Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.
Krystal Acierto, of Rocklin, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Public Policy at the California Environmental Protection Agency. Acierto has served as a Principal Program Budget Analyst III at the California Department of Finance since 2019 and was a Finance Budget Analyst there from 2016 to 2019. Acierto was an Associate Governmental Program Analyst in the California Office of the Inspector General from 2015 to 2016. She was an Environmental Scientist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2012 to 2015. Acierto earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Plant Sciences from the University of California, Santa Cruz. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,004. Acierto is registered without party preference.
Hana Balfour, of Sacramento County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the El Dorado County Superior Court. Balfour has served as a Commissioner at the El Dorado County Superior Court since 2022. She was Managing Attorney at the Law Office of Dale S. Wilson from 2006 to 2022 and was an Associate there from 2000 to 2006. She was a Legal Research Assistant at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office in 2000. Balfour earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Dylan Sullivan. She is a Democrat.
Kathryn Barton, of Siskiyou County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Shasta County Superior Court. Barton has served as an Assistant Public Defender at the Shasta County Public Defender’s Office since 2018. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Siskiyou County Public Defender’s Office from 2012 to 2015 and at the Solano County Public Defender’s Office from 1992 to 2012. Barton earned a Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of Southern California and a Juris Doctor degree from the New College of California School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Daryl Kennedy. She is a Democrat.
Benjamin Clark, of Oroville, has been appointed to the 3rd District Agricultural Association, Silver Dollar Fair Board of Directors. Clark has been Tribal Chairman of Mooretown Rancheria since 2016 and served as Vice Chairman there in 2016. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Clark is a Democrat.
Ashley Dena, of Visalia, has been appointed to the New Motor Vehicle Board. Dena has been Executive Manager at Ed Dena’s Auto Center since 2018, where she was General Manager from 2014 to 2018. She is a member of the California New Car Dealers Association and the National Automobile Dealers Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dena is registered without party preference.
Oscar Gonzales, of Davis, has been reappointed to the California Horse Racing Board, where he has served since 2019. Gonzales has been Vice President for Strategy at Golden State Renewable Energy since 2023. He served in the Biden Administration as Assistant Secretary of Administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was also a Senior Advisor on Immigration from 2021 to 2023. He was Vice President of Government Relations for Western States at Goldman Sachs from 2020 to 2021. He was Vice President of Government and Community Relations at Aura Financial Corporation from 2017 to 2020. He was a Consultant for the Cal State Los Angeles Dreamers Resource Center in 2017. Gonzales served as an Obama appointee in multiple roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2009 to 2017, including State Executive Director at the Farm Service Agency, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration, and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was Associate Director of the United Farm Workers Foundation from 2007 to 2009 and was a cofounder and member of Rural Forward. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gonzales is a Democrat.
Tim Haines, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board. Haines has been Principal at Grid & Power Symmetry since 2021. He was Interim General Manager for California Community Power from 2021 to June 2023. Haines was Deputy General Manager for Energy, State Water Contractors from 2009 to 2019. He was a Deputy Director at the Department of Water Resources from 2006 to 2010 and Special Assistant to Chairman of the Board at the California ISO from 2003 to 2005. Haines was a Consultant with Navigant Consulting from 2000 to 2003 and an Engineer for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District from 1988 to 2000. Haines earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Haines is a Democrat.
Benjamin Hanna, of Shasta County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Shasta County Superior Court. Hanna has served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2023. He served in several roles at the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2023, including Chief Deputy District Attorney and Senior Deputy District Attorney. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Hanna fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Cara Beatty. He is a Democrat.
David Hood, of Stanislaus County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Merced County Superior Court. Hood has served as a Legal Research Attorney at the Stanislaus County Superior Court since 2022. He served as a Deputy County Counsel at the Merced County Counsel's Office from 2019 to 2022. Hood served as a Senior Research Attorney at the Orange County Superior Court from 2013 to 2019, where he was a Coordinating Attorney from 2009 to 2013 and a Research Attorney from 2005 to 2009. Hood was Associate Counsel at the Law Offices of Kevin McGowen from 2002 to 2005. He worked as a Legal Assistant at various temporary agencies from 1992 to 2002 and was an Associate at Goldberg, Stinnett & MacDonald in 1991 and at Martin, Ryan & Andrada in 1990. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. Hood fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John Kirihara. He is a Democrat.
Judge Michael Kelley, of San Luis Obispo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. He has served as a Judge at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2018. Judge Kelley was a Partner at Sidley Austin LLP from 1987 to 2018. He was a Partner at Kadison, Pfaelzer, Woodard, Quinn and Rossi in 1987, where he was an Associate from 1979 to 1986. Judge Kelley earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Charles Crandall. He is a Democrat.
David Maldonado, of Roseville, has been appointed Deputy Chief of Strategic Communications and External Affairs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Maldonado has served as Deputy Chief of the Office of External Affairs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2020, where he has held several positions since 2009, including Outreach Coordinator and Victim Services Liaison for the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services. He was Community Resources Manager for the California Medical Facility from 2016 to 2020. Maldonado was a Probation Aide for the Sacramento County Probation Department from 2011 to 2012. He served as Military Police and Security Forces in the U.S. Air Force from 2003 to 2007. Maldonado earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $132,000. Maldonado is registered without party preference.
David McCray, of Lincoln, has been reappointed to serve as a Justice on the California Courts-Martial Appellate Panel, where he has served since 2015. McCray has been Business Development Manager of State and Local Transportation and Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services since 2022. He served as General Counsel at the Contra Costa Transportation Authority from 2020 to 2022. McCray was Of Counsel at Beveridge & Diamond PC from 2014 to 2022. He served as Assistant Chief Counsel for the California Department of Transportation from 2007 to 2014, where he was Deputy Attorney III from 2005 to 2007. McCray served in multiple positions during his 21 years of active duty with the U.S. Air Force, including Staff Judge Advocate of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing from 2002 to 2005, Chief of the Air Force Environmental Litigation & Tort Branch from 2001 to 2002 and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Environmental Defense Section from 2000 to 2002. He was Deputy Chief of the Compliance and Planning Branch in the U.S. Air Force from 1999 to 2000 and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for the 509th Bomb Wing from 1996 to 1998. McCray is a member of the California Bar and the District of Columbia Bar. He earned a Master of Laws degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the University of Utah, College of Law, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law, a Master of Business Administration degree in Management from Golden Gate University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from California State University, Long Beach. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is a federal rate of 0-6, only while in session. McCray is registered without party preference.
Tai Milder, of Oakland, has been appointed Director of the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight within the California Energy Commission. Milder has served as Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the U.S. Department of Justice since 2022, where he also served as a Trial Attorney from 2009 to 2017 and again in 2021. Milder served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Antitrust Law Section at the California Department of Justice from 2019 to 2021. He was Counsel at Robins Kaplan LLP from 2017 to 2019. Milder served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice from 2014 to 2015. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $199,740. Milder is a Democrat.
Maria Elena Ramos Ratliff, of Stanislaus County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Stanislaus County Superior Court. Ratliff has served as a Deputy County Counsel in the Stanislaus County Counsel’s Office since 2012. She was an Attorney at the Law Office of Dale S. Wilson/Parent Advocates of Stanislaus from 2006 to 2012. Ratliff was a Legal Auditor at the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company from 2005 to 2006. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She fills the vacancy of a new position created on July 1, 2022. She is a Democrat.
Yolanda R. Richardson, of Roseville, has been appointed to the Racial Equity Commission. Richardson has been Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco Health Plan since 2022. She served as Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency from 2020 to 2022. Richardson was CEO of Teloiv from 2016 to 2020. She served as Chief Deputy Executive Director at Covered California from 2011 to 2016 and was Chief Operations Officer at Cal eConnect from 2009 to 2011. Richardson was Chief Operating Officer at the San Francisco Health Plan from 2007 to 2009. She was Vice President of Operations at PacAdvantage from 2003 to 2007. Richardson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Vocational Education from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Richardson is a Democrat.
Crystal Tindell Seiler, of San Luis Obispo County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. Seiler has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office since 2021. She served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office from 2011 to 2017 and at the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2011. Seiler served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Frederick H. Weisberg at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia from 2008 to 2009. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School. Seiler fills the vacancy created by the elevation of Justice Hernaldo Baltodano to the Court of Appeal. She is registered without party preference.
Clair Whitmer, of Vallejo, has been appointed Assistant Deputy Director of Regional Economic Engagement and Northern California Regional Advisor in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). Whitmer has served as Northern California Regional Advisor at GO-Biz 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. Whitmer was Senior Director of Media Operations at 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 and 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 $120,000. Whitmer is a Democrat.