Meet the ALJs
The State Personnel Board Administrative Law Judges.
Teri L. Block
Teri L. Block joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in July of 2010. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Ms. Block worked in private practice specializing in employment law for 9 years. She also served as a Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice, Government Law Section, and clerked for two years for Judge Consuelo M. Callahan, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Ms. Block graduated from the University of California at Davis, and received her J.D. from Pacific McGeorge School of Law.
Barbara Allen-Brecher
Barbara E. Allen-Brecher has been an Administrative Law Judge with the State Personnel Board since August 1994. ALJ Allen-Brecher received her Bachelor's Degree from California State University Chico, and her J.D. degree from McGeorge School of Law. Prior to joining SPB, Ms. Allen-Brecher was an attorney for the California State Employees Association from July 1988 through August 1994, where she represented the union and/or individual members of the union in administrative hearings, state court, and federal court. Ms. Allen-Brecher also worked at the Law Office of Marcus Vanderlaan from 1986 through June 1988, where her practice consisted primarily of employment, labor, education, and administrative law, and she represented members of the California Teachers Association in administrative hearings and state court.
Gregory Brown
Mr. Brown joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in March 2006. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Mr. Brown worked as a Deputy State Public Defender at the California Office of the State Public Defender, and as a Senior Counsel on the Administrative Litigation Team at the California Department of Health Services. Mr. Brown graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and received his J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law.
Regina Brown
Ms. Brown has been an Administrative Law Judge with the State Personnel Board since January 2008. Ms. Brown has completed the required training necessary to conduct administrative hearings and mediations. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University, and J.D. degree from Hastings College of the Law.
Mary Cote
Ms. Cote has been an Administrative Law Judge with the State Personnel Board since February 2006. Ms. Cote received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree from San Francisco State University, and her J.D. degree from the University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law. Ms. Cote has completed the required training necessary to conduct mediations and administrative hearings.
Eileen Deimerly
Ms. Deimerly joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in January 2009. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Ms. Deimerly was an attorney in private practice, principally in the civil defense arena representing clients against lawsuits involving general tort liability claims, professional liability, and products liability. Ms. Deimerly received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and received her J.D. from San Joaquin College of Law.
Richard P. Fisher
Richard P. Fisher joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in April 2010. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Mr. Fisher worked as an employment and labor lawyer in the public and private sectors. He is a former Deputy District Attorney for Sacramento County, former Deputy Attorney General for the California Department of Justice, and has served as legal counsel to several state departments, boards, commissions, and legislative committees. Mr. Fisher received his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.
Erin Koch-Goodman
Ms. Koch-Goodman joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in April 2008. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Ms. Koch-Goodman worked as a Senior Staff Counsel for the Department of Fair Employment & Housing, litigating employment and housing discrimination cases on behalf of the State. Ms. Koch-Goodman has represented State agencies and labor unions; provided advice and counsel to various boards; conducted mediations and negotiations; as well as having appeared in state and federal court and several administrative bodies. Ms. Koch-Goodman graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication Studies; from George Mason University with a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Employment, Labor Relations and Public Policy; and from McGeorge School of Law with a J.D. and Certificate in Governmental Affairs.
Tiffany King
Tiffany L. King joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in December 2011. Ms. King received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, Sacramento and her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Prior to joining the State Personnel Board, Ms. King was in private practice representing clients in employment law and commercial litigation cases. She subsequently served as Senior Staff Counsel for the Department of Toxic Substances Control representing the department in employment-related matters.
Jason Krestoff
Mr. Krestoff joined the State Personnel Board in January 2009, as an Administrative Law Judge. Prior to joining SPB, Mr. Krestoff spent thirteen years as a civil litigator in private practice with the Law Offices of Daniel J. Sullivan, three and half years at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – primarily dealing with inmate initiated civil litigation, ten years as a Judge Pro Tem /Small Claims Court/ Sacramento County Superior Court, and eight years as an Arbitrator for the Sacramento County Superior Court. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of San Francisco, and a J.D. from the University of Arizona, College of Law.
Linda McAtee
Ms. McAtee was appointed to Presiding Administrative Law Judge to the SPB in March 2010. Prior to her appointment, Ms. McAtee spent two years as an ALJ for SPB. Prior to joining SPB, Ms. McAtee clerked for the Alaska Supreme Court and served as a research attorney for the Sacramento Superior Court immediately after graduation. She also spent over twenty years practicing employment law in State Service at a variety of state agencies. Previous positions held by Ms. McAtee include General Counsel to State Treasurer Phil Angelides, Deputy General Counsel to CalPERS, and Assistant Chief Counsel to the California Department of Corrections. Ms. McAtee received her J.D. from King Hall at the University of California at Davis, in 1985.
Bruce Monfross
Bruce A. Monfross was appointed as an Administrative Law Judge with the State Personnel Board during December 2011. ALJ Monfross received his B.A. degree from the University of California, Davis, and his J.D. degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Prior to joining the SPB, Mr. Monfross was in private practice where he represented both employees and employers in employment litigation before state administrative agencies, as well as in state and federal courts. He subsequently was appointed as Staff Counsel for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation where he represented the department in employment-related matters. Mr. Monfross thereafter served as Staff Counsel for the SPB for a number of years. He most recently served as Staff Counsel for the Office of the Inspector General.
Douglas Purdy
Mr. Purdy joined the State Personnel Board in January 2008. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside, and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law (King Hall). Prior to joining SPB, he worked for a labor union in which he represented employees in SPB hearings, represented school districts and charter schools at a firm that emphasized education law, and was a Staff Counsel for a state agency in which he represented the agency in SPB hearings and other employment law matters.
James Sobolewski
James M. Sobolewski joined the State Personnel Board as an Administrative Law Judge in September 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Sobolewski spent 2-1/2 years with the California Attorney General’s office.
Mr. Sobolewski received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1973. After practicing as an engineer for five years, he attended McGeorge School of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree in 1981. Following graduation, Mr. Sobolewski entered private practice where he handled all aspect of civil litigation and trial work before joining the Attorney General’s office. Mr. Sobolewski has experience in both state and federal court, and has completed a comprehensive class on evidence for administrative law judges.