California: Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.9.2026

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Oct 9, 2026

Governor Newsom announces appointments 10.9.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Sara Pietrowski, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Executive Director at the State Board of Education. Pietrowski has been the Chief Governmental Relations Officer at the California Association of School Business Officials since 2024. She held several positions at the California State Board of Education from 2017 to 2024 including Senior Policy Director, Policy Director, and Policy Consultant. Pietrowski was Director of Analytics at the Linked Learning Alliance in 2017. She was a Student Outcomes Coordinator at Sacramento City Unified School District from 2014 to 2017. Pietrowski was a Policy Analyst at Students First in 2014. She was a Fellow and Legislative Aide in the California State Assembly from 2011 to 2013. Pietrowski earned a Master of Public Policy degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $218,256. Pietrowski is a Democrat.

Michael Marks, of San Diego, has been appointed Chief AI Engineer at the Office of Data and Innovation. Marks has been the Principal Lead Data Scientist at Analytica Consulting since 2018. He was the Director of Data Science at Trio Health in 2018. Marks was a Senior Healthcare Analyst at Improvement Path Systems from 2011 to 2018. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Geography from San Diego State University, a Master of Science degree in Information and Data Science from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Information, and a Bachelor of Science in Operations Management from Oakland University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $194,892. Marks is a Democrat.

Jimmy O'Dea, of San Mateo, has been appointed Deputy Director of Sustainability at the California Department of Transportation, where he has been Assistant Deputy Director of Transportation Electrification since 2022. O'Dea was Deputy Director of the Trucks and Off-Road Initiative at CALSTART from 2021 to 2022. He held multiple positions at the Union of Concerned Scientists, including Senior Vehicles Analyst from 2017 to 2021 and Vehicles Analyst from 2015 to 2017. O'Dea was the Materials Research Society and Optica Science and Engineering Congressional Fellow in the Office of United States Senator Brian Schatz from 2014 to 2015. He was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Cornell University from 2010 to 2014. O'Dea earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Puget Sound. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $174,000. O'Dea is registered without party preference.

Bambi Cisneros, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the California Department of Health Care Services. Cisneros has been Assistant Deputy Director for Managed Care at the California Department of Health Care Services since 2020, where she has held multiple positions since 2013, including Interim Division Chief of Managed Care Quality and Monitoring, Branch Chief of Program Monitoring and Compliance, Health Program Specialist II, Health Program Specialist I, and Program Analyst. She held multiple positions at Schools Financial Credit Union from 2002 to 2013, including Project Manager, Business Analyst, Compliance Officer, and Administrative Assistant. Cisneros earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $194,640. Cisneros is registered without party preference.

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Susan Pelbath, of Folsom, has been appointed Chief Programs Officer at the California Department of Rehabilitation. Pelbath has been Deputy Director in the Specialized Services Division at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 2022. She has been an Administrator at Orientation Center for the Blind since 2019. Pelbath was an Acting Blind Field Services District Administrator at the California Department of Rehabilitation from 2021 to 2022. She held multiple positions at the Orientation Center for the Blind from 2015 to 2019, including Assistant Administrator for Programs and Services and Qualified Rehabilitation Professional. Pelbath was a Staff Services Analyst at the California Department of Rehabilitation from 2014 to 2015. She was a Special Education Instructional Assistant at Oceanside High School in 2004. Pelbath was a Business Partner at Al's Masonry from 1977 to 2006. She earned a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from California State University, San Diego and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from California State University, San Marcos. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $194,004. Pelbath is a Democrat.

Johnnie Chi, of Whittier, has been appointed Medical Director of Metropolitan State Hospital at the California Department of State Hospitals. Chi has been Senior Psychiatrist Supervisor at the California Department of State Hospitals – Coalinga since 2022, where he was a Staff Psychiatrist from 2017 to 2022. He was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, Riverside from 2018 to 2019. Chi held multiple positions at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center from 2013 to 2017, including Chief Psychiatry Resident and Psychiatry Physician Resident. He was a Web Application Developer at La Jolla Institute for Immunology from 2005 to 2006. Chi earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $456,072. Chi is a Democrat.

Jason Montiel, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communication and Planning at the California Department of Managed Health Care. Montiel has been a Spokesperson at the California Department of Social Services since 2020. He was a Spokesperson at the California Franchise Tax Board from 2015 to 2020. Montiel was Deputy Communications Director for Online Media at the California State Treasurer's Office in 2015. He was Web Communications Manager at the California State Controller's Office from 2011 to 2015. Montiel was an Editor at KCRA.com from 2006 to 2011. He was a News Producer at The Sacramento Bee from 2000 to 2006. Montiel was a Reporter at the Tri-Valley Herald in Pleasanton from 1997 to 2000. He was a Reporter at The Dispatch in Gilroy from 1995 to 1997. Montiel earned a Master of Arts degree in Communication from Stanford University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $143, 004. Montiel is a Democrat.

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Avery Emerson Fisher, of Belvedere-Tiburon, has been appointed to the Youth Empowerment Commission. Fisher has been a PADI Ambasssadiver for the Professional Association of Diving Instructors since 2026. She has been an Ambassador for the Aquarium of the Bay since 2026. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Fisher is not registered to vote.

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