SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments:
Teresa Bui, 30, of Sacramento, has been appointed special advisor to the director at the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle). Bui has been a legislative and policy analyst at Californians Against Waste since 2008. She was a greenhouse gas assessment consultant for the City of Davis from 2008 to 2014 and a student assistant in the Division of Financial Assistance at the State Water Resources Control Board from 2005 to 2007. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $85,008. Bui is a Democrat.
Steven Cope, 37, of Santa Clarita, has been appointed skilled nursing administrator at the Veterans Home of California, Redding. Cope has been executive director at Brookdale since 2016. He was administrator at Cambridge Health in 2016, nursing home administrator at Sierra Vista Healthcare Center-Aspen Skilled Health from 2014 to 2016 and training executive director and interim nursing home administrator at Golden Living Center, Hillcrest from 2013 to 2014. Cope served as a staff sergeant combat medic in the California Army National Guard from 2007 to 2014. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $105,012. Cope is a Republican.
Matthew Dana, 55, of Nipomo, has been appointed chief counsel at the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Dana has served as a senior legal advisor at the California Military Department since 2015, where he was general counsel from 2012 to 2015. He served in several positions in the California Army National Guard from 1997 to 2012, including general counsel and state staff judge advocate, deputy general counsel and deputy state staff judge advocate, and active guard reserve judge advocate and supervising staff counsel. Dana served as a litigation attorney for the U.S. Army Litigation Division from 1995 to 1997 and as a post judge advocate in the Chief Services Division at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School from 1992 to 1994. He served in several positions for the U.S. Army in Europe from 1989 to 1992, including senior prosecutor, prosecutor and command judge advocate and legal assistance and claims attorney. Dana earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $147,000. Dana is a Republican.
June Iljana, 45, of Rancho Cordova, has been appointed deputy secretary for communications at the California Department of Veterans Affairs, where she has served as an information officer since 2016. She was grant coordinator at the California Emergency Medical Services Authority from 2015 to 2016, where she was deputy director of emergency medical services policy, legislation and external affairs from 2009 to 2013. Iljana was executive director at the California Ambulance Association from 2013 to 2014, assistant associate secretary for external affairs at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2007 to 2009 and print and electronic communication manager at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in 2007. She served as public information officer and legislative coordinator at the California Department of Boating and Waterways from 2004 to 2007, publications coordinator at the California Department of Toxic Substances Control from 2001 to 2004 and publisher and editor at Central Coast Parent Magazine from 1999 to 2001. Iljana was an advertising sales account executive at Raike Publishing from 1995 to 1999 and public affairs section leader at the California Army National Guard from 1989 to 1999. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $113,532. Iljana is registered without party preference.
Ryan Sundberg, 41, of McKinleyville, has been appointed to the California Coastal Commission. Sundberg has served as a member of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors since 2010. He was a tribal council member at the Trinidad Rancheria from 1994 to 2010 and an insurance agent at Farmers Insurance from 2003 to 2010. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sundberg is registered without party preference.