Sacramento, California - Governor Gavin Newsom Monday announced the following appointments:
Val Dolcini, 56, of Sacramento, has been appointed director at the Department of Pesticide Regulation, where he has served as acting director since June 2019. Dolcini has been deputy secretary for agriculture at the California Environmental Protection Agency since 2019. He was president and chief executive officer at Pollinator Partnership from 2017 to 2019. He was administrator for the Farm Service Agency at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2014 to 2017, and state executive director for California for the Farm Service Agency from 2009 to 2014. Dolcini was a senior manager at Accenture LLC from 2004 to 2009, director of policy in the Office of Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante from 2003 to 2004 and deputy legislative secretary in the Office of Governor Gray Davis from 2001 to 2002. He held several positions in the Office of Congressman Vic Fazio from 1995 to 1999, including legislative assistant and district chief of staff, and was legislative assistant in the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi from 1994 to 1995. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Golden Gate University School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $177,516. Dolcini is a Democrat.
Jesse Cuevas, 32, of Sacramento, has been appointed chief deputy director at the Department of Pesticide Regulation, where he has been assistant director in the Pesticide Programs Division since 2017. He was director of legislation and policy at the Department of Pesticide Regulation from 2015 to 2017 and legislative director in the Office of California State Assemblymember Henry T. Perea from 2010 to 2015. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $179,868. Cuevas is a Democrat.
Raybon Johnson, 53, of Tehachapi, has been appointed warden of California State Prison, Lancaster, where he has been acting warden since 2018 and was chief deputy warden from 2017 to 2018. He served in multiple positions at the California City Correctional Facility from 2013 to 2017, including associate warden, correctional administrator and correctional captain. He held multiple positions at California Correctional Institution, Tehachapi from 1993 to 2013, including lieutenant, sergeant and correctional officer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $162,024. Johnson is a Democrat.
Jared Lozano, 44, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed warden of California Medical Facility, Vacaville, where he has been acting warden since 2018. Lozano was chief deputy warden at Folsom State Prison from 2015 to 2018 and a correctional administrator at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Headquarters in 2015 and from 2012 to 2013. Lozano was acting chief deputy warden at California Health Care Facility, Stockton from 2013 to 2015 and acting correctional administrator and facility captain at Deuel Vocational Institution from 2014 to 2015 and from 2008 to 2012. He was a lieutenant and captain at California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Headquarters from 2006 to 2008, a lieutenant at California State Prison, Solano from 2004 to 2006, a sergeant at Deuel Vocational Institution from 2000 to 2004 and a correctional officer at California State Prison, Solano from 1997 to 2000. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $162,024. Lozano is a Republican.
Marion Spearman, 56, of Janesville, has been appointed associate director of general population male facilities in the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Spearman has been warden of High Desert State Prison since 2016. He was warden at Correctional Training Facility, Soledad from 2012 to 2016, where he was chief deputy warden from 2011 to 2012. Spearman held multiple positions at Pleasant Valley State Prison from 1994 to 2011, including associate warden, correctional administrator, facility captain, lieutenant and sergeant. He was a correctional officer at Mule Creek State Prison from 1987 to1994. Spearman earned a Master of Science degree in criminology from California State University, Fresno. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Spearman is registered without party preference.
Tammatha Foss, 50, of Soledad, has been appointed associate director of reception centers in the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She has been acting warden at Salinas Valley State Prison since 2018, where she was chief deputy warden in 2018. Foss was chief deputy warden at High Desert State Prison from 2016 to 2018. She was a chief in the Program Support Unit at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Headquarters from 2014 to 2016 and correctional administrator in the Division of Adult Institutions from 2013 to 2014. Foss was a business manager and community resource manager at San Quentin State Prison from 2009 to 2013. She served in multiple positions at Pelican Bay State Prison, including procurement officer, budget analyst and correctional officer from 1996 to 2009. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Foss is registered without party preference.
