Governor Newsom announces appointments 3.10.2026

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Leticia Palamidessi, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Communications at California Natural Resources Agency. Palamidessi has been the Deputy Director of Communications at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation since 2025 and Lead Communications Officer at the California Strategic Growth Council since 2024. Palamidessi was Communications Officer at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation from 2024 to 2025. Palamidessi was Marketing Specialist at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2020 to 2024. She was Public Information Specialist in the California Department of Water Resources in 2020. Palamidessi was the General Assignment Reporter and Traffic Anchor at KCRA TV Channel 3 from 2017 to 2020. She was Public Relations and Marketing Manager at Capital West Realty, Inc. from 2014 to 2017. Palamidessi was the General Assignment Reporter for KXTV Channel 10 from 2008 to 2014. She was the News Anchor for Metro Networks of Sacramento from 2006 to 2008. Palamidessi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $152,952. Palamidessi has no party preference.

Genevieve Hoffman, of Berkeley, has been appointed User Experience Designer at the Office of Data and Innovation. Hoffman has been a Data Visualization and Product Design Consultant at Collective Labs since 2023. She was Head of Product Design at Biobot Analytics, Inc., from 2020 to 2023. Hoffman was the Data Visualization Engineer at Topos Inc., from 2018 to 2019. She was a UX Consultant at Twitter, Inc., from 2017 to 2018. Hoffman was the Data Visualization Designer and Developer at The Office for Creative Research from 2015 to 2017. She was a Pier 9 Creative Resident at Autodesk in 2014. Hoffman was the Multimedia Content Developer at InterActiveCorp from 2012 to 2013. She was a Digital Media Department Contractor for the Museum of Modern Art from 2011 to 2012. Hoffman earned a Master of Professional Studies in UX Design from New York University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts from Brown University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $152,028. Hoffman is a Democrat.

David Silva, of Buellton, has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board. Silva has been Mayor of the City of Buellton since 2024 and Senior Director of Development for Annual Giving Programs at the University of California, Santa Barbara since 2024. He was a City Councilmember for the City of Buellton from 2022 to 2024. Silva held multiple roles at the University of California, Santa Barbara from 2015 to 2017, including Director for Development for Annual Giving Programs, Director of Development for Digital Fundraising and Annual Giving, Assistant Director of Development for Digital Fundraising, and Director of Business Development. He held multiple roles at Hilton Worldwide from 2013 to 2014, including Sales Manager and Guest Services Manager. Silva is on the Board of Directors of the of the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Religious Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Silva is a Democrat.

Juan Novello, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Volunteers Commission. Novello has been Vice President of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce since 2020. He was the Chief Operating Officer of the California Latino Economic Institute from 2019 to 2020. Novello was Senior Vice President of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce from 2014 to 2019. He was the Events and Communications Coordinator for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2013 to 2014. Novello is a member of the Association of Latino Professionals for America-Greater Sacramento, the Teach for America-California Capitol Valley Advisory Board, and the City of Sacramento Measure U Community Advisory Commission. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management from California State University, San Diego. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Novello is a Democrat.

Herminia “Minnie” Santillan, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the 52nd District Agricultural Association, Sacramento County Fair Board. Santillan has been Deputy Director of Strategic Member Support in the Office of Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas in the California State Assembly since 2026, Chief Executive Officer of Santillan Strategies since 2018, and Owner of Santillan and Devlin, LLC since 2009. Santillan held multiple roles in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2026, including Chief of Staff for the Office of Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez, Chief of Staff for the Office of Assemblymember Blanca Rubio, Chief of Staff for the Office of Assemblymember Mark Levin, Chief of Staff for the Office of Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, and Chief of Staff for the Office of Assemblymember Henry T. Perea. She is a member of the Fresno State Alumni Association and the National Core Hope for Housing Board of Directors. Santillan earned a Master of Science degree in Legal Studies from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology from California State University, Fresno. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Santillan is a Democrat.

Benito Delgado-Olson, of Oakland, has been reappointed to the Low-Income Oversight Board at the California Public Utilities Commission, where he has been Chair since 2019 and has served since 2015. Delgado-Olson has been Executive Director of SupplyBank.org since 2009 and Chief Executive Officer of SBO Development Company LLC, Oakport.org, since 2020. He is a member of the University of California, Berkeley Cal Alumni Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $400 per diem. Delgado-Olson is a Democrat.