Governor Gavin Newsom has tapped the Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth to serve as adviser on the Administration’s water priorities. She will also be tasked with implementing the Administration’s water projects to achieve the Governor’s water supply strategy which includes modernizing California’s water conveyance infrastructure, executing Agreements to Support Healthy Rivers and Landscapes, and stabilizing Colorado River supplies.
Karla NemethThe governor also made the following appointments.
Thomas Gibson has been appointed chief deputy director at the California Department of Water Resources. He previously served as the chief counsel since 2021. Before that, he worked at the California Natural Resources Agency where he held multiple roles including deputy secretary, special counsel for water, undersecretary and general counsel.
Ann Carroll has been elevated to chief counsel at the California Department of Water Resources. She previously was the deputy general counsel.
Gayle Miller has been asked to sit on the Delta Stewardship Council. Miller has been senior counselor on infrastructure and clean energy finance for the Governor since 2022 and was the chief deputy director of policy at the California Department of Finance since 2019.
Daniel Zingale has been reappointed to the Delta Stewardship Council, where he has served since 2020.
Jamie Callahan has been tapped as the senior counselor on infrastructure in the Office of the Governor. She also serves as the deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Governor. She previously was the chief of staff and policy adviser to the chair for the California Air Resources Board.
Bobby Chacko, Groupe Bonduelle Fresh AmericasMichele Perrault has been appointed chief deputy director of policy at the California Department of Finance, where she has served as deputy director of legislation since 2022.
Bobby Chacko has been appointed CEO of Groupe Bonduelle Fresh Americas, succeeding Andrea Montagna, who has stepped down after serving as the company’s CEO since 2021. Chacko will also serve as a member of the Global Executive Committee. He most recently was the managing partner at Ageya Management. He has also previously held leadership roles with the TruRoots Company, Ocean Spray Cranberries, and Mars.
Claudia Larson has been tapped as the new president and CEO of the Edible Oil Producers Association. She previously worked for the National Milk Producers Federation, where she most recently was the senior director of government relations and head of nutrition policy. Before that, she was the communications director for Rep. Jim Costa, D-Calif. She will replace Kailee Tkacz Buller, who recently accepted the new role of president and CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association after three years with EOPA.
It’s easy to be “in the know” about what’s happening in Washington, D.C. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news! Simply click here.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge is leaving the Biden administration on March 22, when she will retire from public service and head back to Ohio. Fudge was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 in a special election and resigned in 2021 when she took on her current role. During that time she sat on the House Agriculture Committee and was a strong supporter of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The White House has appointed Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman as the acting HUD secretary following Fudge’s departure.
The American Seed Trade Association has promoted Pat Miller to senior director of special projects and Jordan Gregory to director of state government affairs. Miller has been with ASTA since 2007 and has led the organization’s state government affairs portfolio and ASTA’s Seed Advocate program. Gregory joined ASTA in 2021 after working for the Texas Department of Agriculture as a policy specialist. She most recently was ASTA’s manager of membership engagement.
Randi Hutchinson has left USDA, where she was the chief of staff for the Rural Utilities Service. She has returned to Greenberg Traurig, where she is counsel for its federal government, law and policy practice.
Eric Jones has moved to the office of Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., to be the new deputy communications director. He previously worked for Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., as his press secretary and digital director.
Megan Schnell now works for Corteva Agriscience as the North America regional strategic planning manager. She previously worked for Accenture as a tech innovation strategy consultant.
Saydee Longhurst is the new state office programs facilitator at the National FFA Organization. She is a graduate research and teaching assistant at Utah State University.
The National Farmers Union has wrapped up its national convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, and reelected its slate of officers. Rob Larew will serve another term as president, and Jeff Kippley was reelected as vice president.
Leighton Dill has been hired as the marketing manager for Family Tree Farms. The California native attended Oklahoma State University where she received a degree in agribusiness. She previously was a research analyst for the Oklahoma Wheat Program.
