Newsom names state appointees to housing, parks and water boards

The governor’s office announced Oct. 15, 2026, the following appointments to state agencies and regional boards.

Sean Kennedy, of Sacramento, was appointed Deputy Secretary of Housing Policy at the California Housing and Homelessness Agency; the release lists his salary as $180,780 and notes the post does not require Senate confirmation. Kennedy most recently served as Deputy Director of Energy Investments at the California Strategic Growth Council and holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and a B.A. in Business from Southern Cross University. He is a Democrat.

Varsha Sarveshwar, of Sacramento, was appointed Policy Advisor at the California Business and Consumer Services Agency; the release lists compensation of $140,004 and notes the position does not require Senate confirmation. Sarveshwar has been Deputy Director for Policy for the Division of Petroleum Market Oversight at the California Energy Commission and previously held several roles in the governor’s office. She is a Democrat.

Charles Hopper, of Goleta, was appointed to the California Park and Recreation Commission; the release says the position requires Senate confirmation and pays $100 per diem. Hopper is president and chief executive officer at the Santa Barbara Zoo and previously served as chief operating officer at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. He is a Democrat.

The release also named appointments and reappointments to regional water quality control boards and conservancy boards. Andrew Gunther and Donald Young were reappointed to the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board; Jane Gray and Farfalla Borah were reappointed to the Central Coast board; Hector Bedolla and Alexandra Hart were reappointed to the North Coast board. The release lists those positions as requiring Senate confirmation and carrying $250 per diem where applicable.

Michael Farrah was appointed to the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; the release says the position requires Senate confirmation and carries no compensation. Diana Lara was appointed to the San Diego River Conservancy Governing Board; the release lists a $100 per diem and says the post does not require Senate confirmation.

The governor’s release provides each appointee’s prior roles, education and party affiliation and notes which positions require Senate confirmation and what compensation, if any, is attached.

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