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

Amy Tong, 42, of Elk Grove, has been appointed director of the California Department of Technology, where she has served as acting director since 2016. Tong was chief deputy director at the Office of Systems Integration and agency chief information officer at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2014 to 2016, deputy director and chief information officer at the California Lottery from 2012 to 2014 and chief technology officer at the State Board of Equalization from 2011 to 2012. She served as chief of the California Public Employees’ Retirement Pension System Data Center from 2008 to 2011 and acting chief information officer at the State Water Resources Control Board from 1994 to 2008. Tong earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,545. Tong is registered without party preference.

Sonia Huestis, 42, of Courtland, has been appointed assistant chief deputy director at the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Huestis has served as deputy appointments secretary in the Office of the Governor since 2012. She served in several positions at the California State Controller's Office from 2000 to 2012, including section chief for the Operations Support Section, staff services manager II for the unclaimed property system replacement project, staff services manager I in the Reporting Services Unit and staff services analyst. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $111,948. Huestis is a Democrat.

Zachary Townsend, 30, of San Francisco, has been appointed chief data officer at the California Government Operations Agency. Townsend has been product management lead at Gusto since 2016. He was director of product and channel management at Silicon Valley Bank from 2015 to 2016, co-founder and head of product at Standard Treasury from 2013 to 2015 and an affiliate at the Harvard University Berkman Center for Internet and Society from 2013 to 2014. Townsend was senior technology policy advisor in the Newark, New Jersey Mayor’s Office in 2012, a research affiliate at New York University's Center for the Promotion of Research Involving Innovative Statistical Methodology from 2011 to 2012 and senior associate at Bennett Midland LLC from 2009 to 2012. He is a member of the Bayes Impact Board of Directors. Townsend earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the New York University School of Public Service. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $130,008. Townsend is a Democrat.

Josephine Gastelo, 48, of Atascadero, has been appointed warden at the California Men’s Colony, where she has been acting warden since 2015 and has served in several positions since 2007, including chief deputy warden, associate warden and correctional business manager. She held several positions at Pleasant Valley State Prison from 1994 to 2007, including staff services manager, associate governmental program analyst and staff services analyst. She was a staff services analyst at North Kern State Prison from 1993 to 1994 and held several positions at California State Prison, Corcoran from 1988 to 1993, including personnel specialist and office assistant. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $145,440. Gastelo is a Democrat. 

Anthony Lucero, 50, of Herald, has been appointed director of the Division of Juvenile Justice at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served as deputy director of operations and programs since 2012 and was assistant chief of labor from 2011 to 2012. Lucero was youth authority administrator at the Preston Youth Correctional Facility from 2010 to 2011, where he was a major from 2006 to 2009. He was youth authority administrator at O.H. Close Youth Correctional Facility from 2009 to 2010, where he was treatment team supervisor from 2000 to 2006. Lucero was a lieutenant at the DeWitt Nelson Youth Correctional Facility from 1998 to 2000, senior youth correctional counselor at the N.A. Chaderjian Youth Correctional Facility from 1997 to 1998 and served in several positions at the Karl Holton Youth Correctional Facility from 1992 to 1997, including sergeant and youth correctional counselor. He held several positions at the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility from 1988 to 1992, including youth correctional counselor and youth correctional officer. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $160,680. Lucero is registered without party preference.

Lande Ajose, 49, of Oakland, has been appointed to the Committee on Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. Ajose has been senior vice president at the Opportunity Institute since 2015 and deputy director of the California Competes Tax Credit Program at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development since 2011. She was managing director at Informing Change from 2006 to 2011, a research associate at the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation from 2005 to 2007 and senior program officer at the James Irvine Foundation from 2001 to 2005. Ajose was a project manager at the Evaluation and Training Institute from 1991 to 1993, a program associate at Philanthropy New York from 1990 to 1991 and an admissions officer at Vassar College from 1987 to 1989. She is vice chair of the California Student Aid Commission. Ajose earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in urban and regional studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Arts degree in urban planning from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Affairs. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ajose is a Democrat.

Samuel Bersola, 50, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Committee on Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. Bersola has served as assistant vice provost for graduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles since 2008. He was executive director and chief operations officer at the University of California, Santa Cruz from 2005 to 2008, vice president of student services and dean of student support services at Mission College from 2001 to 2005 and a graduate student researcher at Stanford University from 1997 to 2001. Bersola was assistant dean of admission at Amherst College from 1995 to 1997, interim director of college counseling and a math teacher at Marin Academy from 1994 to 1995 and director of the California State University, Maritime Academy’s Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement and minority engineering programs from 1991 to 1994. Bersola was assistant director of undergraduate admissions at the University of Southern California from 1990 to 1991. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in education administration and policy analysis from Stanford University and a Master of Education degree in education administration, planning and social policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bersola is a Democrat.

Cecilia Estolano, 50, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the Committee on Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. Estolano has been co-founder at Estolano, LeSar, Perez Advisors since 2011 and a lecturer at the University of California, Los Angeles since 2009. She was chief strategist for state and local initiatives at Green for All from 2009 to 2011, chief executive officer at the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles from 2006 to 2009 and counsel at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP from 2005 to 2006. She was assistant city attorney in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2005, senior policy advisor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 1993 to 1995 and a member of the California Coastal Commission from 1999 to 2002. Estolano earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in urban planning from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Affairs. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Estolano is a Democrat.

Mitchell Stevens, 50, of Stanford, has been appointed to the Committee on Awards for Innovation in Higher Education. Stevens has been an associate professor at Stanford University since 2009. He was an associate professor at New York University from 2003 to 2008 and at Hamilton College from 1995 to 2003. Stevens earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in sociology from Northwestern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Stevens is a Democrat.

Guy Burnett, 59, of Apple Valley, has been appointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2006. He has been owner at Guy Burnett State Farm Insurance since 2001. Burnett was senior structural estimator of claims at State Farm Insurance from 1998 to 2001, a supervisor at Yellow Freight System Inc. from 1991 to 1998 and a partner at Precision Builders from 1987 to 1991. He is a member of the Personal Insurance Federation of California and the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Burnett is a Republican.

Lisa Hogue, 47, of Hesperia, has been appointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 2010. Hogue has been secretary at A-Tech Transmission since 1999. She served as a reserve police officer at the Arcadia Police Department from 2006 to 2012 and was a sales associate at the Hesperia Feed Bin from 1996 to 1997 and at Hesperia Veterinary Supply Inc. from 1995 to 1996. Hogue is a member of Equestrian Trails Inc. and the Equestrian Council of Hesperia. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hogue is a Republican.

Patrick Kahler, 50, of Highland, has been reappointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Kahler has been a teacher at San Gorgonio High School since 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kahler is a Democrat.

Charles Leming, 47, of Apple Valley, has been reappointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors, where he has served since 2012. Leming has served as a staff analyst at the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health since 2011. He was a contracts and compliance officer for the County of San Bernardino from 2008 to 2011, where he was an administrative analyst from 2007 to 2008. Leming was a commercial real estate advisor at Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate from 2006 to 2007 and senior management analyst for the City of Pomona from 1998 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Leming is a Republican.

Rebecca Otwell, 72, of Hesperia, has been appointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors, where she has served since 1992. Otwell has been owner at Shear Realty since 1995. She was executive director at the Hesperia Chamber of Commerce from 1994 to 1996 and owner at Prudential-Stanford Realty from 1988 to 1994. Otwell is president of San Bernardino County Fair Foundation and a member of the California Association of Realtors, San Bernardino County Museum Advisory Commission and High Desert Republican Women Federated. She is past president of the High Desert Association of Realtors. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Otwell is a Republican.

Joseph Zuccaro, 56, of Victorville, has been appointed to the 28th District Agricultural Association, San Bernardino County Fair Board of Directors. Zuccaro has served as a fire prevention supervisor at the San Bernardino County Fire Department since 2009. He was a deputy fire marshal at the Victorville Fire Department from 1980 to 2009. Zuccaro is a member of the High Desert Rotary Club. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Zuccaro is a Republican.