hood is a Democrat.
Andrew Meredith, 32, of Flournoy, has been appointed to the 30th District Agricultural Association, Tehama District Fair Board. Meredith has been assistant business manager at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 340 since 2001 and owner of Meredith Spotted Sheep Ranch since 2011. He held multiple positions at the City of Galt from 2006 to 2010, including mayor, vice mayor and city councilmember. Meredith serves as president of the North Eastern California Building and Construction Trades Council and is an elected member of the Flournoy Union Elementary School District Board. He is a member of the Jacob Sheep Breeders Association. This position does not require Senate Confirmation and there is no compensation. Meredith is a Democrat.
Victor Almager, 54, Camarillo, has been appointed superintendent of the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served since 2011. Almager has served in multiple positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 1997, including warden at Centinela State Prison, correctional administrator and captain at Deuel Vocational Institution and senior specialist agent at the Office of Investigative Services. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $127,452. Almager is a Republican.
Ronald Rackley, 46, of Elk Grove, has been appointed warden of the Deuel Vocational Institution at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served as chief deputy administrator since 2009. Rackley has served in multiple positions at the Deuel Vocational Institution since 1987, including chief deputy administrator, correctional administrator, facility captain, correctional captain and correctional lieutenant. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,668. Rackley is a Republican.
Ann C. Chan, 40, of San Francisco, has been appointed deputy secretary for climate change and energy at the California Natural Resources Agency. Chan was senior climate change specialist at the Wilderness Society from 2011 to 2012. She was director of the California program at the Center for Clean Air Policy from 2008 to 2011, assistant regional counsel at the United States Environmental Protection Agency from 2001 to 2006 and corporate associate at O’Melveny and Myers LLP from 1997 to 1999. Chan has been a member of the board of directors of Carpe Diem West since 2010. She earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $114,996. Chan is registered decline-to-state.
