Announcements regarding key staffing changes of importance to California's rural counties.

 

Amy Cordalis, 40, of McKinleyville, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Cordalis, a member of the Yurok Tribe, has been General Counsel for the Yurok Tribe since 2016 and served as a Staff Attorney for the Tribe from 2014 to 2016. She was Staff Attorney at Berkey Williams LLP from 2012 to 2014 and at the Native American Rights Fund from 2007 to 2012. Cordalis is a member of the Klamath River Renewal Corporation Board of Directors. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver College of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cordalis is a Democrat.
 
Kimberly Gallagher, 45, of Davis, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Gallagher has been Farm Operations Manager at Erdman Farms since 2014 and Owner and Operator of Gallagher Farming Company since 2009. She was a Science Teacher for the Davis Unified School District from 2012 to 2014 and an Independent Study Teacher for the Elk Grove Unified School District from 2004 to 2011. Gallagher is a member of the Colusa County Resources Conservation District, Colusa Glenn Subwatershed Program and the California Rice Commission. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Christian leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gallagher is a Democrat.
 
Fern Steiner, 71, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Steiner has been an Attorney at Smith, Steiner, Vanderpool APC since 1987 and a Shareholder there since 1993. She was an Attorney at Richard D. Prochazka APC from 1984 to 1987 and an Attorney at Karmel and Rosenfeld from 1977 to 1984. Steiner is a member of the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors and a trustee for San Diego Youth Services. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Steiner is a Democrat.
 
Lisa Halko, 60, of Davis, has been reappointed Chief Counsel at the Department of Conservation, where she has served in that role since 2017. Halko was an Administrative Law Judge at the California Department of Social Services from 2012 to 2017, Staff Counsel III at the California Prison Health Care Receivership from 2010 to 2012 and Associate and Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP from 2004 to 2010. She was Court Counsel, General Counsel and Court Executive Officer at the Yolo County Superior Court from 1997 to 2003 and a Sole Practitioner from 1994 to 1997. She was an Associate at Livingston & Mattesich Law Corporation from 1990 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $179,820. Halko is a Democrat.
 
Jacob Roper, 39, of Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Director of Communications at the Department of Conservation. Roper has been Assistant Secretary for Communications at the California Government Operations Agency since 2019. He was Public Affairs Director at the California Franchise Tax Board from 2015 to 2019, Communications Director at the State Treasurer’s Office in 2015 and Press Secretary at the State Controller’s Office from 2007 to 2014. He was Communications Specialist at the Board of Equalization from 2004 to 2007, Account Executive at Bicker, Castillo and Fairbanks in 2004 and a Press Aide in the Office of the Governor in 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $125,004. Roper is registered without party preference. 
 
Rizgar Ghazi, 58, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Hazardous Waste Management Program at the Department of Toxic Substances Control, where he has served as Acting Deputy Director of the Hazardous Waste Management Program since 2017. Ghazi has served in several positions at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 2006, including Division Chief, Permitting Division, Permitting Branch Chief and Supervising Hazardous Substances Engineer. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $180,000. Ghazi is a Democrat.
 
Karl Palmer, 60, of Davis, has been appointed Deputy Director of the Safer Products and Workplaces Program at the Department of Toxic Substances Control, where he has served as Acting Deputy Director of the Safer Products and Workplaces Program since 2019. Palmer has served in several positions at the Department of Toxic Substances Control since 1986, including Chief of the Safer Consumer Products Branch, Chief of the Toxics in Products Branch, Chief of the Pollution Prevention Branch, Chief of the Regulatory and Program Development Branch, Chief of the Clandestine Drug Lab Remediation and Emergency Removal Unit, Chief of the Emergency Response Unit and Associate Hazardous Materials Specialist in the Office of Military Facilities, Case Development Unit, Site Evaluation Unit and the Hazardous Waste Management Program. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $169,500. Palmer is a Democrat.      
 
Julie Li, 26, of Sacramento, has been appointed Executive Project Manager at the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Li has served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor since 2019. She was the Assistant to the Chief of Staff during then Governor-Elect Gavin Newsom’s Transition from 2018 to 2019. Li was an Associate at Skelton Strategies from 2016 to 2018 and Public Information and Leisure Services Lead at Union WELL Inc. from 2015 to 2018. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $84,996. Li is a Democrat.