Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.24.24

Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.24.24

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Sarah Soto-Taylor, of Sacramento, has been appointed Undersecretary of the Government Operations Agency, where she has been Deputy Secretary for Business Transformation and Strategic Development since 2019. Soto-Taylor was Senior Consultant at Covered California from 2014 to 2019, where she was Deputy Director of Community Relations from 2012 to 2014. She held several positions at the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board from 2001 to 2012, including Assistant Deputy Director, Senior Eligibility and Enrollment Manager and Eligibility Policy and Enrollment Manager. Soto-Taylor was a Contract and Outreach Manager at the California Department of Health Care Services from 2000 to 2001. She is a member of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE). Soto-Taylor earned a Master of Public Health degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education from San Diego State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $218,388. Soto-Taylor is registered without party preference.

Erin Suhr, of Sacramento, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at the Government Operations Agency. Suhr has been Director of Operations in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2019. She was a Senior Advisor on the Newsom Transition Team from 2018 to 2019. Suhr was Director of Strategic Planning and Scheduling at Fahr LLC from 2014 to 2018 and Program Manager at The Center for the Next Generation from 2012 to 2014. Suhr was Deputy Director of Scheduling in the Office of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden from 2009 to 2011. She was a Staff Member at the Presidential Inauguration Committee for the Obama-Biden inauguration from 2008 to 2009. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Montana. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $198,000. Suhr is a Democrat.

Adam Ebrahim, of Carmichael, has been appointed Senior Director of Policy and Continuous Improvement at the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Ebrahim has been Principal Consultant at Azimuth Learning Partners since 2016. He was Director of Education Strategy at Parsec Education in 2024. Ebrahim was a Staff Consultant at the California Teachers Association from 2020 to 2024 and Director of LCAP and Continuous Improvement at the San Juan Unified School District from 2019 to 2020. Ebrahim was a Project Director at the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation from 2016 to 2019. He was a Staff Consultant for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools from 2015 to 2016. Ebrahim was a Teacher at the Fresno Unified School District from 2010 to 2015. He was an Enlisted Soldier and Commissioned Officer in the California Army National Guard from 2007 to 2012. Ebrahim earned a Master of Education degree in U.S. Education in a Global Context from National University, a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from Washington University in Saint Louis and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $172,704. Ebrahim is a Democrat.

Clair Whitmer, of Vallejo, has been appointed Deputy Director at the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Whitmer has served as Assistant Deputy Director of Regional Economic Engagement at the California Office of the Small Business Advocate since 2023 and as Northern California Regional Advisor at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development since 2021. She was CEO of UpBay Express from 2019 to 2023. Whitmer was an Executive Fellow for the City of Fresno Economic Development Department from 2019 to 2021. She was Head of Consumer Experience for Maker Media from 2014 to 2019 and Senior Director of Media Operations for Slashdot Media for Dice Holdings from 2011 to 2014. She was Director of Voter Outreach for the Overseas Vote Foundation from 2009 to 2010. Whitmer was News Editor/Director of Content Services for CNET Networks from 1996 to 2000. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $152,772. Whitmer is a Democrat.

Trelynd D.J. Bradley, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Deputy Director for Innovation and Emerging Technologies at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. He has served as Deputy Director of Sustainable Freight and Supply Chain Development at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development since 2022 and was Senior Business Development Specialist there from 2019 to 2022. Bradley held several roles at the Governor's Office of Planning and Research from 2017 to 2019, including Policy Analyst and Executive Fellow with the Capital Fellows Program. He was a Staff Assistant in the Office of Congressman Raul Ruiz from 2016 to 2017. Bradley was a Business Manager for Black Cat Fireworks from 2010 to 2017 and a Policy Intern for the Ontario International Airport Authority in 2016. Bradley is a member of the University of California, Riverside Alumni Association and the Capital Fellows Alumni Association. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Riverside. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $144,492. Bradley is a Democrat.

Haley Lanham, of San Luis Obispo, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. Lanham has been Brand and Marketing Manager at REACH since 2021. She was a Project Manager at Vibrant Agency from 2020 to 2021. Lanham was a Marketing Coordinator at Visit SLO CAL from 2019 to 2020. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,000. Lanham is a Republican.

News, Press Releases, Recent News

Recent news

California joins federal partners to enhance flood protection and wildlife habitat in Sacramento River Basin

Oct 23, 2024

CHP recovers more than 2,000 stolen vehicles in Oakland since February

Oct 23, 2024

California seizes over $70 million in illegal cannabis since July

Oct 22, 2024