Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a series of new appointments to various positions within state agencies and commissions. Brian Kaplun from San Francisco has been named Deputy Secretary for Policy and Strategic Planning at the Health and Human Services Agency, while Christine Allen of Folsom will serve as Director of the Office of Law Enforcement Support at the same agency. Kaplun and Allen are both Democrats, and neither appointment requires Senate confirmation.
Danté Allen, also a Democrat from Sacramento, is appointed as Deputy Director of the Office of Legislation and Communications at the Department of Rehabilitation. Briannon Fraley of Crescent City takes up the role of Tribal Advisor at the California Public Utility Commission.
Moreover, Jevon Wilkes, Brandon Fernandez, Amy Fairweather, and Jay’Riah Thomas have been appointed to the Behavioral Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission. Wilkes is the current Executive Director of the California Coalition for Youth. Fernandez is CEO at CRI-Help Inc., while Fairweather serves as Director of Policy for Swords to Plowshares. Thomas is a principal at a public charter school.
These appointments, all filled by Democrats, do not require Senate confirmation, and only Kaplun, Allen, Danté Allen, and Fraley will receive compensation. The others will serve without compensation.
