SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s appointments this year include the following:
Meagan Tokunaga Block of Sacramento has been appointed director of program development and strategic initiatives at the California Housing Finance Agency. She has been assistant program budget manager at the California Department of Finance since 2025 and held multiple positions at the California Housing Partnership Corporation from 2021 to 2024, including senior financial consultant, financial consultant, and housing finance analyst.
Tokunaga Block was a special assistant to the controller at the California State Controller’s Office from 2019 to 2021. She held multiple positions at the California Department of Finance from 2015 to 2019, including staff finance budget analyst, finance budget analyst, and executive fellow.
She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Art degree in public policy analysis and politics from Pomona College. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $170,664. Tokunaga Block is a Democrat.
Gary Tokumori of Los Angeles County has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. He has been a shareholder at Parker Milliken Clark O’Hara & Samuelian since 2018, after working there as senior counsel from 2009 to 2017. He worked as senior counsel at Moldo Davidson Fraioli Seror & Sestanocich from 2006 to 2009, and as an associate at Ivanjack, Shuck & Milstead from 1991 to 2006 and at Robie & Matthai from 1990 to 1991.
Tokumori received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. He will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mark E. Windham. Tokumori is a Democrat.
Ted Miyahara of San Diego has been appointed to the 22nd District Agricultural Association, Del Mar Fair Board. He has been president and CEO at the San Diego Community Housing Corporation since 2018; was vice president of multifamily finance at the San Diego Housing Commission from 2012 to 2018; project manager at Hearthstone Housing from 2011 to 2012; and project manager at Community Housing Developers from 2004 to 2009. Miyahara is a member of the Planning Commission for the City of San Diego.
He earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Redlands and a Bachelor of Science in business administration and management from San Jose State University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Miyahara is registered to vote with no party preference.
Joanne Motoike of Orange County has been appointed to serve as presiding justice of the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division 3, where she has served as an associate justice since 2022. She served as a judge in Orange County Superior Court from 2013 to 2022; a senior deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 2008 to 2013; a trial attorney at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal from 2006 to 2008; and a deputy public defender at the Orange County Public Defender’s Office from 1994 to 2006.
Motoike received a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Presiding Justice Kathleen E. O’Leary. This position requires confirmation by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, which consists of Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and Senior Presiding Justice Manuel Ramirez. Motoike is a Democrat.
Kent K. Sasaki of Walnut Creek has been reappointed to the California Building Standards Commission, where he has served since 2012 and was first appointed in 2003. He has held multiple positions at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., since 1989, including unit manager and principal.
He earned a Master of Engineering degree in structural engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from UC Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Sasaki is a Democrat.