By Andrea Bernal
SACRAMENTO, CA – California Gov. Gavin Newsom last week announced five recent appointments throughout corrections facilities divisions including Centinela State Prison, the Correctional Training Facility and the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Fidencio Guzman of Imperial—a Republican—was named Warden at Centinela State Prison, where Guzman “has served as Acting Warden since 2023, was Chief Deputy Warden from 2021 to 2023 and was Correctional Administrator from 2018 to 2021” and was a Sergeant from 2006 to 2009.
The position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $194,524.
Edward Borla of Paso Robles, also a Republican, was named by the governor as Warden at the Correctional Training Facility, where Borla “has served as Acting Warden since 2023” and was a Captain from 2012 to 2015..
The press release outlines how Borla was previously the Correctional Administrator at Salinas Valley State Prison from 2015 to 2023 and was a Correctional Lieutenant at Avenal State Prison from 2008 to 2012.
The position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $193,524.
Allison Ganter—a Democrat—of Davis was appointed as In-Custody Death Review Director at the Board of State and Community Corrections where Ganter “has been Deputy Director since 2014 and was Field Representative and Compliance Monitor from 2000 to 2014.”
Ganter, the press release describes, earned a Master of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University at Albany. Ganter was a Correctional Facility Specialist at the New York Commission of Correction from 1999 to 2000 and Assistant to the Chairman at this commission from 1997 to 1999. Ganter was also a Staff Training Assistant and Legislative Aide in the New York State Assembly from 1995 to 1997.
The position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $186,876.
Jennifer Branning of Susanville, with no party preference, was appointed by Newsom to the Board of State and Community Corrections.
Branning, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Studies from California State University, Dominguez Hills, has previously been Chief Probation Officer of Lassen County since 2013. Additionally, she was President of the Chief Probation Offices of California in 2023 and is currently a member of Lassen Crime Stoppers.
The position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation.
Karen Lai of Berkeley—a Democrat—was also named to the Board of State and Community Corrections, an unpaid position that requires Senate confirmation.
Lai earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University, a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and also Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Biomechanical Engineering from Stanford University. She is also a current member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the California Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Lai has previously been a Physician at Traditions Behavioral Health since 2019. She was additionally a Resident and Fellow Physician at the University of California, Los Angeles, from 2014 to 2019 and a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellow at the University of California, San Francisco from 2010 to 2011.
