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Alex M. Johnson Appointed to Governor Brown's California Complete Count Committee


Alex M. Johnson, Managing Director, Californians for Safety and Justice and President, LA County Board of Education, was recently appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a member of the California Complete Count Committee. This body is tasked with devising an outreach strategy for the 2020 Census and ensuring that ALL Californians are counted by the federal government.

“It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census,” Brown said in a prepared statement.

The commission’s formation comes on the heels of a Trump administration plan to ask about citizenship status as a part of the census. State officials fear that such a question, which has not been asked in a census since 1950, could chill participation among California residents.

That could result in the state losing billions of dollars in federal funds and a seat in Congress.

The 23-member panel, appointed largely by Brown as well as picks by legislative leaders, comes from private- and public-sector backgrounds, including civil rights groups, religious institutions, and educational institutions.

The 25 Committee members represent a diverse cross-section of the state with participants from both the public and private sectors. Governor Brown appointed 23 individuals to the Committee, and Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon each appointed one member to the Committee.

Alex Johnson, of Los Angeles, has been managing director at Californians for Safety and Justice since 2017. He was executive director at Children’s Defense Fund-California from 2014 to 2016. Johnson was assistant senior deputy for education and public safety in the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas from 2012 to 2014, where he was deputy for education and public safety from 2010 to 2012. He was an attorney at the New York City Department of Education from 2008 to 2010 and an assistant district attorney in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office from 2005 to 2008. Johnson is president of the Los Angeles County Board of Education and a member of the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network Board of Directors and the Wiley Center for Speech and Language Development Board. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the American University College of Law.

Additional appointments include:

Gita Amar, 48, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Amar has been director at PMK BNC since 2016. She was a self-employed senior media relations consultant from 2004 to 2016, a senior consulting producer at Fleishman-Hillard Communications from 2001 to 2016 and a senior media relations consultant at Golin Harris from 2004 to 2006. Amar was a producer at National Public Radio from 2002 to 2003 and an executive producer at Fox News Channel and Fox News Online from 1996 to 2001. She is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association. Amar earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Syracuse University College of Law and a Master of Arts degree in television, radio and film from the Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Communications. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Amar is a Democrat.

Tho Vinh Banh, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Banh has been supervising attorney and supervisor of the multicultural affairs outreach unit at Disability Rights California since 2015, where she has held several positions since 2001, including staff attorney and advocate. She was a legal intern at the Lindesmith Center, Drug Policy Foundation through the University of California, Hastings College of the Law’s Civil Justice Clinic in 2001. Banh earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Banh is a Democrat.

Carolyn Coleman, 56, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Coleman has been director the League of California Cities since 2016. She was executive, director of federal advocacy at the National League of Cities from 2006 to 2016, vice president and of counsel at B&D Consulting from 2005 to 2006 and deputy mayor and director of the Department of Metropolitan Development for the City of Indianapolis from 2000 to 2005. Coleman was an attorney at Baker and Daniels from 1997 to 2000. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Indiana University School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Coleman is a Democrat.

Kathleen Domingo, 43, of Pasadena, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Domingo has been a director in the Office of Life, Justice Peace at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since 2013. She earned a Master of Arts degree in theology from the John Paul II Institute. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Domingo is registered without party preference.

Basim Elkarra, 38, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Elkarra has been an executive director at the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations since 2004. He is a member of the Twin Rivers Unified School District Board of Trustees, chair of the City of Sacramento Community Policy Review Commission and an executive board member of the California Democratic Party. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Elkarra is a Democrat.

Efrain Escobedo, 43, of Pomona, has been appointed by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Escobedo has been vice president for education and immigration programs at the California Community Foundation since 2015. He was of government and legislative affairs for the Los Angeles County Clerk’s Office from 2009 to 2015 and senior director of civic engagement at the NALEO Education Fund from 2008 to 2009. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Escobedo is a Democrat.

Amy Fairweather, 53, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Fairweather has been a policy director at Swords to Plowshares’ Institute for Veteran Policy since 2005. She was a policy associate at the Trauma Foundation from 1999 to 2003. Fairweather is a member of the California Association of Veteran Service Organizations. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Fairweather is a Democrat.

Nicholas Hatten, 43, of Stockton, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Hatten has been executive director at the San Joaquin Pride Center since 2011. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hatten is a Democrat.

Lisa Hershey, 54, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Hershey has been an executive director at Housing California since 2016, where she was in 2016 and a sustainable communities coordinator from 2014 to 2015. She was an associate and program manager-director at the Public Health Institute from 2009 to 2014 and a chief in the Office for Obesity Prevention at the California Department of Public Health from 2007 to 2009. Hershey served in several positions at the California Department of Health Services from 1993 to 2007, including special assistant to the state public health officer, chief, program coordinator and program director. She was a health educator at Sacramento County Health and Human Services from 1990 to 1993 and health specialist at the California Department of Health Services from 1988 to 1990. Hershey earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Loma Linda University School of Public Health. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Hershey is a Democrat.

John Joanino, 25, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Joanino has been a senior communications associate at Advancement Project California since 2017. He was an account associate at RALLY from 2016 to 2017 and a partnerships associate at Omaze.com from 2014 to 2016. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Joanino is a Democrat.

Loren Kaye, 61, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Kaye has been a foundation president the California Chamber of Commerce since 2006. He was a partner at KP Public Affairs from 1996 to 2005, an undersecretary at the California Trade and Commerce Agency from 1993 to 1996 and cabinet secretary in the Governor’s Office from 1991 to 1992. Kaye was a director of issues and research for Governor Pete Wilson’s campaign in 1990, a deputy cabinet secretary in the Governor’s Office from 1987 to 1989 and director of writing and research for Governor George Deukmejian’s campaign in 1986. He was a policy advocate at the California Taxpayers Association from 1983 to 1985, where he was a senior research analyst from 1981 to 1982. Kaye was a research director for Pete Wilson’s Senate Campaign Committee in 1982 and a policy analyst for the California State Senate Republican Caucus in 1980. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kaye is a Republican.

Kate Kendell, 57, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Kendell has been executive director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights since 1994. She was a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah from 1990 to 1994. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah College of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kendell is a Democrat.

Jesus Martinez, 57, of Clovis, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Martinez has been a founding member and the Central Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative since 2014. He was a coordinator of the Central Valley DACA Project at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center from 2012 to 2015, an independent consultant from 2008 to 2013 and a postdoctoral fellow at El Instituto de Investigaciones Dr. Jose Maria Luis Mora from 2009 to 2010. Martinez was a director general at the Michoacán Institute for Michoacanos Abroad from 2007 to 2008, at the Michoacán State Congress from 2005 to 2007 and an assistant professor in the Chicano and Latin American Studies Department at California State University, Fresno from 2000 to 2004. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in ethnic studies and a Master of Arts degree in Latin American studies from the University of California, Berkeley. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Martinez is a Democrat.

Gerald McIntyre, 74, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. McIntyre has been special counsel at Justice in Aging, formerly the National Senior Citizens Law Center, since 2016, where he was directing attorney from 1993 to 2016. He was a lecturer and staff attorney at Cornell Law School from 1991 to 1992. McIntyre held several positions at the Monroe County Legal Assistance Corporation from 1973 to 1979, including counsel and project director of the Southern Tier Legal Services Unit and of the Flood Disaster Relief Project. McIntyre was a staff attorney at Bronx Legal Services from 1970 to 1973 and a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1967 to 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Yale Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. McIntyre is a Democrat.

Margie Mejia, 61, of Atwater, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Mejia has been chairwoman at the Lytton Rancheria of California since 1995. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Mejia is a Democrat.

Eloy Ortiz Oakley, 52, of Long Beach, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Oakley has served as chancellor of the California Community Colleges since 2016. He was superintendent and president Long Beach City College from 2007 to 2016, where he was executive vice president of administrative services from 2004 to 2006 and vice president of administrative services from 2002 to 2004. He was vice president of college services at Oxnard College from 2001 to 2002 and an assistant vice president at Keenan and Associates from 1999 to 2001. Oakley was a program coordinator and adjunct instructor at Golden West College from 1994 to 1999 and a manager of risk services at the Coast Community College District from 1993 to 1999. He was appointed by Governor Brown to the University of California Board of Regents in 2014. Oakley is a member of the LA 2028 Board of Directors and Rework America Task Force and a board member of the California Chamber of Commerce and the College Futures Foundation. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Irvine. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Oakley is a Democrat.

Jennifer Rodriguez, 41, of Davis, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Rodriguez has been executive director at the Youth Law Center since 2012, where she was a staff attorney from 2009 to 2012 and a fellow from 2007 to 2009. She held several positions at California Youth Connection from 1999 to 2007, including youth organizer, chapter outreach coordinator and legislative and policy manager. Rodriguez earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rodriguez is a Democrat.

Tom Saenz, 51, of Alhambra, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Saenz has been president and general counsel at MALDEF since 2009. He was counsel to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa from 2005 to 2009. Saenz is a board member of the Campaign for College Opportunity, Los Angeles County Board of Education, Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights and the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Saenz is a Democrat.

Lee Salter, 76, of Redding, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Salter was president and chief executive officer at the McConnell Foundation from 1989 to 2016 and an attorney at Carr, Kennedy, Peterson from 1977 to 1989. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Salter is a Republican.

Daniel Torres, 44, of Sacramento, has been appointed the California Complete Count Census Committee. Torres has served as director of immigrant integration in the Office of Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. since 2016. He was chief of the Immigration Branch at the California Department of Social Services’ Welfare to Work Division from 2015 to 2016. He was deputy director of programs and new initiatives and program director at California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. from 2010 to 2015. Torres was an attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center from 2008 to 2010, at the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit from 2005 to 2008 and at the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation from 2001 to 2005. He was a clinical instructor at the University of California, Davis School of Law Immigration Law Clinic from 2004 to 2005. Torres earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis School of Law. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Torres is a Democrat.

Angie Wei, 47, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Wei has been chief of staff at the California Labor Federation since 2011, where she has held several positions since 2000, including legislative director and public policy director. She was a program associate at PolicyLink in 2000, at the California Immigrant Welfare Collaborative from 1998 to 1999 and policy director at the Northern California Coalition for Immigrant Rights from 1996 to 1998. Wei earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Wei is a Democrat.

Regina Brown Wilson, 41, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Wilson has been a director at California Black Media since 2013. She was a statewide education and faith-based outreach manager for Census 2010 and head of communications in the California Secretary of Education’s Office from 2007 to 2008. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Wilson is registered without party preference.

Christopher Wilson, 51, of San Diego, has been appointed by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Wilson has been an associate director at Alliance San Diego since 2015, where he was a director of civic engagement from 2010 to 2015. He was at CRW Enterprises from 2006 to 2010, general manager at KeytoChange Publishing Inc. from 2003 to 2006 and an independent consultant at Jones and Associates Consulting Inc. from 2002 to 2009. Wilson was a senior field service engineer at ITT Gilfillan from 1992 to 1999 and an air traffic control RADAR technician for the U.S. Marine Corps from 1985 to 1992. He is a member of the Urban League of San Diego County Board of Directors and the Engage San Diego Mobilization Fund. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Wilson is a Democrat.

Tom K. Wong, 36, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Complete Count Census Committee. Wong has been an associate professor at the University of California, San Diego since 2017, where he served as an assistant professor from 2012 to 2016. He served as an advisor to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in 2016. Wong is a member of the California Immigrant Policy Center, New American Leaders Alliance San Diego. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in political science from the University of California, Riverside. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Wong is a Democrat.

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