Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.
Hipolito Angel Cerros, of Lindsay, has been appointed to the 24th District Agricultural Association, Tulare County Fair Board of Directors. Cerros has been Mayor of the City of Lindsay since 2022. He was a Senior Policy Advisor for Dream for America and Community Outreach Specialist for the United We Lead Foundation in 2023. He was a Project Intern for the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2022. Cerros was a Legislative Intern in the California State Senate in 2022. He is a member of the Tulare County Regional Transit Agency and the East Kaweah Groundwater Sustainability Agency. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cerros is a Democrat.
Rina DiMare, of Clarksburg, has been appointed to the California Exposition and State Fair Board of Directors, where she previously served from 2020 to 2022. DiMare has been a Proprietor at Elevation Ten Winery since 2015. She was a Managing Partner/Owner at Government Strategies Inc. from 2001 to 2015. DiMare was a Consultant and Legislative Assistant in the California State Assembly from 1991 to 1997. She is President of the Clarksburg Winery Collective and a member of the California Winegrape Growers Association. DiMare earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Latin American Studies from California State University, Chico. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. DiMare is a Democrat.
Debra Dommen, of Napa, has been appointed to the 25th District Agricultural Association, Napa Town and Country Fair Board of Directors. Dommen has been Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs at Treasury Wine Estates since 2010. She was Executive Director of Winegrowers of Napa County from 2002 to 2010. Dommen was Senior Consultant for the California State Assembly Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry from 2000 to 2002. She was California Sales Manager for Ravenswood Winery from 1997 to 1999. Dommen was a Sales and Marketing Assistant for Chateau Montelena Winery from 1995 to 1996. She was Retail Sales Manager for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars from 1994 to 1995. Dommen was a Wine Sales Consultant for Winewrights from 1991 to 1993. She is Chair of WineAmerica and a board member of the Wine Institute, the Napa Chamber of Commerce and the Northern California Chapter Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Dommen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Biola University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Golden Gate University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Dommen is a Democrat.
James “Jay” Epstein, of Ukiah, has been appointed to the 12th District Agricultural Association, Redwood Empire Fair Board of Directors. Epstein has been President of Jay Epstein Insurance Agency Inc., a State Farm Agency, since 2010. He was Agency Intern for State Farm Insurance from 2008 to 2010. Epstein was Co-Founder and Vice President of JL Epstein Inc. dba Leap Lending from 2001 to 2008. He was Vice President of Business Development for the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce in 2008. Epstein was Business Development Manager for Xetus Corporation in 2008. He was Area Sales Manager for Pinnacle Financial from 2005 to 2007. Epstein was Regional Sales Manager for First Source Funding Group from 2004 to 2005. Epstein served at the rank of E-5 in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 1994. He is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Epstein earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. He is a Democrat.
Collin Greene, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the 19th District Agricultural Association, Santa Barbara Fair and Exposition Board of Directors. Greene has been Chief Financial Officer at ShipHawk since 2017. He was Vice President of Impact Telecom from 2014 to 2017. Greene was Global Finance & Operations Controller at QAD from 2010 to 2014. He was Controller at TMC Communications from 2007 to 2010. Greene earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business from California Lutheran University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. He is a Democrat.
James Hill, of Alpine, has been appointed Warden of Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, where he has been Acting Warden since 2022. Hill served as Warden of the California Institution for Men from 2021 to 2022. He held several positions at Centinela State Prison from 2002 to 2021, including Chief Deputy Warden, Correctional Administrator, Correctional Captain, Correctional Lieutenant, Correctional Sergeant and Correctional Officer. Hill was a Correctional Administrator at Calipatria State Prison in 2018. He was a Correctional Captain at the California Institution for Women from 2014 to 2016. Hill was Vice President of Smallwood Enterprises from 2012 to 2014. He was a Correctional Officer at Salinas Valley State Prison from 2000 to 2002. Hill served in the U.S. Navy from 1992 to 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,332. Hill is a Republican.
Kevin Hixon, of Springville, has been appointed Warden of North Kern State Prison, where he has been Acting Warden since 2022 and has served in several positions since 2016, including Chief Deputy Administrator, Acting Chief Deputy Administrator and Correctional Administrator. Hixon was a Captain at Kern Valley State Prison from 2013 to 2016. He was a Correctional Lieutenant at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison from 2008 to 2013 and a Correctional Sergeant there from 2005 to 2008. Hixon was a Correctional Officer at Deuel Vocational Institution from 2000 to 2002 and at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2002 to 2005. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $175,332. Hixon is a Republican.
M. Scott Lillibridge, of Rocklin, has been reappointed to the California Commission on Disability Access, where he has served since 2018. Lillibridge has been Associate Principal/Assistant Vice President at RICK Engineering Company since 2016. He was Senior Forward Planner at KB Home from 2015 to 2016. Lillibridge was a Land Development Manager at K. Hovnanian Homes from 2013 to 2015. He was Project manager at Marques Pipeline from 2012 to 2013. Lillibridge was a Full Partner at C&L Development Solutions Inc. from 2009 to 2012. He was Land Development Manager at Pardee Homes from 2001 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2009. Lillibridge was Project Manager at KB Home from 2003 to 2004, at Kimley-Horn and Associates from 1999 to 2001 and at RICK Engineering Company from 1990 to 1999. Lillibridge is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies, American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, Urban Land Institute, and Rotary International. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lillibridge is a Republican.
Sydney Tanimoto, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Deputy Director of Program Operations in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has been Chief of the Office of Legislative Affairs since 2021. Tanimoto was a Principal Program Budget Analyst III at the California Department of Finance from 2019 to 2021 and a Finance Budget Analyst there from 2016 to 2019. She was a Staff Services Analyst at the California Department of Social Services from 2015 to 2016. Tanimoto was a Mental Health Services Act Graduate Intern for the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Behavioral Health from 2014 to 2015. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies and Political Science from California State University, Long Beach and a Master of Public Policy degree in Social Policy from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $166,008. Tanimoto is a Democrat.
Eddie Vegaalban, of Rocklin, has been appointed to the 20th District Agricultural Association, Gold Country Fair Board of Directors. Vegaalban has been a Security Consultant at 3D Visions since 2000. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education/Pre-Physical Therapy from California State University, Chico. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Vegaalban is a Republican.
Ryan Youtsey, of Dixon, has been appointed Chief Deputy of Offender Investigations and Screening Division, Board of Parole Hearings at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has been a Senior Investigator since 2023. Youtsey held several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Parole Operations from 2007 to 2023, including Parole Administrator, Parole Agent III, Parole Agent II and Parole Agent I. He held several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Adult Institutions from 2013 to 2015, including Parole Agent II Specialist, Correctional Counselor I and Correctional Officer. Youtsey was a Youth Correctional Counselor at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Justice from 2005 to 2007. He is a member of the Chicano Correctional Workers Association. Youtsey earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Sacramento State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $160,152. Youtsey is a Democrat.