Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:

C. David Johnson Jr., 33, of Sacramento, has been appointed legislative director at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. Johnson has served as legislative director in the Office of California State Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas since 2014. He was deputy legislative counsel in the Office of Legislative Counsel from 2011 to 2014, a capital fellow in the Office of California State Assemblymember Steven Bradford from 2010 to 2011 and a student legal intern at Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co. Ltd. in 2010. Johnson was a law student counselor at the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic in 2009 and a summer associate at Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher LLP in 2009 and at Squire, Sanders and Dempsey LLP in 2008. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Master of Arts degree in government and politics from St. John’s University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $102,000. Johnson is a Democrat.

Diana Auyeung-Kim, 44, of Huntington Beach, has been reappointed to the California Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee, where she has served since 2015. Auyeung-Kim has been director for toxicology and nonclinical and translational sciences study support at Allergan plc. since 2015, where she was principal scientist and senior manager from 2010 to 2014. She held several positions at Charles River Laboratories Inc. from 2002 to 2010, including program associate for developmental and reproductive toxicology, associate director of research, senior research scientist and research scientist. Auyeung-Kim was a human health risk assessor and assistant project manager at Tetra Tech EM Inc. from 1993 to 2000 and a certified pharmacy technician at Sutter General Hospital and Mercy General Hospital from 1989 to 1992. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology and a member of the Teratology Society, Society of Toxicology and the American College of Toxicology. Auyeung-Kim earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in pharmacology and toxicology from the Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Auyeung-Kim is a Democrat.

Isaac Pessah, 61, of Davis, has been reappointed to the California Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee, where he has served since 2012. Pessah has been chair at the University of California, Davis Department of Molecular Biosciences since 2006, where he has served in several positions since 1987, including professor, associate professor and assistant professor. He was a research specialist at the University of California, Berkeley from 1984 to 1987. Pessah is a member of the American Chemical Society, Society of Toxicology, Biophysical Society and the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. He earned Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees in toxicology from the University of Maryland. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Pessah is a Democrat.

Rebeca Aguirre, 43, of Torrance, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where she has served since 2014. Aguirre has been a volunteer for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books and a poll worker for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder since 2012. She was a claims representative for the U.S. Social Security Administration from 2010 to 2011 and a disability program navigator for the City of Hawthorne at the South Bay Workforce Investment Board from 2003 to 2010. Aguirre is a member of the Achievable Foundation and Communities Actively Living Independent and Free. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Aguirre is a Democrat.

Nancy Bargmann, 55, of Long Beach, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where she has served since 2016. Bargmann has been director at the California Department of Developmental Services since 2016. She was associate executive director at the San Gabriel-Pomona Regional Center from 2015 to 2016 and deputy director of the California Department of Developmental Services’ Community Services Division from 2012 to 2015. Bargmann held several positions at Home Ownership for Personal Empowerment Inc. from 2009 to 2012, including executive director and business consultant and held several positions at the MENTOR Network from 1998 to 2009, including vice president of operations, vice president of business development and California state director. She held several positions at the Inland Regional Center from 1985 to 1998, including community services director, resource manager, adult services program manager and consumer services coordinator. Bargmann earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Pepperdine University School of Business and Management and a Master of Science degree in social work from San Diego State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bargmann is a Republican.

Dawn Leverett, 43, of Yuba City, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where she has served since 2014. Leverett has been a senior vocational rehabilitation counselor, qualified rehabilitation professional at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 2008. She was a lecturer at California State University, Chico from 2008 to 2009 and a disabled student programs and services counselor intern at Yuba Community College in 2007. Leverett was an independent contractor at Volt Information Sciences from 2003 to 2004. She is a member of the California Career Development Association, where she was legislative and public policy chair from 2013 to 2016. Leverett is a member of the National Council on Independent Living and the National Career Development Association. She earned a Master of Science degree in counseling from California State University, Sacramento and a Master of Science degree in education from National University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Leverett is a Democrat.

Linda Schaedle, 63, of Paso Robles, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where she has served since 2013. Schaedle has been a human resources analyst and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator at California State University, Monterey Bay since 2012. She was an employment disability consultant at California State University, San Diego from 2011 to 2012 and a disability program navigator at Shoreline Workforce Development Services and the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network from 2005 to 2011. She served in several positions at the Bank of America Human Resources Center, Pasadena from 1994 to 2002, including Americans with Disabilities Act case manager, human resources specialist and analyst. Schaedle was a freelance graphic designer from 1987 to 1993. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Schaedle is a Democrat.

Jimmie Soto, 44, of Bakersfield, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where he has served since 2013. Soto has been executive director at the Independent Living Center of Kern County since 2011. He was director of program services at Resources for Independence Central Valley from 2001 to 2010. Soto earned a Master of Arts degree in education administration and supervision from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Soto is a Democrat.

Joe Xavier, 57, of Elk Grove, has been reappointed to the California State Independent Living Council, where he has served since 2014. Xavier has been director at the California Department of Rehabilitation since 2014, where he has held several positions since 1998, including deputy director of the Specialized Services Division and of the Independent Living and External Affairs Division. He was owner and operator at Snack N Things from 1996 to 1998, at Skyline Food Services from 1986 to 1996 and at the Gold Star Café from 1984 to 1986. Xavier is a member of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Association of California State Employees with Disabilities. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Xavier is registered without party preference.