Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California’s rural counties.
Christine Ciccotti, of Davis, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the California High Speed Rail Authority. Ciccotti has been Chief Counsel at the California Department of General Services since 2022. She was Chief Counsel at the California Department of State Hospitals from 2018 to 2022. Ciccotti served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Correctional Law Section at the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General from 2014 to 2018. She was a Trial Attorney at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Contract Management Agency from 2012 to 2013. Ciccotti was an Assistant General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons from 2009 to 2012. She served in several positions for the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Nellis Air Force Base and Travis Air Force Base from 2006 to 2009, including Trial Counsel, Chief of Contract Law, Chief of Civil Law, Chief of Adverse Actions, and Chief of Claims. Ciccotti earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and History from University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate Confirmation and the compensation is $235,008. Ciccotti is a Democrat.
Thomas “Tom” Ducker, of Vacaville, has been appointed Commander of the State Threat Assessment Center at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Ducker has held multiple positions at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services since 2015, including Supervisor of the Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit, and Critical Infrastructure Protection Analyst. Ducker was Senior Intelligence Analyst/Team Lead at SRA International from 2007 to 2015. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Military History from Norwich University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Maryland. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $163,764. Ducker is a registered without party preference.
Joseph “Joe” King, of Grass Valley, has been appointed to the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. King has held multiple positions at Sierra Pacific Industries since 2015, including Tahoe District Manager and Tahoe District Forester. He was a Seasonal Forestry Technician at Green Diamond Resource Company in 2015. King was a Seasonal Hydrologic Technician at the United States Forest Service in 2014. He was a Seasonal Aquatics Technician at Green Diamond Resource Company in 2013. King held multiple positions at University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering from 2005 to 2011, including Graduate Admissions Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from California Polytechnic State University, Humboldt. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. King is a Democrat.
Tara Leweling, of Pacific Grove, has been appointed to the Governor’s Military Council. Leweling has been the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Sage 71 LLC since 2025. She was the Chief Diversity and Sustainability Officer at the United Services Automobile Association from 2022 to 2025. Leweling was the Vice President of Stakeholder Engagement and Sustainability at Allstate from 2017 to 2022. She was the Executive Director of International Policy and Programs at JPMorgan Chase from 2014 to 2017. Leweling was the Acting Senior Director for European Affairs, and the Director for Western Europe and NATO, when serving at the National Security Council at The White House from 2012 to 2014. She was a Senior Policy Advisor to the US Ambassador to NATO from 2009 to 2012. Leweling was the Speechwriter to the Secretary of the Air Force at the United States Department of Defense from 2008 to 2009. She was an Executive Officer for the Scientific Advisory Board at the United States Department of the Air Force in 2008. Leweling is a Board Member of The Green Engineer, the National Sustainability Society, and Dharma Collaborative. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Information Sciences and a Master of Science degree in Systems Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School, a Master of Science degree in International Relations from Troy University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Math and History from the University of Michigan. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Leweling is a Democrat.
Molli Myers, of Weitchpec, has been appointed to the North Coast Water Quality Control Board. Myers has been the Chief Operating Officer for the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group since 2022. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $250 per diem. Myers is a Democrat.