Governor Newsom announces appointments 4.29.25

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Kristina “Kris” Thayer, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has been appointed Director of The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Thayer has been Director of the Director of the Integrated Risk Information System Division at the United States Environmental Protection Agency since 2019, where she has held multiple positions since 2017, including Director of the Integrated Risk Information System and Director of the Chemical and Pollution Assessment Division. She held multiple positions at the National Toxicology Program at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences from 2003 to 2017, including Deputy Director of the Division of Analysis, Director of the Office of Health Assessment and Translation, Director of the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, Staff Scientist at the Center for the Evaluation of Risk to Human Reproduction, Deputy Director of the Office of Risk Assessment Research, and Staff Scientist in the Office of Liaison and Scientific Review. Thayer is a member of the Society of Toxicology. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Missouri, Columbia and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Pennsylvania State University, University Park. This position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $217,000. Thayer is a Democrat.

Jason D. Johnson, of Redlands, has been appointed Undersecretary of Operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Johnson has been Acting Undersecretary of Operations since 2024 at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has held several positions since 2006, including Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations, Chief Deputy Regional Administrator, Parole Administrator I, Parole Agent III Supervisor, Parole Agent II Supervisor, and Parole Agent I. Johnson was a Probation Officer II at San Bernardino County Probation Department from 2001 to 2006. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs’ Association, the Orange County Chiefs’ and Sherriffs’ Association, and the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Johnson earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Redlands and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $239,796. Johnson is a Democrat.

Joshua Prudhel, of Ceres, has been appointed Warden of Sierra Conservation Center, where he has been serving as Acting Warden since 2024. Prudhel was Chief Deputy Administrator at California State Prison, Sacramento from 2022 to 2024. He was a Correctional Administrator at California State Prison, Corcoran in 2022. Prudhel was Acting Chief Deputy Administrator at Correctional Training Facility from 2021 to 2022. He was a Correctional Administration at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2020 to 2021. Prudhel was Captain at California Health Care Facility from 2016 to 2020, where he was previously a Correctional Lieutenant from 2014 to 2016. He was a Correctional Lieutenant at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2011 to 2014, where he was previously a Correctional Sergeant from 2008 to 2011. Prudhel was a Correctional Sergeant at Deuel Vocational Institution from 2007 to 2008, and at Correctional Training Facility from 2005 to 2007. He was a Correctional Officer at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center from 2003 to 2005, and at Richard A. Mcgee Correctional Training Center from 2002 to 2003. Prudhel is a member of the California Correctional Supervisors Organization. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $193,524. Prudhel is a Republican.

Megan Mekelburg, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Secretary for Legislation at the California Natural Resources Agency. Mekelburg has been Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2024. She was Senior Associate at Environmental & Energy Consulting from 2023 to 2024. Mekelburg was Legislative Director in the Office of Senator Aisha Wahab in the California State Senate in 2023. She held multiple roles in the Office of Senator Josh Newman in the California State Senate from 2021 to 2023, including Legislative Director and Acting Chief of Staff. Mekelburg held multiple roles in the Office of Senator Henry Stern in the California State Senate from 2019 to 2021, including Legislative Aide and Executive Assistant. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Public Policy and Administration from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $160,008. Mekelburg is a Democrat.

Matthew Sage, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed Commander of the State Threat Assessment Center at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Sage has been the Deputy Commander of Intel/Analysis at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services since 2023. He was an Account Executive at Echo Analytics Group from 2021 to 2022. He was a Supervisory Intelligence Specialist at the Department of the Army from 2015 to 2021. Sage was an Operations and Integrations Officer at Dyncorp International from 2012 to 2015. He was a Staff Officer at Sytera LLC. from 2011 to 2012. Sage was an Atmospherics Manager at AECOM/McNeill Technologies in 2011. He served as rank E-5 in the United States Army from 2006 to 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $161,062. Sage is registered without party preference.

Davina Hurt, of Belmont, has been appointed to the California Water Commission. Hurt has been the California Climate Policy Director at Pacific Environment since 2025. She was an Attorney/Civic Advocate at Davina Hurt Esq. from 2005 to 2024. Hurt held multiple positions with the City of Belmont from 2015 to 2024, including Mayor, Vice Mayor, and City Councilmember. She was a Campaign Manager at the Democratic Volunteer Center from 2014 to 2015. Hurt was a Securities Case Assistant at Heller Ehrman White and McAuliffe LLP from 2004 to 2005. She was a Senior Counsel and Civic Advocate at Tyson and Mendes LLP in 2004. Hurt was a Law Clerk at Bay Area Legal Aid from 2002 to 2004. She was a Law Clerk at the United States District Court for Northern District of California from 2002 to 2003. Hurt was a Summer Associate at Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach LLP in 2002. She earned a Juris Doctor Degree from Santa Clara University School of Law and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in History and Political Science from Baylor University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and compensation is $100 per diem. Hurt is a Democrat.

Peter Stern, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board. Stern has been Chief Revenue Officer at Skedulo and an Advisor at Berkeley SkyDeck since 2025. He held several roles at Authorium from 2024 to 2025, including Advisor and Executive Vice President. He was the Co-Founder of VoiceBrain from 2021 to 2023. He was a Commissioner at California State Lottery Commission from 2019 to 2022. He held several positions at Inxeption from 2017 to 2021, including Executive Vice President of Business Operations and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. Stern was the Airport Commissioner at the San Francisco International Airport from 2010 to 2019. He was Chief Revenue Officer at Skedulo from 2015 to 2017. Stern was the Chief Revenue Officer at Autopilot from 2013 to 2015. Stern was the Vice President of Sales at Kenandy, Inc. from 2011 to 2013. He held numerous positions at Salesforce from 2007 to 2011, including Vice President of Enterprise Corporate Sales and Corporate Sales Manager. Stern was Regional Manager at Oracle from 2005 to 2007. He was an Account Executive at Macromedia from 2002 to 2004. Stern was an Account Executive at Oracle from 2000 to 2000. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Stern is registered without party preference.

Dyan Whyte, of Berkeley, has been appointed to the California State Mining and Geology Board. Whyte has been the Chief Financial Officer at Dataway US since 2019. She held multiple positions at the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region from 1988 to 1999, including Assistant Executive Officer and Senior Engineering Geologist. Whyte earned a Master of Science degree in Environmental Geology from University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies and Geology from California State University, Sonoma. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Whyte is a Democrat.