SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Samuel Assefa, 63, of Seattle, WA, has been appointed Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. Assefa has been Director of the Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development since 2016. He was Senior Urban Designer for the Department of Community Planning and Sustainability for the City of Boulder from 2010 to 2016, Director of Land Use and Planning Policy for the Department of Planning and Development and Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic and Physical Development for the Chicago Mayor’s Office from 2004 to 2010 and Senior Urban Designer for SmithGroup JJR from 2002 to 2004. Assefa was Director of Special Projects for the San Francisco Department of Planning and Development from 1999 to 2002 and Senior Urban Designer for SMWM Architecture and Planning from 1993 to 1999. Assefa earned a Master of City Planning degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $200,004. Assefa is a Democrat.

Claire Ramsey, 43, of South San Francisco, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director for Disability, Adults and Housing Integration at the California Department of Social Services. Ramsey has been a Senior Staff Attorney for Justice in Aging since 2016. She was an Associate for ADZ Law from 2015 to 2016, a Staff Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County from 2012 to 2015 and a Staff Attorney for the Child Care Law Center from 2006 to 2012. Ramsey earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a Master of Arts degree in Drama from San Francisco State University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $178,152. Ramsey is a Democrat.

Brian Cates, 50, of Bakersfield, has been appointed Warden at California Correctional Institution, where he has been Acting Warden since 2020 and has held several positions since 1997, including Chief Deputy Administrator, Correctional Counselor and Correctional Officer. Cates held several positions at North Kern State Prison from 2009 to 2017, including Correctional Administrator, Correctional Counselor II and Classification and Parole Representative. He was a Correctional Counselor II in the Division of Addiction and Recovery Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2007 to 2009. Cates held several positions at Wasco State Prison from 2005 to 2007, including Assistant Classification and Parole Representative and Correctional Counselor II. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,060. Cates is registered without party preference.

Theresa Cisneros, 50, of Corcoran, has been appointed Warden at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison – Corcoran, where she has been Acting Warden since 2020 and served as Chief Deputy Warden from 2017 to 2020. She was Correctional Administrator at Avenal State Prison from 2015 to 2017. Cisneros has held several positions at California State Prison, Corcoran from 1997 to 2015, including Correctional Captain, Correctional Counselor II Supervisor, Administrative Assistant and Public Information Officer, Correctional Counselor II Specialist, Correctional Counselor I and Correctional Officer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,060. Cisneros is a registered Democrat.

Ronald Broomfield, 51, of San Quentin, has been appointed Warden at San Quentin State Prison, where he has been Acting Warden since 2020 and was Chief Deputy Administrator from 2017 to 2020. Broomfield held several positions at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2002 to 2017, including Associate Warden, Correctional Captain, Correctional Counselor II Supervisor, Correctional Counselor I and Correctional Officer. He was Correctional Officer at Salinas Valley State Prison in 2001. Broomfield was Jail Officer at the Mariposa County Sherriff’s Department from 1998 to 2001. He was Claims Adjuster at Amica Mutual Insurance Company from 1993 to 1998. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $171,060. Broomfield is registered without party preference.

Chris Trott, 51, of Cathedral City, has been appointed to the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training. Trott has been a Correctional Officer at Calipatria State Prison since 1994. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Trott is registered without party preference.

Alisha Mason, 48, of Visalia, has been appointed to the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training. Mason has been a Correctional Officer at California State Prison, Corcoran since 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Mason is registered without party preference.

Debra Martin, 55, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the California Educational Facilities Authority. Martin has been Vice President for Administration and Finance and CFO at Mount Saint Mary’s University since 2018. She was Vice President and Associate Dean for Finance and Administration at Loyola Marymount University, Loyola Law School from 2005 to 2018. She was Director of Institute Finance at the California Institute of Technology from 2000 to 2005 and Director of Finance at the New York University School of Law from 1997 to 2000. She was a Consultant in private practice from 1996 to 1997. She was Director and Recruiter at Source Services Corporation from 1994 to 1996. Martin is a member of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Martin is an American Independent.

Kelly Ratliff, 57, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Educational Facilities Authority. Ratliff has been Vice Chancellor of Finance, Operations and Administration at the University of California, Davis since 2018 and has held several roles there since 1987, including Interim Vice Chancellor of Finance and Senior Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance and Resource Management. Ratliff is a member of the Western Association of College and University Business Officers. Ratliff earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ratliff is a Democrat.

Virginia A. “Ginger” Pohlson, 78, of Willits, has been appointed to the Redwood Empire Fair Board of Directors (12th District Agricultural Association). Pohlson was a Board Member for the Brooktrails Community Service District from 2002 to 2004, where she served as a Recreation Employee from 1990 to 2000. She was a Hairdresser from 1961 to 1991. Pohlson was Golf Shop Owner at Brooktrails Golf Course from 1984 to 1986. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pohlson is a Democrat.

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