California: Governor Newsom announces appointments 11.5.26

~ California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Colin Brown as state epidemiologist, Jay LaPlante as tribal adviser to the California Public Utilities Commission and Michela Alioto-Pier to the California Citizens Compensation Commission.

Brown, of Soquel, will join the California Department of Public Health. He has held senior roles at the United Kingdom Health Security Agency since 2020, including deputy director for epidemic and emerging infections and head of its antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infections division. He has also been a visiting professor of infectious diseases at the University of Oxford since 2025 and an attending physician at London's Royal Free Hospital since 2017.

Brown earned a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh and master's and bachelor's degrees in epidemiology and medical science, respectively. The position pays $282,000 and does not require Senate confirmation, according to the governor's announcement.

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LaPlante, of Seattle, was appointed tribal adviser at the Public Utilities Commission. He has worked as a tribal and community engagement consultant since 2025 and previously held tribal liaison and advisory roles at the National Park Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Bureau of Land Management. He is a citizen of the Blackfeet Nation and founded the Native Wellness Institute.

The position pays $150,324 and does not require Senate confirmation. The announcement identifies LaPlante as a Democrat.

Alioto-Pier, of San Francisco, was appointed to the Citizens Compensation Commission, which sets compensation for state elected officials. She has been chief government affairs officer at North American Hull Optimization since 2025 and founded Alioto-Pier Vineyards in 2005. She served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2004 to 2011.

The commission position pays $100 per diem and does not require Senate confirmation. The announcement identifies Alioto-Pier as a Democrat.

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