Monday, October4, 2010
Page 3
Governor Names Encino Attorney to Prison Industry Board
By a MetNews Staff Writer
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday named Encino attorney Kira S. Masteller to the Prison Industry Board of Directors.
The 11-member board oversees the agency which operates California’s prison industries and serves as a public hearing body, charged both with ensuring that the prison industries are self-sufficient and that they do not have a substantial adverse effect upon private enterprises.
Masteller, 45, is a partner with Michelman &Robinson LLP and is the chair of the firm’s Estate Planning and Trust Administration Department. She previously worked as an associate attorney for the Law Office of Doron M. Tisser, where she also served as a paralegal and office manager until she graduated from the University of LaVerne’s law school and was admitted to practice in 2003.
The attorney is a member of the San Fernando Valley Estate Planning Council and Women Lawyer’s Association of Los Angeles.
In other news, the governor appointed Yreka attorney Darrin Mercier to the Siskiyou Golden Fair Board of Directors (10th District Agricultural Association), where he has served as a member since 2001.
Since 2005, Mercier, 43, has owned and operated 5M Ranch. He has been the sole owner and principal attorney for the Law Office of Darrin W. Mercier since 1998. Prior to that, Mercier was an associate attorney and partner for Friedman, Rau, Marto & Mercier from 1996 to 1998 and Eason & Mercier from 1994 to 1996. He was a law clerk and associate attorney for Hefner, Stark & Marois from 1992 to 1994.
Mercier attended UC Davis and the McGeorge School of Law before joining the State Bar in 1993.
Emily Sipchen, 23, of Los Angeles, has also been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency.
She was a fellow for Coro Southern California Fellows Program in Public Affairs from 2009 to 2010 and has completed internships at Homeboy Industries, La Opinion, ILWU Local 63, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, Southern California Gas Co. and Karen Bass’ 33rd Congressional District Campaign.
Sipchen worked as a peer writing tutor for Middlebury College Center for Teaching, Learning and Research from 2007 to 2009 and was a student board member for the Community Judicial Board of Middlebury College Community from 2008 to 2009.
Prior to that, she served as a Spanish language instructor for the Monkton Elementary School World Language Program for three years and was an intern in Vena del Mar, Chile for Un Techo Para Chile literacy and art pilot program in 2008. She also worked for Community Partners in Los Angeles as a student intern in 2006.
None of the appointments require Senate confirmation or pay a salary. Masteller and Sipchen are both registered decline-to-state, and Mercier is a Republican.
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