Governor Newsom appoints 3 to leadership roles

November 12, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom recently appointed three people to leadership roles at CDCR.

Alex Norring to lead CDCR’s Office of Legislation

Alex Norring has been appointed Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at CDCR. Norring has been the Chief of Legislative Affairs for Administration at the department since 2022. Norring was Legislative Director in the Office of California State Senator Richard Roth from 2018 to 2022. He held multiple positions in the Office of California State Senator Ed Hernandez from 2014 to 2018, including Legislative Director and Legislative Aide. Norring was committee assistant at the California State Senate Committee on Health from 2013 to 2014. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Sarah Larson appointed Facility Planning, Construction and Management director

Sarah Larson has been appointed Director of the Division of Facility Planning, Construction and Management at CDCR. Larson was previously the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs at CDCR. She held several positions at CDCR from 2016 to 2021, including Deputy Director of the Division of Rehabilitative Programs, Associate Director of the Budget Management Branch, and Chief of Administration and Operations Budget.

Larson was a Policy Analyst in the Office of State Senator Jim Beall from 2015 to 2016. She was a Fiscal and Policy Analyst at the Legislative Analyst’s Office from 2013 to 2015. Larson was a Research Assistant at Georgetown University from 2011 to 2013. She was a Quality Management Analyst at the California Correctional Health Care Services from 2009 to 2011. Larson earned a Master of Public Policy degree at Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Christopher Pierce appointed Ironwood State Prison warden

Christopher Pierce has been appointed warden at Ironwood State Prison effective Monday, Nov. 10.

Pierce began his career with CDCR on July 9, 2000, at the Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center. On Sept. 16, 2000, Pierce reported to Chuckawalla Valley State Prison as a correctional officer. Pierce promoted to sergeant on Aug. 29, 2005, and to lieutenant on Sept. 1, 2008. Continuing upward on his career path, Pierce promoted to captain at Ironwood State Prison on July 25, 2016. Pierce spent two years at Ironwood until he promoted to associate warden on Aug. 20, 2018, back at Chuckawalla. Pierce then promoted to chief deputy warden on June 1, 2020, where he remained until Chuckawalla Valley State Prison’s last day in October 2024. Pierce rejoined the Ironwood State Prison family as chief deputy warden on October 31, 2024.

“Please join me in congratulating Mr. Pierce. I sincerely appreciate his commitment to serve in this critical position, which is essential to the success of CDCR’s mission. I want to thank him for his continued dedication to the department,” said Gena Jones, Director, Division of Adult Institutions.