Elaine Yamaguchi Named XO of State Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown on Dec. 22 announced the appointment of Elaine Yamaguchi, 53, of Woodland as executive officer at the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.

Since 2013, Yamaguchi has been project and communications manager at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), where she has served in several positions since 2007, including legislative analyst and specialist.

She was director of the California State Library/California Research Bureau’s California Civil Rights Public Education Program from 2005 to 2006 and special assistant to the speaker and senior consultant in the Office of Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez from 1998 to 2005.

From 1995 to 1997, Yamaguchi was managing director at the Center for Asian American Media (formerly National Asian American Telecommunications Association) in San Francisco, where she was operations director from 1993 to 1995. She was associate director for university affairs and collective bargaining at the University of California Student Association from 1989 to 1993.

She is a member of the 40th District Agricultural Association, Yolo County Fair Board of Directors and the Asian Pacific Youth Leadership Project.

This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $123,108. Yamaguchi is a Democrat.

The mission of the 11-member California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians is to protect the public by ensuring that only qualified persons are licensed vocational nurses and psychiatric technicians. It enforces education requirements and standards of practice, and educates consumers of their rights. For more information, visit www.bvnpt.ca.gov/.