SACRAMENTO (Diya TV) — California Governor Gavin Newsom has appointed three Indian Americans to key positions within the state administration. Hemant Dhingra of Clovis has been named to the Medical Board of California, Nisha Devi Rodrigo of San Francisco has been appointed to the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and Naginder Dhillon of Sacramento has been designated as Deputy Director of Program Support in the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. All three appointees are affiliated with the Democratic Party.
Dhingra, who has served as Chief of Medical Staff at the Saint Agnes Medical Center of Fresno since 2023, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He was the founding Program Director of Internal Medicine and has been President of the Nephrology Group since 2014. Dhingra holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed his Fellowship in Nephrology at Texas Tech University.
Rodrigo, the founder of Kala Wellness and an Eastern Medicine Practitioner with the United Nations since 2018, has a diverse background spanning communications, public service, and wellness. She has previously worked in communications roles for MP Graham Allen in the UK Parliament and in the White House Counsel’s Office. Rodrigo earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Loyola Marymount University and has studied Eastern Medicine Modalities since 2001.
Dhillon, who has served as Associate Director of the Division of Rehabilitative Programs at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2019, brings a strong administrative background to her new role. With previous experience in various positions within state departments, including the Departments of Housing and Community Development and Public Health, Dhillon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis.
Dhingra and Rodrigo’s appointments are subject to California State Senate confirmation.
