Governor Gavin Newsom announces appointments 3.17.2026

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Thomas Boon, of Fair Oaks, has been appointed Director of the Division of Enterprise Information Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Boon has been Chief Information Officer at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development since 2013. He was an Enterprise Technical Architect at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2002 to 2013. Boon was a Software Engineer at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection from 2001 to 2002. He was an Associate Programmer Analyst at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 1997 to 2001. Boon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of San Diego. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $214,968. Boon is a Democrat.

Lindy Harrington, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Deputy Director for Policy and Program Support at the California Department of Health Care Services. Harrington has been Assistant State Medicaid Director at the California Department of Health Care Services since 2023, where she has held several positions since 2007, including Deputy Director of Health Care Financing, Deputy Director of Administration, Acting Chief and Acting Assistant Chief for Fiscal Forecasting, and Chief of the Financial Management Branch. She was Acting Budget Officer at the California Department of Public Health in 2007. Harrington held several positions at the California Department of Health Services from 2000 to 2007, including Staff Services Manager in the Budget Office, Staff Service Analyst and Associate Governmental Program Analyst. Harrington earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Communication Studies from California State University, Sacramento. This position does require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $222,480. Harrington is a Democrat.

Cynthia "Cindy" Mendonza, of El Dorado Hills, has been appointed Chief Deputy Executive Director at the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank. Mendonza has been Deputy Director of Fiscal Services at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2024, where she was previously Chief of Legislative Affairs, Administration in 2024. She held several roles at the California Department of Finance from 2016 to 2024, including Principal Program Budget Analyst, Staff Finance Budget Analyst and Finance Budget Analyst. Mendonza was the Chief of Marketing and Regulatory Compliance at the California Prison Industry Authority from 2020 to 2021, where she was Chief of Budget and Financial Planning from 2018 to 2020. She held several roles at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2012 to 2016, including Staff Services Manager, Health Program Specialist I, and Associate Governmental Program Analyst. Mendonza earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, San Jose, a Master of Science degree in Psychology from California State University, Stanislaus, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Saint Mary's College of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $187,380. Mendonza is registered without party preference.

Jessica Russell, of Davis, has been appointed Labor Relations Officer at the California Department of Human Resources. Russell has been a Labor Relations Manager at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2023, where she has held several roles since 2016, including Labor Relations Specialist and Labor Relations Analyst. She was a Staff Services Analyst in the Labor Relations Office at the Franchise Tax Board from 2013 to 2016. Russell earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Security and Conflict Resolution from San Diego State University. This position does not require Senate Confirmation and the compensation is $141,144. Russell is a Democrat.