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Category: California News

Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:

Matt Chesnut, 43, of Palo Cedro, has been appointed to the State Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Intervention. Chesnut has been executive director and chief executive officer at Parent Infant Programs since 2005. He was a behavior analyst at the Yolo County Office of Education from 2003 to 2005. Chesnut was executive director at Applied Behavior Consultants Schools from 2001 to 2003, where he was a teacher from 1999 to 2001. He is a member of Zero to Three and the Infant Development Association of California. Chesnut earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Science degree in special education from National University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chesnut is registered without party preference.

Ted I. Benito, 51, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Volunteers Commission, where he has served since 2014. Benito has been executive director at the Apl.de.ap Foundation International since 2012, a senior paralegal at Nantworks LLC since 2007 and founder and principal partner at Pastiche Alchemy Entertainment LLC since 2003. Benito was a paralegal at Sheppard Mullin Richter and Hampton LLC from 1991 to 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Benito is a Democrat.

Jill Bolton, 56, of Huntington Beach, has been reappointed to the California Volunteers Commission, where she has served since 2015. Bolton has been director of corporate citizenship at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim since 2000, where she was manager for community relations and education programs from 1997 to 2000 and manager of Disney educational programs from 1994 to 1997. She was a school psychologist for the Huntington Beach City School District from 1987 to 1994. Bolton is a member of the Orange County Funders Roundtable, Festival of Children Foundation, Assistance League of Anaheim and the Anaheim Family Young Men’s Christian Association Board of Directors. She earned a Master of Science degree in counseling from California State University, Long Beach. This positon does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bolton is a Republican.

Clara Chiu, 53, of Alhambra, has been reappointed to the California Volunteers Commission, where she has served since 2014. Chiu has been a development officer at the American Association of Retired Persons Foundation since 2017. She held several positions at Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Los Angeles from 2012 to 2017, including development officer, executive assistant to the president and executive director. Chiu was a development director at the Asian Pacific Community Fund from 2009 to 2012. She was an Advancing Justice Conference coordinator at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center in 2009 and a senior community benefit specialist for Kaiser Permanente from 2008 to 2009. Chiu was a senior director of operations and programming at the Organization of Chinese Americans, Greater Los Angeles Chapter from 2002 to 2008 and an account executive at Coach Inc. from 1998 to 2001. She is a member of the Great Leap Inc. Board of Directors. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chiu is a Democrat.

Yvette Radford, 55, of Richmond, has been reappointed to the California Volunteers Commission, where she has served since 2014. Radford has held several positions at the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals since 1995, including vice president of external and community affairs and public affairs director. She was a legislative aide in the Office of California State Assemblymember Tom Bates from 1983 to 1995. Radford is a member of the San Francisco Museum of the African Diaspora Board of Directors, San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association Board of Directors and the National Medical Fellowships Inc. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Radford is a Democrat.

John E. Peters, Jr., 43, of Santa Maria, has been appointed to the State 9-1-1 Advisory Board. Peters has been chief of police at the Grover Beach Police Department since 2015, where he has held several positions since 2006, including commander, sergeant and police officer. He was police officer and field training officer at the King City Police Department from 2003 to 2006 and a police officer and dispatcher at the Fort Hunter Liggett Police Department from 2001 to 2003. Peters served in several positions at the Dodge City Police Department from 1997 to 2001, including police officer, detective and field training officer. He was police sergeant at the Maize Unified School District 266 Police Department in 1997 and a sergeant at the Garden Plain Police Department from 1995 to 1997. Peters was a police officer at the Quincy Auxiliary Police Department from 1994 to 1995. He is a member of the 5 Cities Homeless Coalition, International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Rifle Association, City of Santa Maria Measure U2012 Citizens’ Oversight Committee, California Police Chiefs Association, Rotary Club of Grover Beach and the California Peace Officers’ Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Peters is an American Independent.

Chris Darway, 60, of Arroyo Grande, has been reappointed to the 16th District Agricultural Association, California Mid-State Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2005. Darway has been owner of Darways Farm Inc., since 2012. He was a partner at Darway Bros. Farming from 1973 to 2012. He is chairman of the San Luis Obispo Farm Supply Company Board of Directors and a member of the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and the California Rare Fruit Growers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Darway is a Republican.

Dee Lacey, 74, of Paso Robles, has been reappointed to the 16th District Agricultural Association, California Mid-State Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2001. Lacey has been co-owner at Lacey Livestock since 1963. She is a member of the Heritage Oaks Bank Board of Directors, Cuesta College Foundation Board of Directors and the San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lacey is a Democrat.