Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in late March three key appointments for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). All three appointments require Senate confirmation. His appointments include a Republican, a Democrat and a person without political affiliation.
Ralph Diaz has been appointed Secretary of the CDCR. He began his corrections career as a CO at Wasco State Prison in 1991. He worked multiple jobs as counselor supervisor, captain, chief deputy administrator and warden of the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison at Corcoran. He then served as associate director of high security institutions for the CDCR, and later as the deputy director of facility operations. He was undersecretary for operations and then acting secretary prior to his appointment to secretary of CDCR. The secretary’s compensation is $265,920 per year. Politically Diaz is without party affiliation.
Kathleen Allison has been appointed undersecretary of operations for the CDCR. Her career began with the CDCR as a medical technical assistant at North Kern State Prison in 1993. She is a licensed registered nurse. While working at Avenal State Prison she worked as community resources man- ager, senior medical technical assistant and medical technical assistant. While at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison at Corcoran, she served as warden, chief deputy warden, associate warden and correctional health services administrator. She was the director of the CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions from 2016 to 2018, and she has served as Acting Undersecretary of Operations since 2018. Her yearly compensation is $189,456. Allison is Republican.
Connie Gipson was appointed director of adult institutions for the CDCR. She began her corrections career at the California Institution for Women in 1988 . She then worked at Wasco State Prison as captain, business manager and health program director. While at California State Prison at Corcoran she served as warden, acting warden and chief deputy warden. She then worked as the CDCR’s associate director of general population male offenders and as deputy director of facility operations. She has been the acting director of adult institutions since 2018. Her yearly compensation is $174,344. Gipson is a Democrat.
