Gov. Newsom Announces Appointments
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom July 26 announced the following appointment:

Karla Diaz Sayles of Los Angeles, July 26, was appointed deputy director of the California Film Commission. She has been public affairs director for Warner Brothers Discovery since 2016. Sayles was health deputy in the Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas from 2009 to 2016. She was a campaign consultant for Burnside and Associates in 2009. Sayles was assistant project manager for Consensus Planning Group from 2007 to 2009. She is a member of the Junior League of Los Angeles and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality or HOPE. Sayles earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, International Studies from Northwestern University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $137,868. Sayles is a Democrat. 

Gov. Newsom Announces Judicial Appointments
SACRAMENTO – Gov. Gavin Newsom July 28 announced his appointment of 17 Superior Court Judges, which include three in Los Angeles County.

Deborah Horowitz, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Horowitz has served as a deputy public defender at the Los Angeles County public defender’s office since 1994. She served as misdemeanor trial attorney at Alternate Defense Counsel of Van Nuys from 1993 to 1994. Horowitz was a law clerk and later associate at the Law Offices of Horngrad & Wachtel from 1991 to 1993. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Bruce Brodie. Horowitz is a Democrat.

Evan A. Kitahara, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Kitahara has served as a commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2019. He served as a deputy public defender at the Los Angeles County public defender’s office from 1997 to 2019. He served as a child support enforcement officer at the San Diego County district attorney’s office, child support enforcement bureau in 1997. Kitahara earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Craig Karlan. He is a Democrat.

Michael Wilson, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Wilson has been owner and managing attorney at Curat Lex Inc. since 2013. He was an associate at Epps Yong & Coulson LLP from 2009 to 2013 and at Kralik & Jacobs LLP from 2006 to 2009. Wilson was managing attorney at Wilson & Taylor LLP from 2005 to 2006. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Wilson fills the vacancy created by the death of Judge Beverly Bourne. He is a Democrat.