Governor Newsom Announces Appointments 12.13.24

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Corrin Buchanan, of El Cerrito, has been appointed Undersecretary at the Health and Human Services Agency. Buchanan has been Deputy Secretary for Policy and Strategic Planning at the Health and Human Services Agency since 2021. She was Assistant Director for Housing and Homelessness at the Department of Social Services from 2020 to 2021. Buchanan held several roles at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services from 2016 to 2020, including Deputy Director and Housing Director for the Office of Diversion and Reentry and Program Manager for Housing for Health. She was a Health Program Planner at the San Francisco Department of Public Health from 2012 to 2013. Buchanan was Community Services Manager and Community Programs Director at the San Francisco Women’s Building from 2007 to 2010. She earned a Master of Public Policy degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Developmental Studies from University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $223,584. Buchanan is a Democrat.

Pete Cervinka, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the Department of Developmental Services. Cervinka has been Acting Director at the Department of Developmental Services since 2024, where he has been Chief Deputy Director of Data Analytics and Strategy since 2021. He held several roles at the Department of Social Services from 2009 to 2020, including Chief Operating Officer, Chief Deputy Director for Benefits and Services and Program Deputy Director for Benefits and Services. Cervinka held multiple roles at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2007 to 2009, including Assistant Secretary in the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs and Assistant Associate Secretary in the Office of Legislation. He held multiple roles at the California Department of Finance from 1998 to 2000 and 2002 to 2007, including Assistant Program Budget Manager, Principal Program Budget Manager and Finance Budget Analyst. Cervinka was a Staff Services Manager at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2000 to 2002. He earned a Master of Science degree in agricultural and resource economics from the University of California, Davis. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $224,400. Cervinka is a Democrat.
 
JaRita B. Pichon, of Rocklin, has been appointed Chief Equity Officer, Service Access and Equity at the Department of Developmental Services. Pichon has been a Manager for the Healing, Equity for All, Anti-Racism, and Trauma-responsive Transformation (HEART) Section at the Department of Public Health since 2024, where she has held several roles since 2018, including Health Equity Liaison at the Center for Family Health and Health Equity Strategist and Lead of the COVID-19 Guidance & Policy Unit. She was a Research Program Specialist at the Department of Social Services from 2014 to 2018. Pichon was a Senior Evaluation Coordinator for School Health at the Louisiana Public Health Institute from 2010 to 2014. She is President of the Board of Directors of Sharing Parents of Sacramento, a Fellow of the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program, member of the American Public Health Association, and member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  Pichon earned a Master of Public Health degree in Health Education and Communication from Tulane University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $151,548. Pichon is a Democrat.

Gena Jones, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed Director of the Division of Adult Institutions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Jones has been Warden of the California Health Care Facility since 2023, where she was previously Acting Warden from 2022 to 2023. She held several positions at California State Prison, Sacramento from 2014 to 2022, including Chief Deputy Warden, Correctional Administrator, and Facility Captain. Jones held several positions at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2009 to 2014, including Correctional Captain, Correctional Counselor II Supervisor, and Correctional Counselor I. She held several positions at California State Prison, Solano from 1997 to 2009, including Correctional Counselor I and Correctional Officer. Jones earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from California State University, Sacramento. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $224,028. Jones is a Democrat.

Bryan D. Phillips, of San Luis Obispo, has been appointed Associate Director, High Security Males at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Phillips has been Warden of Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison since 2024, where he was previously Acting Warden from 2022 to 2024. He was Chief Deputy Warden at California Men’s Colony in 2022, where he held several positions since 2008, including Associate Warden, Captain of Adult Institutions, Correctional Counselor II Specialist, Correctional Lieutenant, and Correctional Sergeant. Phillips was Associate Warden and Acting Chief Deputy Warden at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in 2020. He was Correctional Sergeant at California Correctional Institution from 2004 to 2008, and was a Correctional Officer at Avenal State Prison and California Correctional Institution from 1996 to 2004. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $203,196. Phillips is a Republican.
 
James Harden, of Camino, has been appointed Chief of the Office of Correctional Safety at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has been Special Agent in Charge since 2022, and held several positions since 2015, including Senior Special Agent and Special Agent. Harden held several positions at Kern Valley State Prison from 2005 to 2015, including Correctional Lieutenant, Captain, and Correctional Sergeant. He was a Correctional Officer at Wasco State Prison from 2004 to 2005, and at Correctional Training Facility from 2002 to 2004. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $193,776. Harden is a Republican.

Chance Andes, of Elk Grove, has been appointed Warden of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, where he has been serving as Acting Warden since 2024. Andes was Associate Warden of California State Prison, Sacramento from 2022 to 2024. He was a Captain at Mule Creek State Prison from 2021 to 2022, Deuel Vocational Institution from 2020 to 2021, and at California Medical Facility from 2019 to 2020. Andes was a Correctional Lieutenant at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2017 to 2019, California Correctional Center from 2014 to 2017, and at Sierra Conservation Center in 2014. He was a Correctional Sergeant at California State Prison, Sacramento from 2010 to 2013. Andes was a Correctional Sergeant at Correctional Training Facility from 2008 to 2019 and a Correctional Officer from 2003 to 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $193,524. Andes is registered without party preference.
 
Travis Pennington, of Calimesa, has been appointed Warden of California Institution for Men, where he has been Acting Warden since 2023 and held several positions from 2001 to 2023, including Correctional Administrator, Correctional Counselor II Supervisor, Correctional Counselor III, Correctional Counselor I, and Correctional Sergeant. Pennington was a Captain at California Rehabilitation Center from 2014 to 2019. He was a Correctional Officer at Ironwood State Prison from 1996 to 2001. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $193,524. Pennington is a Republican.