Governor on Oct. 13, 2026, appointed Elizabeth “Liz” Basnett and Brian Ferguson as chief deputy directors at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, the governor’s office said.
The governor’s office provided biographical details and pay information; Basnett’s compensation is $226,620 and Ferguson’s is $224,328; neither appointment requires Senate confirmation, the office said.
Basnett, of Sacramento, has been Director at the California Emergency Medical Services Authority since 2023; she was Acting Director from 2021 to 2023 and was Assistant Secretary at the California Health and Human Services Agency from 2020 to 2023. She previously worked at Hagerty Consulting and in emergency management roles in Missouri and New York. She earned a Master of Professional Studies in Emergency and Disaster Management at Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Missouri; she is registered without party preference.
Ferguson, of Sacramento, has been Senior Advisor and Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2025; he served as Special Advisor in 2025 and held communications posts across state government, including Director of Public Affairs at the California State Association of Counties in 2024 and State Director of Crisis Communication at Cal OES from 2019 to 2024. He earned a Master of Arts in Journalism from Syracuse University and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from Sonoma State University; he is a Democrat.
Keely Linton-Gallardo, of Ramona, was appointed to the Domestic Violence Program Advisory Council. She has been Executive Director at Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition since 2017 and earlier worked as Domestic Violence Coordinator at North County Family Violence Prevention Center Indian Health Council Inc.; she chairs the Mesa Grande Business Development Corporation, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from California State University, San Marcos, and is a Democrat. The governor’s office said the advisory council post does not require Senate confirmation and carries no compensation.
Richard Moore, of Rancho Cucamonga, was appointed to the California Student Aid Commission; the governor’s office said the position requires Senate confirmation and pays $100 per diem. Moore’s most recent roles include Principal at ABC Unified School District from 2024 to 2026 and senior education positions at multiple districts; he holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Southern California, a Master of Education from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Sacramento; he is a Democrat.
Because the Student Aid Commission appointment requires Senate confirmation, Moore cannot serve on the commission until the Senate confirms him.
State
Gavin Newsom
Governor · Democrat
Named 4 times in this story.
Portrait: Official portrait
Sources & methodology
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