Ana Matosantos, 46, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the State Personnel Board. From 2019 until 2022, Matosantos served as Cabinet Secretary in the office of Governor Gavin Newsom.
She served as the president of Matosantos Consulting from 2013 and 2018 before joining the Newsom transition team in 2018. Matosantos served as the Director of the California Department of Finance from 2009 to 2013, as well as the Chief Deputy Director for Budgets from 2008 to 2009.
From 2007 to 2008, she held the position of Deputy Legislative Secretary for Health and Human Services and Veteran Affairs in the office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She held many roles at the California Health and Human Services Agency between 2004 and 2007, including Assistant Secretary for Programs and Fiscal Affairs and Associate Secretary for Legislative Affairs.
From 2002 to 2004, Matosantos served as Human Services Consultant for the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review. From 2000 to 2002, she worked as a Consultant for the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.
From 1999 to 2000, Matosantos was a California Senate Fellow. She serves on the Board of Regents at the University of California. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $54,114.
Matosantos is a Democrat.
Melinda McRae, 58, of Cypress, has been named Assistant Deputy Director of the State Department of Public Health’s Office of Communications. Since 2016, McRae has held the position of acting division chief in the Office of Public Affairs at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.
From 2013 to 2016, she held the position of Assistant Director of Communications in the Office of Public Affairs at the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. From 2009 until 2013, McRae was the Chief of Social Marketing for the Media Unit at the California Department of Public Health.
From 1998 through 2008, she was as vice president at FleishmanHillard International Communications. The compensation for this job, which does not need Senate confirmation, is $125,304.
McRae is registered without a political preference.
Hanna Azemati, 37, of Oakland, has been named Deputy Director of the Department of Social Services’ Housing and Homelessness Division.
Since 2021, Azemati has served as Senior Advisor at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Performance Lab, where she previously held multiple roles, including Program Director, Assistant Director, and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Innovation Fellow, between 2012 and 2019.
From 2019 to 2021, she served as Senior Advisor for Human Services Policy in the New York City Mayor’s Office. From 2014 to 2015, Azemati was the Director of Social Innovation Financing at the New York State Governor’s Office.
From 2009 to 2010, she held the position of Fellow at Kiva Microfunds. From 2007 through 2009, Azemati was a Financial Analyst at Citigroup. Yale University awarded her a Master of Arts in International Relations. This post is compensated with $171,476 and does not need Senate confirmation.
Azemati is a Democrat.