Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Karen Smith, 58, of Napa, has been appointed director of the California Department of Public Health. Smith has been medical staff for infectious disease at Queen of the Valley Medical Center since 2012, has served as public health officer and deputy director at the Napa County Health and Human Services Agency since 2004 and has been a faculty consultant at the Francis J. Curry International Tuberculosis Center since 1997. She served as clinical faculty at the Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center Division of Infectious Diseases from 2001 to 2004 and from 1997 to 2000. Smith served as assistant section chief at the California Department of Health Services Tuberculosis Control Branch from 2000 to 2001 and held several positions at the Stanford University School of Medicine from 1992 to 2004, including resident, fellow and course director. Smith is a liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response Board of Scientific Counselors, president-elect of the California Conference of Local Health Officers and a member of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, American Public Health Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Napa County Medical Society. She earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $233,233.20. Smith is registered without party preference.
Michael Powers, 52, of Ventura, has been appointed to the California In-Home Supportive Services Authority. Powers has been the County of Ventura executive officer since 2011, where he has served in several positions since 1992, including director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency, hospital administrator, compliance officer and assistant county counsel. He was an associate at Nordman, Cormany, Hair and Compton from 1989 to 1992. Powers was chair of the United Way of Ventura County from 2009 to 2010 and is a member of the American Red Cross, Ventura County President’s Council and the Arc Foundation of Ventura County Board of Directors. Powers earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Powers is registered without party preference.
David Twa, 71, of Concord, has been appointed to the California In-Home Supportive Services Authority. Twa has served as the Contra Costa County administrator since 2008. He served as the manager of Ramsey County, Minnesota from 2003 to 2008 and served as the administrator of St. Louis County, Minnesota from 1999 to 2003 and of Blue Earth County, Minnesota from 1987 to 1999, where he was county attorney from 1982 to 1987. He served as an adjunct professor at Minnesota State University from 1985 to 1999. Twa is a member of the California State Controller’s Advisory Committee on County Accounting Procedures and was president of the County Administrative Officers Association of California from 2013 to 2014. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Twa is registered without party preference.
Todd Trotter, 50, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Veterans Board. He has been national senior director at Kaiser Permanente since 2013, where he has held several positions since 2002, including human resources leader, Northern California director of labor relations and human resource business partner. Trotter served as a letter carrier and labor relations representative at the U.S. Postal Service from 1992 to 2002 and served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 1991. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Trotter is a Democrat.
