Governor Newsom announces appointments 1.30.25

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Jacqueline Yannacci, of Folsom, has been appointed Executive Director of California Volunteers in the Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement, where she has been Chief Program Officer since 2020. Yannacci was a Consultant at Jacy Consulting from 2018 to 2020. She held several positions at American Red Cross from 2006 to 2018, including Director of Community Mobilization and Partnerships, Program Manager for Community Resilience, Program Manager for Behavioral Health, and Officer of Mental Health. Yannacci was Program Manager for Knowledge Management at NRI, Inc., from 2005 to 2006, where she was previously Research Associate from 2003 to 2005. She was a Research Associate at Drug Strategies from 1993 to 2003. Yannacci earned a Master of Public Policy degree from American University, and Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Science and Psychology from Pennsylvania State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $186,792. Yannacci is a Democrat.

Leticia Palamidessi, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, where she has been a Supervising Communications Officer since and Lead Communications Officer to the Executive Director at the California Strategic Growth Council since 2024. From 2020 to 2024, Palamidessi was an Executive Marketing Specialist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and prior to that she was an Information Officer for the California Department of Water Resources where she led outreach for the Climate Change Program, Division of Environmental Services, and Division of Engineering. Prior to state service, Palamidessi spent more than a decade elevating community voices and highlighting issues impacting Californians as a member of the media at various new organizations throughout Northern California – including being a General Assignment Reporter and Traffic Anchor for KCRA Channel 3 from 2017 to 2020. She is a California native and product of the state’s junior college and CSU systems, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $141,420. Palamidessi is registered without party preference.

Carol Dahmen-Eckery, of Carmichael, has been appointed Chief of Strategic Communications at the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Dahmen-Eckery has been Chief Executive Officer of CDE Strategies since 2023. She was Senior Political Manager at Effectv from 2005 to 2022. Dahmen-Eckery was Communications Director at the California Secretary of State’s Office from 2004 to 2005. She was Deputy Communications Director in the Office of Governor Davis from 1999 to 2003. Dahmen-Eckery was Deputy Director of Advance for Gray Davis for Governor from 1998 to 2002. She is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants Board of Directors. Dahmen-Eckery earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Government from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $170,004. Dahmen-Eckery is a Democrat.

Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola has been a Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine and Founder and Director at the Center of Reducing Health Disparities at University of California, Davis School of Medicine since 2005, and Director of the Community Engagement Program at the Clinical and Translational Science Center since 2006. He was Co-Director at the Latino Aging Research and Resource Center from 2012 to 2016. Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola was a Professor of Psychology at California State University, Fresno from 1990 to 2005. He is a member of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Mental Well-Being. Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical-Community Psychology from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Science degree in Psychology from Vanderbilt University, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Autonomous University of Guadalajara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola is a Democrat.

Tam Ma, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Ma has been Associate Vice President for Health Policy and Regulatory Affairs at the University of California Office of the President since 2022. She was a Deputy Legislative Secretary at the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom from 2019 to 2022. Ma was a Lecturer at the University of California, Davis School of Law in 2022. She was an Assistant Secretary at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2018 to 2019. Ma was Legal and Policy Director at Health Access California from 2015 to 2018. She was a Principal Consultant for the Office of Senator Mark Leno at the California State Senate from 2013 to 2015. Ma was a Lecturer at University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 2014. She was an Attorney at Legal Services of Northern California from 2011 to 2013. Ma was a California Senate Fellow and Policy Consultant for the Office of Senator Sheila Kuehl at the California State Senate from 2002 to 2008. She is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Law Alumni Association. She earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Ma is a Democrat.
 
Amy Moy, of Portola Valley, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Moy has been Co-Chief Executive Officer at Essential Access Health since 2022, where she was previously Chief External Affairs Officer from 2019 to 2022 and Vice President of Public Affairs from 2011 to 2019. She was a Public Affairs and Community Engagement Strategist for the Women’s Funding Network from 2009 to 2011. Moy was Associate Vice President of Public Affairs at the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate from 2003 to 2009 and Director of the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate Action Fund from 2004 to 2009. She held several roles at Planned Parenthood of New York City from 1999 to 2003, including Director of Community Affairs, Grassroots Manager, and Media Relations Associate. Moy is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Planning Councils of America. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Ithaca College. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Moy is a Democrat.

Kristen Cerf, of Nevada County, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Cerf has been President and Chief Executive Officer at Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan since 2020, where she has held several positions there and at Blue Shield of California since 2016, including Vice President of Medi-Cal Growth Strategy, Chief Legal Officer, and Associate General Counsel. She held several roles at Molina Healthcare from 2010 to 2015, including Associate Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Senior Associate General Counsel and Associate General Counsel. Cerf was an Associate Attorney at Locke Lord LLP from 2007 to 2010. She held several roles at the California Department of Managed Care from 2004 to 2006, including Licensing Counsel, Graduate Legal Assistant and Senior Law Clerk. Cerf is a Board Member of Project Angel Food. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Cerf is a Democrat.

Dr. Irving Ayala-Rodriguez, of Bakersfield, has been appointed to the Protect Access to Health Care Act Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Dr. Ayala-Rodriguez has been Chief Medical Officer with Clinica Sierra Vista since 2022, where he previously served as a Walk-In Clinic Director and Associate Medical Director from 2020 to 2022. He was a Family Medicine Resident at the University of California, Los Angeles from 2016 to 2019. Dr. Ayala-Rodriguez has served on the California Medical Board since 2024. He earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and there is no compensation. Dr. Ayala-Rodriguez is a Democrat.