California State Athletic Commission Members

Chair: John Frierson

Vice-Chair: Dr. Christopher Giza

Commissioner: Mike Munoz

Commissioner: Brian Edwards

Commissioner: Linda Forster

Commissioner: Dr. VanBuren Ross Lemons

Commissioner: Eugene Hernandez

Executive Officer: George Dodd

Chairman Frierson has been a member of the Athletic Commission since 2001. A 26 year veteran of the Los Angeles Police and Sheriff's Departments, he served as Senior Traffic Supervisor for the Police Department for 17 years. He's been a member of the Los Angeles Transportation Commission since 2001, and is currently its Vice President. Chairman Frierson is an Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention from 1976 through 2000. He's also the recipient of numerous Community Services Awards from both the City of Los Angeles and the California State Assembly.

Dr. Christopher Giza is an Associate Professor of Pediatric Neurology and Neurosurgery, and is also on the faculty of the Interdepartmental Programs for Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1986 and received his M.D. from the West Virginia University School of Medicine in 1990. After interning at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Giza completed his residency training in Adult Neurology and a fellowship in Pediatric Neurology at UCLA. After two summers working on the Yosemite National Park Search and Rescue team, Dr. Giza returned to UCLA to study basic neuroscience as related to Neurotrauma. Dr. Giza joined the UCLA faculty in the divisions of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurology in 2001. His current laboratory interests include neuroplasticity, recovery from injury, concussive injury, sport-related brain injuries, and brain development. Dr. Giza runs the Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) clinic at UCLA and has served on the California State Athletic Commission since 2006

Michael Munoz, 60, retired director of organizing of the Northern California Carpenters Regional Council from 2001 to 2008. He was the area director of organizing for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 190 from 1997 to 2001. Director of organizing for the Bay Counties District Council of Carpenters from 1994 to 1997. He worked as a union organizer for the Bay Counties District Council of Carpenters form 1982 to 1994. In addition is is a journeyman Piledriver and member of Piledrivers Local 34 in Oakland Ca. He received his Associates of Arts degree from Chabot College Hayward in 1975. Munoz was the tournament director for the Northern California Golden Gloves Regional Tournament in 2006 and 2007 which placed first and second in the overall team competitions at the Golden Gloves National Tournaments. Munoz also served as a delegate to the Golden Gloves of America National Board of Directors. Munoz was previously a USA Boxing Official, certified in 1994. In the late 70's he coached in Livermore Ca. on the under 14 boys CYSA State Champions and played soccer for E. Bercovich & Sons from 1964 to 1969.

Brian Edwards, 48, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California State Athletic Commission. Edwards is the chief operating officer of Relativity Media. Previously, he was the chief operating officer and general counsel of Mark Burnett Productions from 2009 to May 2011 and the president and chief operating officer at Overnight Productions from 2007 to 2009. Edwards was the chief operating officer and general counsel at DreamWorks, LLC from 2004 to 2007 after serving as the head of legal affairs from 1999 to 2004. Edwards worked at Greenberg, Glusker, Fields, Claman & Machtinger, serving as a partner from 1996 to 1999 after serving as an associate from 1989 to 1996. Edwards was a co-executive producer of the TV series, "The Contender."

Linda Forster, 42, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California State Athletic Commission. She has served as the president of Forster Construction Company since 1994. Forster served as the administrator for the Parents of Watts from 1993 to 2006 and as the director of the Dianne Feinstein Home for Young Mothers from 1991 to 1993. She also worked as a clinical social worker at the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center in 1996. Forster served as a commissioner for the City of Los Angeles Department of Animal Services Board from 2001 to 2004. She was a member of the U.S. Junior Olympics Basketball team in 1987.

VanBuren Ross Lemons, M.D. is a board certified neurosurgeon in private practice in Northern California with a longstanding interest in traumatic injuries to the brain and spine. He graduated from the University of California, Davis, where he was awarded Summa Cum Laude distinction. While in college, Dr. Lemons competed in varsity football and wrestling. After completing medical school at the University of California, Davis, Dr. Lemons completed his postgraduate neurosurgical training at UC Davis Medical Center. He has published numerous articles on neurosurgical topics, especially traumatic injuries. Dr. Lemons has earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has served for eighteen years as a ringside physician and consultant to the California State Athletic Commission.

Chief Gene Hernandez (RET.) received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administration of Criminal Justice from San Jose State University and his Masters of Science Degree in Management from Cal Poly, Pomona. He is a graduate of Class 15 of the California POST Command College and Class 154 of the FBI National Academy. He entered law enforcement as a police officer with the City of Fullerton in 1972 and transferred to the Orange Police Department in 1975. He attained the rank of Captain within that agency with his last assignment, prior to coming to the City of Chino, being the Administrative Division Commander for the Orange Police Department. In 1998, he assumed the Chief of Police position with the City of Chino Police Department.

Chief Hernandez is actively involved in the community and has served as: Immediate Past District Governor for Rotary International, District 5300, Current Board Chair of the Yorba Linda/Placentia YMCA, Past President of the Orange YMCA and past Board President for the Chino Valley YMCA; Past Chairman for the Orange Chamber of Commerce Leadership program; Past President of Family Solutions Inc., residential and foster care homes for abused children; Past President of Orange North Rotary Club and Past President of the Chino Rotary Club; Member of Orange Elks Lodge 1475; Past Community Concerns Specialist for the California State PTA Board; Board of Director for the Chino Valley Medical Center; Chino Boxing Club Foundation President of the Board; Past Board Member of the Boy Scouts of America - Old Baldy Council; Past President of the Command College Alumni Association; Past Committee Member for the FBI National Academy Alumni Association; and Past President of the Society of Police Futurists International.

Chief Hernandez has lectured extensively to both civic, fraternal, and law enforcement organizations on various aspects of crime trends, police leadership and social change.

Chief Hernandez retired from Law Enforcement after a 35 year career. He has been married for 40 years, has three children, three grandchildren, and resides in the City of Yorba Linda.

George Dodd, is a native of Washington State, who began wrestling when he was nine years old. After high school, he joined the United States Navy, retiring in 2007 as a Senior Chief Petty Officer after 20 years of service. He has been involved in combat sports for the last 31 years, as either a participant or an official wrestling. He has been a high school wrestling official for the past 17 years in Naples, Italy, San Diego, California and in Washington State. Prior to becoming the Executive Officer of the California State Athletic Commission, George was a program manager for Washington State's Department of Licensing's Professional Athletics Division, where he was regulating professional boxing and mixed martial arts. He has been married to his wife Jodi for 20 years and has three kids, Derek who is serving in the United State Navy, Nicol a sophomore in high school, and Alexis a fourth grader.