CDCAN DISABILITY RIGHTS REPORT
CALIFORNIA DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK
REMEMBERING THE LIVES OF MICHAEL PATRICK O'RIORDAN (Passed Away 1 Year Ago Today)
: Advocacy Without Borders: One Community – Accountability With Action – California Disability Community Action Network Disability Rights News goes out to over 55,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, traumatic brain & other injuries, veterans with disabilities and mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California. Please consider joining the CDCAN mailing list for updates directly to your inbox.
To reply to this report write: MARTY OMOTO at martyomoto@rcip.com WEBSITE: www.cdcan.us TWITTER: martyomoto
Note: my email was down for the past few days — apologize for delay in getting back to people and delay in getting reports out. Transferred everything to new computer — so things will be back to semi-normal now. Sort of. — Marty Omoto
SACRAMENTO, CALIF (CDCAN) [Updated 01/05/2011 05:50 PM (Pacific Time)] - Governor Jerry Brown announced several key staff appointments, including Jim Humes as chief of staff though with the official title of Executive Secretary, Nancy McFadden as appointments and legislative secretary and Gil Duran as press secretary. The Governor, as expected, also appointed his wife, California First Lady Anne Gust Brown as part of his personal staff, with the official title of Special Counsel, though the position will be unpaid.
The appointments to these key senior staff position will have enormous influence on policy, including the state budget. The appointment of Anne Gust Brown to an official position on the Governor’s staff – though unpaid – signals that she will continue to play a major role in shaping policy and direction of the Brown Administration.
Earlier today the Governor announced several appointments to several agencies including former Assemblymember John Laird as Secretary of the Resources Agency. In addition, yesterday California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Diana Dooley announced that Cliff Allenby would head the Department of Mental Health as interim director following the retirement last week of Stephen Mayberg.
Previously in December Brown had announced the appointment of Dooley to succeed Kim Belshe as Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, and reappointed Ana Matasantos to continue as director of the Department of Finance.
The Governor made the following appointments to his personal staff today:
Anne Gust Brown, 52, a registered Democrat of Oakland, has been appointed Special Counsel in the Office of the Governor.
This position does not require Senate confirmation and Gust Brown will serve with no compensation.
Jim Humes, 51, a registered Democrat of San Francisco, has been appointed Executive Secretary for Administration, Legal Affairs, and Policy in the Office of the Governor. Humes was Brown’s Chief Deputy while Brown was Attorney General, and before that Humes was the Chief of the Civil Division under then-Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $175,000
CDCAN Note: though not designated officially with the title “chief of staff”, this position is supposed to function in that capacity.
Nancy McFadden, 51, a registered Democrat of Sacramento, has been appointed Executive Secretary for Legislation, Appointments, and Policy in the Office of the Governor. She was senior vice president at PG&E from 2005 to 2010. Previously, McFadden served as senior advisor to Governor Gray Davis from 2001 to 2003, deputy chief of staff for the Office of the Vice President from 2000 to 2001, and general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation from 1996 to 2000.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $175,000.
CDCAN Note: this position is responsible – among other things – for appointments to the Administration and the Governor’s legislative office.
Jonathan Renner, 40, a registered Democrat of Sacramento, has been appointed Legal Affairs Secretary in the Office of the Governor. Renner was Senior Assistant Attorney General for Government Law while Brown was Attorney General. Prior to that, Renner practiced law at Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard, in Sacramento.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
Joshua Groban, 37, a registered Democrat of Los Angeles, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Policy and Appointments in the Office of the Governor. Groban served as Legal Counsel for Governor Brown’s 2010 campaign and previously practiced law at Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
Julie Henderson, 48, a registered Democrat of San Francisco, has been appointed Senior Advisor for Policy in the Office of the Governor. Henderson was a Special Assistant Attorney General while Brown was Attorney General and previously was a Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Gap Inc.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
Gil Duran, 34, a registered Democrat of Tulare, has been appointed Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor. Duran served as Communications Director for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein from 2008 to 2010. Previously, he served as Press Secretary to Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa from 2007 to 2008. Duran also served as an aide and Press Secretary to Governor Brown as Mayor of Oakland from 2004 to 2007.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $147,900.
Elizabeth Ashford, 35, a registered Democrat of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor. She worked at the Brunswick Group in London, England from 2009 to 2010. Prior to that, Ashford worked in the Office of the Chairman of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. From 2006 to 2008, she served as Chief Deputy Communications Director and then Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary in Governor Schwarzenegger’s Administration.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $130,000
Evan Westrup, 28, a registered Democrat of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor. He was Deputy Press Secretary on Governor Brown’s 2010 campaign after serving as Deputy Press Secretary in the Office of Attorney General Brown between 2009 and 2010. Prior to that, Westrup was Deputy Youth Vote Director on President Obama’s Campaign in New Mexico in 2008. He was Associate Communications Director in Governor Schwarzenegger’s Administration from 2007 to 2008.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $71,000.
Nick Velasquez, 30, a registered Democrat of Los Angeles, has been appointed Director of External Affairs in the Office of the Governor. Velasquez served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor Brown’s 2010 campaign. Previously, he headed the California Accountability Project at the Democratic Governor’s Association. From 2006 to 2009 he served as a senior communications and policy aide to Los Angeles City Attorneys Rockard Delgadillo and Carmen Trutanich.
This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $80,000.
HELP!!! VERY URGENT!!!!!
PLEASE HELP CDCAN CONTINUE ITS WORK!!!
FEBRUARY 4, 2012 – YOUR HELP IS NEEDED NOW
CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings, reports and alerts and other activities cannot continue without your help. To continue the CDCAN website, the CDCAN News Reports sent out and read by over 55,000 people and organizations, policy makers and media across California and to continue the CDCAN Townhall Telemeetings which since December 2003 have connected thousands of people with disabilities, seniors, mental health needs, people with MS and other disorders, people with traumatic brain and other injuries to public policy makers, legislators, and issues.
Please send your contribution/donation (make payable to "CDCAN" or "California Disability Community Action Network"):
CDCAN
1225 8th Street Suite 480
Sacramento, CA 95814
Many, many thanks to all the organizations and individuals for their continued support that make these reports and other CDCAN efforts possible. [Note: As of June 26th due to major problem with my computer and email, I have to use this old format of the CDCAN Reports that unfortunately does not have the list of people and organizations who have generously contributed and supported CDCAN in the past year and in recent weeks and months. I should have computer problem repaired sometime this week hopefully - Marty Omoto]
Paypal on the CDCAN site is not yet working – will be soon.
MANY, MANY THANKS FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT THAT MAKE THESE REPORTS, ALERTS, TOWNHALLS POSSIBLE TO: WESTSIDE REGIONAL CENTER, LANTERMAN REGIONAL CENTER, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF ADULT DAY HEALTH CENTERS, VENTURA COUNTY AUTISM SOCIETY, RESPITE, INC., LOS ANGELES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY SERVING DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED ADULTS LARC RANCH, FEAT OF SACRAMENTO, EASTER SEALS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, EMMANUEL AND FAMILY, PEOPLE FIRST OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, BOB BENSON, the Pacific Homecare Services, Toward Maximum Independence, Inc (TMI), Friends of Children with Special Needs, Southside Arts Center, San Francisco Bay Area Autism Society of America, Hope Services in San Jose, FEAT of Sacramento (Families for Early Autism Treatment), Sacramento Gray Panthers, Bill Wong, Tri-Counties Regional Center, Life Steps, Parents Helping Parents, Work Training, Foothill Autism Alliance, Arc Contra Costa, Pause4Kids, Training Toward Self Reliance, Californians for Disability Rights, Inc (CDR) including CDR chapters, CHANCE Inc, Strategies To Empower People (STEP), Harbor Regional Center, Asian American parents groups, Resources for Independent Living and many other Independent Living Centers, several regional centers, People First chapters, IHSS workers, other self advocacy and family support groups, developmental center families, adoption assistance program families and children, and others across California.
As of January 13, 2012 - some friends donated a new laptop computer which will soon be up and running. Thanks so much - using a lap top with several keys missing or not working makes typing reports very difficult! Many thanks to Anna and Albert Wang.
CDCAN Disability Rights News goes out to over 55,000 people with disabilities, mental health needs, seniors, traumatic brain & other injuries, veterans with disabilities and mental health needs, their families, workers, community organizations, including those in Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino, African American communities, policy makers and others across California.
