SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments. First, Joseph Bielanski, Jr., 61, of San Francisco, has been reappointed to the California Community College Board of Governors, where he has served since 2011. Bielanski has been a faculty institutional effectiveness coordinator for the Peralta Community College District and an articulation officer at Berkeley City College since 2009.
He was president of the district academic senate for the Peralta Community College District from 2004 to 2009 and president of the academic senate for Berkeley City College from 2005 to 2009, after serving as co-president from 2003 to 2005. He was an articulation officer at Vista Community College from 2000 to 2004. Bielanski received his doctorate in education from Saint Mary’s College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Bielanski is a Democrat.
Lisa Davidson, 47, of Redondo Beach, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Area Board 10. Davidson is a team manager at State Farm Insurance and has worked there since 1987. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Davidson is a Republican.
Brian Leahy, 55, of Sacramento, has been appointed director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Leahy has served as assistant director for the California Department of Conservation since 2006. He was a partner at EcoFacilitation in the Netherlands in 2006, and served as executive director for the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts from 2004 to 2006. He was executive director at the California Certified Organic Farmers from 2000 to 2004. Leahy was owner and operator of Cherokee Ranch Inc. from 1980 to 2003 and also a farm operator for Ackerlund Farm Incorporated from 1992 to 1993. Leahy earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Creighton University School of Law. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,965. Leahy is a Democrat.
April Lopez, 45, of Yorba Linda, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities. Lopez has been the owner of Stadium Chiropractic and Sports Medicine Rehabilitation since 1998. She received her doctorate of chiropractic from the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Lopez is registered decline-to-state.
Tom Quinn, 67, of Marina del Rey, has been appointed to the Milton Marks “Little Hoover” Commission on California State Government and Economy. Quinn has served as president of Americom Broadcasting since 1982, chairman of the Reno Media Group since 1998 and chairman of City News Service, Inc. since 1981. He was a California representative on the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Board of Governors from 1992 to 1995 and served as chairman of the California Air Resources Board from 1975 to 1979. Quinn was the campaign manager for Brown for Governor in 1974. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Quinn is a Democrat.
Donald Saylor, 58, of Davis, has been appointed to the California Commission on State Mandates. Saylor has served as a supervisor for Yolo County since 2011. Saylor was mayor of the City of Davis from 2010 to 2011 and he served on the City Council in the City of Davis from 2004 to 2010, where he was mayor pro tempore from 2008 to 2010. He was a trustee on the Davis Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees from 1995 to 2003. Saylor is chair of the Yolo County First 5 Commission and has served as chair of the Yolo County Children’s Alliance. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Saylor is a Democrat.
Chad Skopp, 42, of Oak Park, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Area Board 9. Skopp has been a composer at Sound Approach Music Publishing since 1998. Skopp is a member of the advisory board of directors at PAUSE4kids. He received his doctorate in music composition from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Skopp is a Democrat.
Sandra Smith, 57, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Area Board 3. Smith has been the office manager at Visiting Angels since 2007. She was a consultant for California Services for Technical Assistance and Training from 2000 to 2011. She served on the Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities from 2004 to 2011. In 2004, Smith was an executive assistant for former Sacramento City Councilmember Lauren Hammond and she was district director for Sacramento City Councilmember Bonnie Pannell from 1998 to 1999. She was a teacher at Merryhill School from 1996 to 1998 and a special education teacher for Grant Joint Union School District from 1992 to 1996. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Smith is a Democrat.
