Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Tamma Adamek, 53, of Sacramento, has been appointed as assistant director of media and external relations for the Complete Count Census. Adamek has been deputy director of communications at the Financial Information System for California since 2016. She was an internal communications manager at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2015 to 2016 and supervising public information officer at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control from 2012 to 2015. Adamek was a features editor at the Sacramento Bee from 2009 to 2012, where she was an assistant metro editor from 2005 to 2009. She was assistant city editor at the Fresno Bee from 2003 to 2005 and a city editor at the Stockton Record from 1999 to 2003, where she was a reporter from 1994 to 1999. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $140,004. Adamek is a Democrat.
Alexis Zaragoza, 20, of Patterson, has been appointed to the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Zaragoza has been a student at Modesto Junior College since 2016, where she has held several positions for the Associated Students of Modesto Junior College since 2016, including director of political development, director of student relations, senator of community relations and vice president. She was a field organizer for Josh Harder’s congressional campaign in 2018. Zaragoza is a member of the Modesto Junior College Freedom Forum, Modesto Junior College Honors Program and the Patterson Progressive Alliance. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Zaragoza is registered without party preference.
Juan F. Garcia, 19, of Rancho Cucamonga, has been appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees. Garcia has been a student at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona since 2016, where he has been legislative affairs secretary of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Associated Students Inc. since 2017. He has been an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) tutor for the Pomona Unified School District since 2017. Garcia was a legal intern and Spanish translator at Tsang and Associates, a canvasser at Amnesty International USA and an intern for Gavin Newsom’s gubernatorial campaign in 2017. He is a member of the Kellogg Honors College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Garcia is registered without party preference.
Maria F. Manjarrez, 19, of San Gabriel, has been appointed to the California Student Aid Commission. Manjarrez has been a student at the University of Southern California since 2017. She was an advocate for the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and a researcher for homelessness policy at Skid Row Housing Trust in 2017. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is a $100 per diem. Manjarrez is a Democrat.
Benjamin A. Aviles, 34, of Lancaster, has been appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council. Aviles has been an associate at Revolution Financial Management since 2017 and a financial professional at World Financial Group Inc. since 2014. He was a receptionist at the Glendale Community College High Tech Center from 2007 to 2008 and an associate at Pre-Paid Legal Inc. in 2006. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Aviles is a Democrat.
Theresa A. Comstock, 51, of Napa, has been appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council. Comstock was an associate at Complex Property Tax Specialists from 2009 to 2016. She was an office manager at Hope Episcopal Church and at St. Michael’s Day School from 2007 to 2008. Comstock was an office manager at Performance Packaging from 1996 to 1998 and a sales representative at Nikon Inc. from 1994 to 1995. She was software applications manager at Focused Imaging Technologies Inc. from 1992 to 1994. Comstock is president of the California Association of Local Behavioral Health Boards and Commissions and a member of the Napa County Mental Health Board. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Comstock is registered without party preference.
Jia Nia Zhang, 45, of Hacienda Heights, has been appointed to the State Rehabilitation Council. Zhang has been director of supported employment at AbilityFirst since 2011, where he was manager from 2008 to 2010. He held several positions at Chinatown Service Center from 2001 to 2007, including program director, assistant program director, guidance counselor, case manager and outreach and eligibility worker. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Zhang is not registered to vote.
