Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.
Anthony Crawford, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Fiscal and Data Management at the California Department of Human Resources. Crawford has been Chief of the Financial Management Division at the California Department of Human Resources since 2015. He held several positions at the California Department of Finance from 2011 to 2015, including Principal Program Budget Analyst III, Principal Program Budget Analyst II and Staff Finance Budget Analyst. Crawford was Staff Services Manager in the Financial Management Division at the California Department of Personnel Administration from 2010 to 2011. He held several positions at the California Department of Justice from 2001 to 2010, including Associate Personnel Analyst, Staff Services Analyst and Information Systems Technician. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,332. Crawford is registered without party preference.
Nara R. Dahlbacka, of Hidden Valley Lake, has been appointed to the 49th District Agricultural Association (Lake County Fair Board). Dahlbacka has been Partner at the Milo Group of California since 2022, where she was Vice President from 2018 to 2022, and Government Affairs Manager from 2016 to 2018. She was Campaign Manager for Re-Elect Jane Parker in 2016. Dahlbacka held several positions at the Law Office of Rena Rickles from 2010 to 2016, including Permit Expediter, Paralegal and Legal Assistant. She was an External Affairs Manager at the San Francisco Committee on Jobs from 2007 to 2008. Dahlbacka is a board member of Cat Town Oakland. Dahlbacka earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in playwrighting from San Francisco State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dahlbacka is a Democrat.
Maria Herrera has been appointed Rural Development State Director for California. Maria Gallegos Herrera is a proud daughter of farmworker parents, who grew up in the rural agricultural communities in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley. She joined the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019 as the Central California Deputy Regional Director of External Affairs and in July of 2021 was promoted to Central California Regional Director. Herrera previously served as a Community Development Manager at Self-Help Enterprises, a nationally recognized community development organization dedicated to working with low-income families to build and sustain healthy communities. She worked at the Community Water Center from 2008 to 2014 and at the California Department of Food and Agriculture from 2004 to 2007.
Traci Medina, of Lakeport, has been appointed to the 49th District Agricultural Association (Lake County Fair Board). Medina has been Senior Implementation Consultant at Journal Technologies Inc since 2004. She held several positions at the Lake County Superior Court from 1994 to 2004, including IT Analyst, Trainer, Special Project Coordinator, Supervisor and Deputy Court Clerk. Medina was a Retail Clerk at Kelseyville Pharmacy from 1986 to 1994. She was a Bindery Worker at Linnell Printing from 1984 to 1985. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Medina is a Democrat.
Jennifer Sturdy, of Santa Rosa, has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Evaluation at the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Sturdy has been Senior Evaluation Specialist at the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation since 2021. She held several roles at the Millennium Challenge Corporation from 2011 to 2021, including advising Evaluation Policy and Practice, Director of Independent Evaluations, and Associate Director for Monitoring and Evaluation. Sturdy held several roles at the University of California, Berkeley from 2015 to 2018, including Program Director, Advisor and Board Member. She held several positions at the World Bank from 2005 to 2011, including Short-Term Consultant and Extended Term Consultant. Sturdy earned a Master of Arts degree in international development economics from the University of San Francisco. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $161,400. Sturdy is a Democrat.