Bruce McPherson names transition team

Bruce McPherson, who is Governor Schwarzenegger's nominee for Secretary of State to replace Kevin Shelley, announced his transition team yesterday. On Wednesday, McPherson will appear before the Senate Rules Committee, where he is expected to respond to the committee members' questions about his plans for the Office of Secretary of State. The hearing begins at 1:30 p.m. at the State Capitol in Room 112.



The following is excerpted from a news release issued yesterday by the transition office. Transition team members include:



Senator Dede Alpert -- represented the San Diego region in the California State Legislature from 1991 through 2004.



Cynthia Bryant -- currently serving as the Chief Deputy Legislative Affairs Secretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.



Bruce Cain -- the Robson Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley as well as the Director of the Institute of Governmental Studies.



Bradley Clark -- Registrar of Voters for Alameda County.



Ernest Hawkins -- a private practice election consultant who served for twenty-three years as the Director of Voter Registration for Sacramento County.



Thomas Knox -- a partner at the law firm of Knox, Lemmon & Anapolsky, LLP. where he specializes in administrative, political, corporate, commercial, real estate, and environmental law.



Robert Lapsley -- former Undersecretary of State for Secretary of State Bill Jones.



David Lesher -- the Director of New America's California Program, which has the goal of improving public debate by sponsoring a range of research, writing, and public education events.



Beth Miller Malek -- a partner in Wilson-Miller Communications, Inc., a public affairs consulting firm based in Sacramento.



Steven Merksamer -- a senior government law partner in the firm of Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor, LLP.



Adan Ortega, Jr. -- Senior Communications Management Advisor with the firm of GCG Rose & Kindel.



Chris Reynolds -- has fifteen years of experience working in California State government. He currently serves as legislative director for the California Bay-Delta Authority.



Jack Ripsteen -- a retired attorney specializing in probate, estate planning and real estate law.



Kevin Starr -- California State Librarian Emeritus and author of several books on California, including the six-volume "Americans and the California Dream."



Robert Stern -- President of the Center for Governmental Studies.



William Wood -- Acting California Corporations Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Corporations.