Gov. Brown Appoints Manhattan Beach Resident to Teachers' Retirement Board

Joy Higa, 46, of Manhattan Beach, has been appointed to the California State Teachers’ Retirement Board by Gov. Jerry Brown, according to a post on the state's website. The appointment was announced Monday and requires Senate confirmation.

Since 2006, Higa has held multiple positions at the UnitedHealth Group, including vice president of regulatory affairs and health care reform, vice president of government affairs and vice president of regulatory and external affairs.

From 2004-2006, she served in several positions at the California State Controller’s Office, including deputy chief of staff for policy and policy director, and before that, Higa was chief deputy secretary for cabinet affairs at the Office of Governor Gray Davis in 2003. From 2000-2003, she was deputy director for plan and provider relations at the California Department of Managed Health Care.

Her experience also includes serving as director of health sciences governmental relations at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1998-2000 and as a manager of government relations at PacifiCare Health Systems from 1996-1998.