Governor Newsom appoints leaders to state rail authority, privacy agency boards

Governor Gavin Newsom has announced several new appointments to key state positions.

Adam Brezine, from Fairfax, will serve as Chief Counsel at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Brezine most recently worked as Legal Director at Adobe Inc. since 2022 and previously held legal roles at Twitter between 2016 and 2022. His earlier experience includes positions at Bryan Cave LLP, Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, Thelen Reid and Priest, Mintz Levin, and Bryan Crave LLP. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from Notre Dame Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy from Colorado College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and comes with a compensation of $235,008. Brezine is affiliated with the Democratic Party.

Charlotte Fadipe, based in Sacramento, has been named Deputy Commissioner of Public Affairs at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Fadipe was Chief Communications Officer at the California Earthquake Authority from 2020 to 2025 and previously served as Assistant Director of Media/Communications for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation from 2013 to 2020. She also led media relations for the California Department of Toxic Substances Control between 2009 and 2013. Earlier in her career, she reported for NBC and CBS local television news stations from 1997 to 2009. Fadipe is involved with California Women Lead and holds a Master of Journalism degree from the University of California, Berkeley, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Education and Science from Oxford Brookes University. The position does not require Senate confirmation; salary is set at $162,504. She is a Democrat.

Jill Hamer, residing in Tiburon, will join the Board of Directors for the California Privacy Protection Agency. Hamer was General Manager of Data Privacy at Logic20/20 between 2019 and 2022 after holding various executive roles—including CEO—at Primitive Logic from 1990 to 2022. Her legal background includes work with Law Offices of Jill P. Reber, Lieberman & Reber, and Jeffer, Mangels & Butler. Hamer serves on the United States Board for Human Needs Project and belongs to both the International Organization of Privacy Professionals and Athena Alliance. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from the University of Maryland. This role does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $107 per diem. Hamer identifies as a Democrat.

Jeffrey Worthe, based in Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the California High Speed Rail Authority. Worthe has led Worthe Real Estate Group as President since 1993 and sits on boards including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from UC Santa Barbara; this appointment also does not require Senate confirmation with compensation set at $100 per diem. Worthe is a Democrat.