SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Erica Pan, of Oakland, has been appointed Director and State Public Health Officer at the California Department of Public Health. Pan has been Deputy Director at the Center for Infectious Diseases and State Epidemiologist at the California Department of Public Health since 2020 and has been a Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of California, San Francisco since 2015. She was Acting State Health Officer in 2020. Pan was Interim Health Officer at Alameda County Public Health Department from 2018 to 2020. She was Director of the Division of Communicable Disease Control & Prevention at Alameda County Public Health Department from 2011 to 2020. Pan was Director of Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response at San Francisco Department of Public Health in 2011. She was Director of the Bioterrorism & Infectious Disease Emergencies Unit at San Francisco Department of Public Health from 2004 to 2010. Pan was a Medical Epidemiologist Trainee at the San Francisco Department of Public Health from 2003 to 2004. She earned a Doctor of Medicine degree and a Master of Public Health from Tufts University and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $313,388. Pan is a Democrat.

Nancy Skinner, of Berkeley, has been appointed to the California Energy Commission. Skinner was a State Senator at the California State Senate from 2016 to 2024. She was a Senior Advisor at the Energy and Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis from 2015 to 2016. Skinner was a Lecturer at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley from 2015 to 2016. She was an Assemblymember at the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014. Skinner was the United States Director at The Climate Group from 2004 to 2007. She held multiple roles at the ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability Climate Protection Campaign from 1994 to 2004, including International Director and United States Director. She was the Executive Director at ICLEI-US Local Governments for Sustainability from 1992 to 2004. Skinner was a Writer/Researcher at Earthworks Press from 1989 to 1992. She was a City Council Member at Berkeley City Council from 1984 to 1992. Skinner was the Executive Director of the Graduate Assembly, University of California, Berkeley from 1982 to 1988. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $199,380. Skinner is a Democrat.     

Kimberly Arbuckle, of Galt, has been appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary at the California Natural Resources Agency. Arbuckle has been Staff Services Manager at California Natural Resources Agency since 2024, where she has held multiple positions since 2012, including Administrative Assistant II, Administrative Assistant I, and Office Technician. She was a Park Aide at California State Parks from 2010 to 2012. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $108,000. Arbuckle is a Democrat.

Yael Wyte, of Culver City, has been appointed to the Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee. Wyte has been Program and Education Manager at the Alzheimer’s Association since 2016, and Program and Outreach Director at the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation since 2006. She was Program Director at Silverado Senior Living from 2014 to 2015. Wyte is a member of Westside MAPS. She earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from University of Arizona. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Wyte is a Democrat.

Jeannee Parker Martin, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Commission on Aging. Martin has been President and Chief Executive Officer at LeadingAge California since 2016. She held several roles at The Corridor Group Holdings LLC from 1995 to 2023, including Vice Chairman and Principal of the Board of Managers, Chief Executive Officer, President and Owner. Martin is a member of the International Women’s Forum and Women Business Leaders in Health Care. She earned a Master of Public Health degree in Epidemiology and Public Health from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Georgetown University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Martin is a Democrat.

Alison Yoshimoto-Towery, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the State Board of Education, where she has been serving since 2022. Yoshimoto-Towery has been Executive Director at the California Institute for Law, Neuroscience, and Education since 2023 and Executive Director at the UC/CSU California Collaborative for Neuroscience, Diversity, and Learning since 2022. She held several roles at the Los Angeles Unified School District from 1993 to 2022, including Chief Academic Officer, Director of Instructional Operations, Instructional Director, School Principal, Literacy Coach, Teacher, and Paraprofessional. Yoshimoto-Towery was a Teacher Leader at the University of California, Los Angeles Center X from 1999 to 2005. She is a member of the California Collaborative on District Reform. She earned a Doctor of Education degree and Master of Education degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, Master of Arts degree in Education from California State University, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from the University of California, Irvine. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Yoshimoto-Towery is a Democrat.

Sharon Olken, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the State Board of Education, where she has been serving since 2022. Olken has been Executive Director at Narrative Magazine since 2024. She was Executive Director of Gateway Public Schools from 2011 to 2023. Olken held several positions at Gateway High School from 2000 to 2011, including Principal, Teacher and Dean of Faculty. She was a Teacher of Educating for Equity and Democracy at the Stanford Teacher Education Program from 1998 to 1999. Olken was a Teacher at Homestead High School from 1996 to 2000. She was Campaign Staff for Dianne Feinstein for Senate from 1993 to 1995. Olken earned a Master of Education degree from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Literature from Harvard University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Olken is a Democrat.

Shelley Doran, of Los Altos, has been appointed to the California Apprenticeship Council. Doran has been a Consultant at Webcor Builders since 2022, where she was Senior Vice President from 2000 to 2021. She is a Board Member and Advisory Member of SPUR Silicon Valley/San Jose and Member of City of Hope Real Estate and Construction Council and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Doran is registered without party preference.

Eric Holst, of Sacramento, has been reappointed to the State Board of Mining and Geology, where he has served since 2024. Holst has been Associate Vice President of Natural Climate Solutions at the Environmental Defense Fund since 2021, where he has held multiple roles since 2006 including Associate Vice President of Working Lands and Senior Director of Working Lands. He was California Regional Director of the Forest Stewards Guild from 2004 to 2006. Holst was principal at Holst Conservation Consulting from 2004 to 2006. He was Executive Director at the Resources Legacy Fund from 2003 to 2004. Holst was Environmental Program Officer at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation from 1999 to 2003. He was Manager at the Conservation Agriculture Program from 1996 to 1999. Holst was Program Associate at the Ford Foundation from 1994 to 1996. He was a member of the UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council and the University of California President’s Advisory Commission for Agricultural and Natural Resources. Holst earned a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Botany from the University of California, Davis and a Master of Sciences degree in Natural Resources Ecology from Duke University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Holst is a Democrat.

George Kenline, of Big Bear Lake has been reappointed to the State Board of Mining and Geology, where he has served since 2013. Kenline has been the Environmental Services Director at Martin Marietta since 2022. He has held two positions with San Bernardino County from 2006 to 2022, including Environmental Compliance Manager from 2019 to 2022, and Mining Engineering Geologist from 2006 to 2012. Kenline was a Senior Environmental Services Supervisor from Molycorp Inc. from 2012 to 2013. He was an Associate Geologist at Secor International Inc. from 1993 to 2006. Kenline is a member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. He earned his Bachelor of the Sciences degree in Geology from California State University, San Diego. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Kenline is registered without party preference.

Stephen “Chris” Gruwell, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California State Athletic Commission where he has served since 2022. Gruwell has been the CEO of New Deal Advisers since 2016. He served in the United States Army from 1990 to 1994. He is as a founding Trustee of the Laborers’ Community and Training Foundation, a member of LiUNA! 261 and a Board member for the San Francisco Firefighters Cancer Prevention Foundation. Gruwell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gruwell is a Democrat.

Doug Hendrickson, of Kentfield, has been reappointed to the State Athletic Commission where he has served since 2021. Hendrickson has been Executive Vice President at Wasserman Sports Agency since 2018. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing from California State University, San Jose. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hendrickson is a Democrat.