Governor Newsom Announces Appointments

Published: Mar 27, 2019
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

Ralph Diaz, 49, of Sacramento, has been appointed Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where he has served as Acting Secretary since 2018. He was undersecretary for operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2016 to 2018, where he was deputy director of facility operations from 2014 to 2016 and associate director of high security institutions from 2013 to 2014. Diaz served in several positions at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran from 2000 to 2013, including as warden, acting warden, chief deputy administrator, captain and counselor supervisor. He was a correctional counselor and correctional officer at California State Prison, Corcoran, from 1993 to 2000 and a correctional officer at Wasco State Prison from 1991 to 1993. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $265,920. Diaz is registered without party preference.

Kathleen Allison, 54, of Sacramento, has been appointed Undersecretary of Operations for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has served as Acting Undersecretary of Operations since 2018. She was director of the Division of Adult Institutions from 2016 to 2018, where she was deputy director of facility support from 2012 to 2016 and associate director of female offender programs and services from 2011 to 2012. Allison served in several positions at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran from 2002 to 2011, including as warden, chief deputy warden, associate warden and correctional health services administrator. She held several positions at Avenal State Prison from 1987 to 2002, including community resources manager, senior medical technical assistant and medical technical assistant. Allison was a senior medical technical assistant at North Kern State Prison from 1993 to 1994. She is a licensed registered nurse. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $189,456. Allison is a Republican.

Connie Gipson, 55, of Bakersfield, has been appointed Director of Adult Institutions for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, where she has served as Acting Director of Adult Institutions since 2018. She was deputy director of facility operations at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation from 2016 to 2018 and associate director of general population male offenders from 2013 to 2014. Gipson served in multiple positions at California State Prison, Corcoran from 2010 to 2013, including as warden, acting warden and chief deputy warden. She was associate warden at North Kern State Prison from 2008 to 2010 and held several positions at Wasco State Prison from 1997 to 2008, including captain, business manager and health program coordinator. Gipson was a senior medical technical assistant at the California Institution for Women from 1988 to 1997. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $178,344. Gipson is a Democrat.