SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. today announced the following appointments: Dr. Willie Armstrong, 36, of Sacramento has been appointed undersecretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency. Armstrong has served as chief of staff for Assemblymember Nora Campos since 2010 and was chief of staff for Assemblymember Anna Caballero from 2007 to 2010. Previously, he served as a legislative consultant for Assemblymember Laura Richardson in 2007 and as a legislative assistant for Assemblymember Gene Mullin from 2003 to 2007. Armstrong also served as a district field representative for Assemblymember Darrell Steinberg in 2003. He served as a transportation specialist in the United States Air Force from 1993 to 2003. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the salary is $120,000. Armstrong is a Democrat.
Christopher Cabaldon, 45, of West Sacramento, has been appointed to serve on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Cabaldon has been a principal at Capitol Impact, LLC since 2009. Cabaldon was the president and chief executive officer of EdVoice from 2003 to 2008. He served as a vice chancellor for the California Community Colleges from 1998 to 2003. Cabaldon was chief of staff for the California State Assembly Committee on Higher Education from 1989 to 1997. Cabaldon has been the mayor of West Sacramento since 1998, and he is the vice chair for education at the U .S. Conference of Mayors. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Cabaldon is a Democrat.
Dr. Dianne Harrison, 60, of Monterey Bay, has been appointed to serve on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Harrison is president of California State University, Monterey Bay, where she has served since 2006. At Florida State University, she was the vice president for academic quality and external programs from 2005 to 2006, associate vice president of academic affairs from 2000 to 2005, dean of graduate studies from 2001 to 2005, dean of the School of Social Work from 1994 to 2000 and she served in a variety of professorial roles from 1976 to 2006 . This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Harrison is a Democrat.
Dr. Michael Kirst, 71, of Stanford, has been appointed to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. He currently serves as president of the State Board of Education and as professor emeritus at Stanford University, where he has taught since 1969. Previously, Kirst served on the California State Board of Education under Governor Brown from 1975 to 1982. Kirst also served as the director of program planning for the U.S. Office of Education and was staff director for the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Manpower, Employment, and Poverty from 1967 to 1969. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kirst is a Democrat.
Fred Klass, 58, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed director of the Department of General Services. Klass is the chief operating officer for the Department of Finance, a position he has held since 2007. Previously, Klass served as the program budget manager for the Department of Finance from 1988 to 2007. He was appointed to serve as vice chancellor for governmental relations for the California Community Colleges from 1984 to 1988. Klass was a consultant to the California Senate Budget Committee from 1983 to 1984. He also served as a budget analyst from 1981 to 1983 at the Department of Finance. Previously, he was a staff analyst on the Little Hoover Commission from 1977 to 1981. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $159,300. Klass is registered decline-to-state.
