OREGON CAPITAL INSIDER - Carpet in the Oregon governor's ceremonial office in the state Capitol in Salem

Army veteran Nakeia Council Daniels is the new deputy director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Daniels was deputy director of the Oregon Youth Authority and was on Gov. Kate Brown’s staff. She replaces Sean O’Day, who last month became deputy director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services.

ODOT’s legislative coordinator, Amy Williams, is being promoted to Business and Operations manager in the director’s office to succeed Jeff Towers, who is retiring. Besides her private sector experience, Williams has a 13-year career with the state, including five years at the Department of Administrative Services as enterprise legislative coordinator. 

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Alicia Chapman of Portland and Jeff Baker of Lake Oswego to the Oregon Transportation Commission, Carina Miller of Warm Springs to the Columbia River Gorge Commission, and Jose Hernandez of Portland to the Public Records Advisory Council.

House Speaker Dan Rayfield appointed Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis, R-Albany, to the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and reappointed Rep. Ken Helm, D-Portland. Rayfield appointed Rep. Kim Wallan, R-Medford, to the Oregon Law Commission, replacing Lane Shetterly, a Dallas attorney and former legislator, and appointed Rep. Travis Nelson, D-Portland, to the Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board.

Senate President Rob Wagner appointed Sen. Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, to the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

Ben Schimmoller is the new district representative in Redmond for 5th District Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Happy Valley, who previously opened a district office in Oregon City. Schimmoller most recently worked on the legislative staff of Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend. Schimmoller was defeated in one of the closest races in Oregon electoral history, losing the 2018 Republican primary for state House District 53 to Jack Zika by two votes. In 2022, Schimmoller ran for Redmond mayor and lost a tight three-way race, finishing second to Ed Fitch by 293 votes out of 14,908 cast.

Johnmartin Sherman-Lewis is the budget and research director for the Oregon Council of Presidents, the association of leaders of Oregon’s public universities. He previously was communications director for Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem.

Former Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, 73, died Friday while on an around-the-world cruise with his wife, Katy Eymann. Before becoming secretary of state, Bradbury was a state representative and senator from the south coast, serving as Senate president during 1993-94. He unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for governor in 2010.