SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Myriam Valdez-Singh, of West Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Legislation at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Valdez-Singh has served as a Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2021. She was Legislative Director in the Office of State Senator Melissa Hurtado from 2019 to 2020. Valdez-Singh was a Legislative and Policy Advocate at Health Access California from 2017 to 2019. She served as a Legislative Aide in the Office of State Senator Holly Mitchell from 2015 to 2017 and in the Office of State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson from 2013 to 2015, where she was a Senate Fellow from 2012 to 2013. Valdez-Singh earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, Bakersfield and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $141,732. Valdez-Singh is a Democrat.

Patrick Espinoza, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Veterinary Medical Board. Espinoza has served as Chief Deputy District Attorney at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office since 2021 and has served in positions there since 1995, including Division Chief, Team Leader and Deputy District Attorney. Espinoza is a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, La Raza Lawyers Association and the California District Attorneys Association. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Espinoza is a Democrat.

Abbie Rosenberg, of Watsonville, has been appointed to the Respiratory Care Board of California. Rosenberg has been a Respiratory Care Practitioner with Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center and Owner of Abbie & Company LLC since 2000. She was a Respiratory Therapist at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation from 2000 to 2011. Rosenberg is a life member of the California Society for Respiratory Care and a member of the American Association for Respiratory Care. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Rosenberg is a Democrat.      
                       
Clifford Waldeck, of Mill Valley, has been appointed to the Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Waldeck has been a Substitute Teacher for Marin County School Districts since 2021 and Bay Area Business Development Lead with Indoff Inc. since 2017. He has been Owner of Clifford Waldeck Consulting since 2008. He oversaw Business Development and Community Outreach for Blaisdell’s Business Products from 2014 to 2017. Waldeck oversaw Business Development and was a Community Cultivator with Give Something Back Office Supplies from 2010 to 2014. He held several positions at Waldeck Office Supplies for a Small Planet since 1981 and was President and Owner there from 1997 to 2010. Waldeck is a member of the Southern Marin Fire Protection District Board of Directors and the Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade Steering Committee. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Waldeck is a Democrat.            
                                       
Martin Armstrong, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Landscape Architects Technical Committee. Armstrong has been Owner and Studio Director of landARCH six-19 since 2023. He was Senior Associate at GroundLevel Landscape Architecture from 2022 to 2023. Armstrong was Senior Project Manager, Regional Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Team Leader of Mark Thomas Co. from 2020 to 2022 and Practice Builder and Landscape Architect at Kimley-Horn Associates from 2018 to 2020. He was Principal Landscape Architect, LEED Specialist, Owner and Founder at dig:designitGREEN LLC from 2009 to 2018. Armstrong is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Landscape Architecture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Armstrong is a Democrat.