SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Emily Desai, 36, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of International Affairs and Trade at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Desai has been the Trade Representative for Europe, Middle East and India at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development since 2019. She was Senior Project Manager for International Affairs and Trade for the U.S. Government Accountability Office from 2014 to 2019, Senior Associate at Nonprofit Finance Fund from 2010 to 2012 and Development Analyst at Room to Read from 2007 to 2010. Desai earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $125,004. Desai is a Democrat.

Katherine Zalewski, 58, of Richmond, has been reappointed to the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board, where she has served since 2014 and as Chair since 2017. Zalewski was Chief Counsel at the California Department of Industrial Relations from 2012 to 2014, where she was a Workers’ Compensation Administrative Law Judge and Advisor to the Division of Workers’ Compensation from 2009 to 2011. She was Senior Associate at Schmit Law Office from 2000 to 2009 and Manager and an Attorney at Pacific Coast Services from 1998 to 2000 and at Express Network and Direct Legal Support Services from 1993 to 1998. She was an Attorney at Kinder and Wuerfel from 1990 to 1993, at Finnegan and Marks from 1988 to 1990 and at Foreman and Brasso from 1986 to 1988. Zalewski earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $164,122. Zalewski is registered without party preference.

Meagan Harmon, 34, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the California Coastal Commission. Harmon has been a Santa Barbara City Councilmember since 2019 and an Associate at Hepner & Myers LLP since 2020. She was an Associate at Griffith & Thornburgh LLP from 2019 to 2020 and Morrison & Foerster LLP from 2015 to 2019. Harmon was a Visiting Fellow for the Islamic Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School from 2014 to 2015 and a Program Consultant at Welthungerhilfe DE from 2010 to 2011. Harmon is first vice president for the Channel Cities Division and a member of the Housing Community and Economic Development Policy Committee at the CA League of Cities. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the New York University School of Law and a Master of Arts degree in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Harmon is a Democrat.

Gilda J. Dominguez, 49, of Covina, has been appointed to the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology and Hearing Aid Dispensers Board. Dominguez has been a Surveyor at CARF International since 2018 and Corporate Director of Hospice, Home Health and Palliative Care, Speech Pathology and the Acute Rehabilitation Unit at Emanate Health since 2000. She is a member of the California Speech Language and Hearing Association. Dominguez earned a Master of Arts degree in communication disorders from California State University, Northridge. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Dominguez is a Democrat.

Lilia Larin, 63, of Chula Vista, has been reappointed to the Dental Board of California, where she has served since 2018.  Larin has been Owner of South Coast Dental since 1992. She is a board member of the San Diego County Dental Society, Diverse Dental Society and Hispanic Dental Association of San Diego. Larin earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Larin is a Democrat.

Rosalinda Olague, 31, of Rancho Cucamonga, has been reappointed to the Dental Board of California, where she has served since 2018. Olague has been Senior Manager of Dental Assistant Strategy and University Relations at Pacific Dental Services since 2021, where she has held multiple positions since 2008, including Dental Assistant Extern, Dental Assistant, Registered Dental Assistant, Registered Lead Dental Assistant and Regional Back-Office Manager of the Southwest Region. She earned a Master of Arts degree in management from the University of Redlands. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Olague is a Democrat.

Joanne Pacheco, 61, of Fresno, has been reappointed to the Dental Board of California, where she has served since 2018.  Pacheco has been Director of the Dental Hygiene Program at Fresno City College since 2017, where she has held several positions since 2000, including Full-Time Faculty and Academic Chair. She has been a Registered Dental Hygienist in Private Practice since 1985. Pacheco was a Registered Dental Assistant in private dental practices from 1979 to 1985. She is a member of the American Dental Educators’ Association, American Dental Hygienists Association, California Dental Hygiene Educators’ Association and California Dental Hygienists’ Association. Pacheco earned a Master of Arts degree in organizational behavior from Alliant International University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Pacheco is a Republican.

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