Governor appoints 6 to CDCR leadership positions

January 5, 2026

Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the following six appointments to CDCR leadership positions including two to the Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) and four as wardens.

CDCR DAI leadership positions appointed

Patrick Eaton has been appointed Deputy Director of Facility Support of the Division of Adult Institutions (DAI) at CDCR. Eaton has been Associate Director of Reception Centers at CDCR since 2024. He held several positions at the Sierra Conservation Center from 2002 to 2025, including warden, acting warden, chief deputy warden, associate warden, correctional captain, correctional lieutenant, and correctional sergeant. Eaton held multiple positions at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla from 1999 to 2002, including correctional sergeant and correctional officer. He began his career as a correctional officer at the Salinas Valley State Prison (SVSP) from 1996 to 1999. This position does not require Senate confirmation.

Joseph Tuggle has been appointed Associate Director, Region I of the DAI at CDCR. Tuggle has been the warden at Folsom State Prison since 2025, where he was the chief deputy administrator from 2023 to 2024. He was acting chief deputy administrator at California Medical Facility (CMF) from 2022 to 2023. Tuggle held several positions at Folsom State Prison from 2000 to 2022, including correctional administrator, correctional captain, correctional lieutenant, and correctional sergeant, and correctional officer. He began his career as a correctional officer in 1998 at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City. This position requires Senate confirmation.

Four appointed to warden posts

The following positions do not require Senate confirmation.

Kern Valley State Prison

Patwin Horn has been appointed warden at Kern Valley State Prison, where he has served as acting warden since 2024. Horn was the acting warden at the Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP-RC) in 2024. He was the chief deputy warden at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi from 2021 to 2023. Horn was the acting warden at California State Prison (CSP) Los Angeles County in Lancaster from 2022 to 2023.

For a decade, Horn held multiple positions at North Kern State Prison (NKSP). From 2013 to 2023, was served as associate warden, classification and parole representative, and correctional counselor II specialist. Horn was the correctional counselor II supervisor at CSP-Corcoran in 2013. He previously held several positions at NKSP from 1997 to 2011, including correctional counselor II supervisor, correctional counselor, correctional sergeant and correctional officer.

California Medical Facility

Sircoya M. Williams has been appointed warden at CMF in Vacaville, where she has served as acting warden since 2024. Williams was chief deputy warden at the CMF from 2023 to 2024. She was associate warden of Level III operations at CSP-Solano, in 2023. Williams was acting chief deputy warden at Folsom State Prison from 2022 to 2023. She was a correctional administrator at headquarters of DAI from 2021 to 2023.

Williams held multiple positions at the CSP-Sacramento from 2020 to 2021, including correctional administrator of Business Services and captain. She was acting correctional administrator of the Specialized Bed and Assignment Oversight Team at DAI from 2019 to 2020. Williams was a captain at SVSP from 2018 to 2020. She was a correctional counselor III in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at Folsom State Prison from 2016 to 2018. Williams was a correctional counselor II supervisor at CMF in 2016.

She was correctional counselor II supervisor of the Restricted Housing Unit and correctional lieutenant at the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center from 2012 to 2016. Williams was a correctional sergeant at CSP-Solano from 2008 to 2012. She held multiple positions at CMF from 2001 to 2008 including licensed psychiatric technician, medical technical assistant, and senior medical technical assistant.

Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility

Rafael Acevedo has been appointed warden at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, where he has been acting warden since 2024. Acevedo held multiple positions at Calipatria State Prison. He began his career with the department as a vocational instructor in 1998. In 2003, he became a correctional officer and has held multiple positions ever since, including chief deputy warden, associate warden, correctional captain, correctional counselor II, and correctional counselor.

Salinas Valley State Prison

Kelly Santoro has been appointed warden at SVSP. Santoro has been a retired annuitant at CDCR since 2023. She was warden at NKSP from 2015 to 2022. Santoro was chief deputy administrator at WSP from 2012 to 2015. She was the correctional administrator at the Complex III California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility (SATF) and State Prison at Corcoran from 2010 to 2012. Santoro was the correctional administrator at the Complex III SATF from 2010 to 2012.

She held multiple roles at CSP-Corcoran from 2008 to 2009, including correctional administrator and associate warden. Santoro was facility captain of the Health Care Services Division from 2006 to 2008. She held multiple positions at SATF from 2001 to 2006 including facility captain, correctional counselor III, correctional counselor II specialist, correctional lieutenant administrative assistant/public information officer, and correctional counselor II specialist.

Santoro was correctional counselor at NKPS from 1997 to 2001. She held multiple positions at the Centinela State Prison from 1993 to 1997 including correctional counselor and correctional officer. Santoro began her CDCR career as a correctional officer at Taft Community Correctional Facility from 1990 to 1993.

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