SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom Jan. 14 announced the following appointments:
DeVon Young, of Los Angeles, has been appointed Deputy Administrator of the West Los Angeles Veterans Home of California. Young has been assistant administrator at the West Los Angeles Veterans Home of California since 2024, where he was information officer II from 2022 to 2024. Young held multiple roles at California Highway Patrol from 1998 to 2022, including recruiter, public information officer, and public safety dispatcher. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union Institute and University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $148,836. Young is a Democrat.
Christian Acevedo, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the civil rights council. Acevedo has been a deputy city attorney at the City of Los Angeles since 2025. He was a felony trial attorney at the Sacramento County public defender’s office from 2022 to 2025. Acevedo was a special assistant United States attorney at the United States Department of Justice from 2019 to 2022. He was a judge advocate at the United States Air Force from 2013 to 2019. Acevedo is a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association, LA LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association, and is a reserve staff judge advocate for the United States Air Force. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis and a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Sociology and Criminology from the University of California, Irvine. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Acevedo is a Democrat.
Ivette Peña, of Rancho Palos Verdes, has been appointed to the civil rights council. Peña has been court counsel at the Superior Court of California in the County of Los Angeles since 2000. She was the chief deputy of legal services and court counsel at the Superior Court of California, in County of Los Angeles from 2016 to 2025. Peña was an associate at Miller Brown & Dannis from 1996 to 2000. She was an associate at Litt & Marquez from 1994 to 1996. Peña was the director of litigation/associate executive director at Public Law Center from 1992 to 1994. She was an associate at Heller, Ehrman, White, & McAuliffe from 1990 to 1992. Peña is a board member at Green Dot Public Schools, and a member of Office of Legislative Counsel, Workplace Conduct Unit Panel, California Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Latina Lawyers Bar Association, Hispanic National Bar Association, and Association of Workplace Investigators. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Economics and Urban Studies from Brown University. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Peña is a Democrat.
Candice Cho, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Civil Rights Council. Cho has been a commissioner of the City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission since 2023. She was managing director of Policy and Counsel at AAPI and Stop AAPI Hate from 2021 to 2025. Cho held several positions at the New York City Law Department from 2012 to 2020, including deputy chief of staff, assistant corporation counsel, and corporation counsel honors fellow. She was the chief of staff and special counsel at the New York City Charter Revision Commission in 2018. Cho held two positions in the office of Senator Richard J. Durbin in the United States Senate from 2006 to 2009, including legislative correspondent and legislative assistant. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School, a Master of Public Policy degree from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Harvard College. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Cho is a Democrat.