SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Judith M. Cias, 56, of Sacramento, has been reappointed Chief Counsel at the State Board of Education, where she has served in that position since 2011. Cias was Associate General Counsel and Director of Policy Services at the California School Boards Association from 1995 to 2011. She was a Summer Associate at Sutin, Thayer and Browne in 1993. Cias was Office Manager at the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges from 1990 to 1991. She was Program Director at the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges from 1986 to 1990. Cias earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico, School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $183,216. Cias is a Democrat.

Patricia L. de Cos, 58, of Fair Oaks, has been reappointed Deputy Executive Director at the State Board of Education, where she has served in that position since 2009. De Cos was Senior Research Policy Specialist for the California Research Bureau at the California State Library from 1995 to 2009. She was a Policy Analyst at the California Employment Development Department from 1993 to 1995 and at the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs from 1989 to 1992. She earned a Master of Science degree in public policy analysis from the University of Rochester. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $143,712. De Cos is registered without party preference.

Rigel S. Massaro, 40, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Legal Counsel and Deputy Policy Director for the Office of Planning and Research at the State Board of Education. Massaro has been Senior Legislative Counsel at Public Advocates since 2013. She was Staff Attorney at Advocates for Children of New York from 2010 to 2012. Massaro was a Middle School Teacher at Littleton Elementary School District #65 from 2003 to 2006. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arizona College of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $135,000. Massaro is a Democrat.

Janet M. Weeks, 60, of Sacramento, has been reappointed Director of Communications at the State Board of Education, where she has served in that position since 2017. Weeks was Communications Manager at the Sacramento City Unified School District from 2010 to 2017. She was a Teacher at C.K. McClatchy High School from 2004 to 2010. Weeks was National Writer at TV Guide from 1998 to 2003. She was Staff Writer at USA Today from 1997 to 1998 and at Los Angeles Daily News from 1993 to 1997. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $134,016. Weeks is a Democrat.

James B. Damrell, 48, of Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Commissioner of Legislation and Regulations at the Department of Real Estate. Damrell has been Vice President of Business Development at Peers & Co. since 2019. He was Development Manager at Panattoni Development Company from 2017 to 2019. Damrell was a Consultant at the California Senate Office of Research from 2015 to 2016. He served as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice from 2002 to 2003. Damrell was an Attorney at the California Department of Social Services from 2007 to 2015, at Greenberg Traurig from 2003 to 2007, at Duane Morris, LLP from 2000 to 2002 and at McInerney & Dillon, PC from 1999 to 2000. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $128,652. Damrell is a Democrat.

Marcus L. McCarther, 34, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed Chief Deputy Commissioner at the Department of Real Estate. McCarther has been Assistant Executive Officer (SSM II) for the Board of Chiropractic Examiners at the Department of Consumer Affairs since 2018, where he served as a Policy Analyst from 2015 to 2018. He was Special Assistant to the Director at the Department of Consumer Affairs from 2014 to 2015 and Special Assistant for Appointments in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. from 2012 to 2014. McCarther earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $134,916. McCarther is a Democrat.

Anastasia Baskerville, 52, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. Baskerville has been Attorney IV at the Department of Housing and Community Development since 2018. She was Chief Counsel at the Financial Information System for California from 2016 to 2018, Attorney III at the California Department of Social Services from 2006 to 2016 and Chief Counsel at California Conservation Corps from 2005 to 2006. Baskerville was Staff Counsel at the California Department of Conservation from 1999 to 2005 and an Associate Attorney at Vitale, Vanderwold and Hardy from 1997 to 1999 and at Mason and Thomas from 1996 to 1997. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $173,760. Baskerville is a Democrat.

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