On Oct. 30, 2026, Gov. announced six appointments to state licensing boards and a health workforce council, the governor’s office said.
Three appointments; Michael Martin of Highland, Thomas Shaffer of Murrieta and Judy Corless of Santa Ana; go to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians; those positions do not require Senate confirmation and pay $100 per diem.
Michael Martin has been Senior Psychiatric Technician at the California Department of Developmental Services since 2022; he previously worked as a Psychiatric Technician at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2020 to 2022 and at Patton State Hospital from 2009 to 2017, and he was Administrator at ResCare from 2017 to 2019. Martin is registered without party preference.
Thomas Shaffer has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Space Mobility since 2026; he has served as Chief Revenue Officer at TruArc Health since 2023 and as Founder and President at Health Campus since 2021, and he previously led New Power Inc. and held private-sector strategy and data roles. Shaffer is registered without party preference.
Judy Corless has been Chief Executive Officer at Venture Education Strategies, Inc. since 2019 and has served as Senior Consultant there since 2011; she consults for the California Association of Colleges of Nursing and is a member of the California Medical Association Alliance. Corless is a Republican.
Diane Gu of Los Angeles was appointed to the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council; she has been Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Kind Shark Inc. since 2024, was Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation from 2022 to 2025, and held multiple roles at UCLA. Gu earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from UCLA and a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultures from the University of Copenhagen. Her council seat does not require Senate confirmation and pays $25 per diem.
Kary "Lynn" Matsuda of Sacramento was appointed to the California State Board of Optometry; she has been Project Manager at JD Thompson & Associates since 2023 and held roles in banking and customer experience, including senior positions at Wells Fargo and Placer Sierra Bank. Matsuda serves on local nonprofit and civic boards; her appointment does not require Senate confirmation and pays $100 per diem. She is a Democrat.
Avygail Sanchez of Los Angeles was appointed to the California State Board of Pharmacy; she has been Senior Vice President in Government Relations at WSP since 2026 and previously held executive roles at Vanir, Mott MacDonald, HNTB and Parsons. Sanchez founded TQM Partners LLC and serves on the Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation Board; her appointment does not require Senate confirmation and pays $100 per diem. She is a Democrat. The governor’s office announced these appointments in a public release and did not list start dates for the appointees.
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 3 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Sources & methodology
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