SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Rebecca Franklin, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director of the California Housing Finance Agency. Franklin has been the Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance at the California Housing Finance Agency since 2020. She was the Director of Innovation at the California State Compensation Insurance Fund from 2019 to 2020. Franklin was the Enterprise Risk Manager at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2015 to 2019. She has held multiple positions with the California State Teachers’ Retirement System from 2010 to 2015 including Associate Management Consultant from 2014 to 2015, Program Planning Analyst from 2012 to 2014, and IT Personnel Analyst from 2010 to 2012. Franklin was the Assistant to the Pharmacist in Charge at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in 2010. She was a Teller Operations Specialist at Bank of America from 2004 to 2010. Franklin was Administrative Support at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System from 2008 to 2009. She received her Doctor of Education degree in Educational and Organizational Leadership from the University of the Pacific, her Master of the Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, and her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $196,476. Franklin is registered without party preference.

Stephen Smith, of Gasquet, has been appointed Warden at Pelican Bay State Prison, where he has served as Acting Warden since 2022. Smith held several positions at Substance Abuse Training Facility from 1997 to 2022, including Chief Deputy Warden, Correctional Administrator, Captain, Correctional Counselor II Specialist, Correctional Lieutenant, Correctional Sergeant, and Correctional Officer. He was Acting Chief Deputy Warden at Kern Valley State Prison in 2021. Smith was a Correctional Officer at Pelican Bay State Prison in 1997. He served as an E-4 in the United States Army from 1992 to 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $187,884. Smith is a Republican. 

Stephanie Ruiz, of Fresno, has been appointed to the San Joaquin River Conservancy. Ruiz has been a Climate Action Corps Fellow at California Climate Action Corps since 2024. She was an Undergraduate Research Assistant at the United States Department of Agriculture, Fresno State Hispanic Serving Institute Program and California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program from 2023 to 2024.  Ruiz was a Fellow at the Research Experience for Undergraduates at Northern Illinois University in 2022. She was a Meadow Restoration Student Intern at the Pacific Southwest Research Station – US Forest Service from 2021 to 2022. Ruiz was a tutor at Fresno City College Upward Bound from 2019 to 2021. She was a summer intern at Fresno City College Psychological Services Office in 2019. Ruiz is a member of the Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $75 per diem. Ruiz is a Democrat.