Governor appoints 2 to CDCR leadership roles

June 7, 2024

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the following appointments to two CDCR leadership roles:

Edmond Blagdon has been appointed Director of Enterprise Information Services at CDCR, where he has been Deputy Director of Integrated Business and Technology Solutions since 2021. He has served in several positions since 2009, including Information Technology Manager II and Director of Communications and Change Management.

Blagdon was a System Software Specialist III at California Correctional Health Care Services in 2016 and a Development Manager at the California Department of Health and Human Services from 2004 to 2009. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Cynthia Mendonza has been appointed Chief of Legislative Affairs, Administration, at CDCR. Mendonza has been Principal Program Budget Analyst at the California Department of Finance since 2022, where she was a Staff Finance Budget Analyst from 2021 to 2022 and a Finance Budget Analyst from 2016 to 2017. She has been a Behavior Consultant since 2009.

Mendonza was Chief of Marketing and Regulatory Compliance at the California Prison Industry Authority from 2020 to 2021. She also served as Chief of Budget and Financial Planning there from 2018 to 2020. She was a Staff Services Manager at CDCR from 2014 to 2016. At CDCR, she was also a Health Program Specialist I from 2013 to 2014. Before then, she was an Associate Governmental Program Analyst from 2012 to 2013. Mendonza earned a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, San Jose, a Master of Science degree in Psychology from California State University, Stanislaus, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation.