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

Michelle Baass, 42, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy secretary of the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs at the California Health and Human Services Agency. Baass has been deputy director at the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review since 2016, where she was principal consultant from 2012 to 2016. She was deputy director at the California State Senate Office of Research from 2011 to 2012, where she was principal consultant from 2008 to 2011. Baass was a senior fiscal and policy analyst at the California Legislative Analyst’s Office from 2004 to 2008. She was a manager and consultant for Accenture from 1996 to 2004. Baass earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $155,004. Baass is a Democrat.

Reneeta Anthony, 57, of Fresno, has been reappointed to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, where she has served since 2016. Anthony has been executive director at A3 Concepts LLC since 2013. She was principal staff analyst at the Fresno County Department of Social Services from 2005 to 2012, at the Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health from 2004 to 2005 and at the Fresno County Human Services System from 2001 to 2004. Anthony was principal staff analyst at the Fresno County Department of Children and Family Services from 2000 to 2001, where she was senior staff analyst from 1999 to 2000. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Anthony is a Democrat.

Lynne Ayers Ashbeck, 62, of Clovis, has been reappointed to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, where she has served since 2016. Ashbeck has been vice president at Community Medical Centers since 2015. She was regional vice president at the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California from 2006 to 2015 and director of global and continuing education at California State University, Fresno from 2003 to 2006. Ashbeck was director of education at the Valley Children’s Hospital from 1997 to 2003 and vice president of program services at the Dairy Council of California from 1978 to 1997. She is a member of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley Board of Directors and the Maddy Institute Board of Directors. Ashbeck is a registered dietitian and earned a Master of Arts degree in peacemaking and conflict resolution from Fresno Pacific University and a Master of Science degree in nutrition from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ashbeck is a Republican.

David Gordon, 70, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission, where he has served since 2013. Gordon has been superintendent at the Sacramento County Office of Education since 2004. He was superintendent at the Elk Grove Unified School District from 1995 to 2004, where he was assistant superintendent for elementary education from 1991 to 1995. Gordon was deputy superintendent at the California Department of Education from 1985 to 1991, where he was an associate superintendent from 1983 to 1985. He is a member of the Association of California School Administrators. Gordon earned a Master of Education degree from Harvard University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gordon is a Democrat.

Paula LaBrie, 57, of Elk Grove, has been appointed to the California Gambling Control Commission. LaBrie has been chief deputy director at the California State Lottery since 2015, where she was acting director from 2013 to 2015 and chief deputy director from 2012 to 2013. She was legislative counsel at the American Automobile Association Club of Northern California, Nevada and Utah from 1997 to 2011. LaBrie was an attorney at MacMorris and Carbone from 1993 to 1997 and at Carroll, Burdick and McDonough from 1990 to 1993. She was an account administrator at IBM from 1983 to 1987.  LaBrie earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Master of Laws degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,095. LaBrie is a Democrat.

R. Michael Paravagna, 64, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2013. Paravagna has been an independent contractor at California State University, Sacramento since 2016 and a part-time senior program access specialist at Sally Swanson Architects Inc. since 2005. He was manager of the Build Los Angeles Community College District Americans with Disabilities Act Project from 2009 to 2011 and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the City of Sacramento from 2007 to 2009. Paravagna held multiple positions at the California Department of Rehabilitation from 1975 to 2007, including chief of the Disability Access Division, assistant chief for community resources development and program administrator for the vocational rehabilitation and work activity program. He is a member of the National Association of ADA Coordinators Board of Directors. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Paravagna is a Democrat.

Douglas Wiele, 63, of Latrobe, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2013. Wiele has been founding partner and president at Foothill Partners Inc. since 1994. He held multiple positions at Whitney Development Company from 1986 to 1994, including managing partner, general partner and director of acquisition. Wiele was a real estate broker and leasing agent at McMasters and Westland Commercial Real Estate from 1977 to 1985. He is vice chair of the California Business Properties Association and a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Wiele is registered without party preference.

John “Daniel” Burch, 50, of Turlock, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Emergency Medical Services, where he has served since 2013. Burch has been administrator at the San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency since 2005. He was a coordinator at the Tuolumne County Emergency Medical Services Agency from 1997 to 2005 and a quality improvement coordinator at the Alpine, Mother Lode, San Joaquin Emergency Medical Services Agency from 1991 to 1997. Burch served as a hospital corpsman 3rd class in the U.S. Navy from 1984 to 1986. He is a member of the Emergency Medical Services Administrators’ Association of California and the American Legion Post 108. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Burch is a Republican.

Cinthia Flores, 29, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the California Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees, where she has served since 2015. Flores has been a senior public administration analyst at the University of California, Los Angeles Labor Center since 2015. She was an associate attorney at Holguin, Garfield, Martinez and Quinonez from 2014 to 2015. Flores is chair of the Latinas Lead California Young Professionals Network and a member of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association Board of Directors. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Irvine School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Flores is a Democrat.

Nikan Khatibi, 34, of Laguna Niguel, has been reappointed to the California Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees, where he has served since 2016. Khatibi has been a pain and addiction medicine physician at the Riverside Medical Clinic since 2015. He held multiple positions at Loma Linda University Medical Center from 2009 to 2015, including physician anesthesiologist, neuroanesthesia researcher and pain medicine physician. Khatibi is a member of the California Medical Association, American Medical Association, Drug Use Is Life Abuse, CalOptima, Illumination Foundation, World Affairs Council of Orange County, American Heart Association and the Osteopathic Physician and Surgeons of California. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Khatibi is a Republican.

Andrea Vergne, 56, of Arroyo Grande, has been appointed to the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Vergne was a produce manager and buyer at Cookie Crock Warehouse from 2008 to 2016 and a property manager at ConAm Management Corporation from 1997 to 2000. She was an assistant and property manager for former National Hockey League player Joe Noris from 1995 to 1997. Vergne was a research assistant at the Law Office of James E. Lund from 1992 to 1987 and an assistant to the dean of development at the California Western School of Law from 1992 to 1995. She was a produce manager at Windmill Farms from 1982 to 1995 and at Pay-Low Supermarket from 1975 to 1995. Vergne is a member of the Children’s Resource Network of the Central Coast Advisory Board and the San Luis Obispo County Special Education Local Plan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Vergne is a Democrat.

Alan Carnell Henderson, 72, of San Luis Obispo, has been reappointed to the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee, where he has served since 2001. Henderson was a professor and chairman at National University of Health and Human Services from 2008 to 2010. He held multiple positions at the Department of Health Science at the California State University, Long Beach from 1987 to 2006 and 1973 to 1976, including professor, chairman, graduate advisor and lecturer. Henderson was an associate professor and chairman at the Saint Louis University School of Public Health from 1981 to 1987 and a project director at the National Center for Health Education from 1978 to 1981. He was an assistant professor for the Department of Health Education at Southern Illinois University from 1976 to 1978 and a part-time lecturer at Santa Monica College from 1973 to 1975. Henderson was a sales representative at Xerox Corporation from 1968 to 1971 and a management trainee at United California Bank from 1966 to 1968. He is a member of the American Cancer Society and the American Public Health Association. Henderson earned a Doctor of Public Health degree in health education and health services administration and a Master of Science degree in public health education from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Henderson is a Democrat.

Claradina Soto, 42, of Whittier, has been reappointed to the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee, where she has served since 2015. Soto has been an assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California since 2015. She held several positions at the University of Southern California's Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research from 2003 to 2014, including research associate, project manager and research assistant. Soto was a health education specialist at the California Rural Indian Board Inc. from 2001 to 2003 and an assistant health educator for the Childhood Illness and Injury Prevention Program at the Sacramento Department of Health in 2001. She was a case manager at the Southern California Indian Center from 1997 to 2000 and a research fellow at the Lovelace Institute in 1996. Soto is a member of the American Public Health Association, Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco and the Phoenix Equity Group. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in preventative medicine and a Master of Public Health degree in epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Soto is a Democrat.

Mark D. Starr, 60, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee, where he has served since 2015. Starr has been deputy director for environmental health at the California Department of Public Health since 2012 and an adjunct professor at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine since 2004. He was director of community health, clinics and animal services at the Placer County Health and Human Services Department from 2007 to 2012. Starr served in several positions at the California Department of Health Services, Division of Communicable Disease Control from 1995 to 2007, including division chief and state public health veterinarian. He was a lecturer at California State University, Sacramento from 1996 to 1999. Starr was chief epidemiologist at the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services from 1990 to 1995 and a clinical veterinarian at the Sunrise-Cirby Veterinary Clinic and the Fair Oaks Boulevard Veterinary Hospital from 1986 to 1990. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and a Master of Preventative Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Starr is a Democrat.

Mary Alba, 63, of Porterville, has been reappointed to the Porterville Developmental Center Advisory Board, where she has served since 2016. Alba served in several positions at the Porterville Developmental Center from 1982 to 2012, including clinical director, program director, nursing coordinator and supervising registered nurse. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Alba is a Democrat.