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

Gov. Tina Kotek nominated David Gerstenfeld as director of the Oregon Employment Department, pending confirmation by the state Senate. He has been acting director since May 31, 2020, after Gov. Kate Brown ousted director Kay Erickson. Gerstenfeld was among Kotek’s nominees who were scheduled for Senate action last week and now are on Wednesday’s agenda – if the Senate has a quorum to meet.

The Senate Rules Committee, with Senate Republican Leader Tim Knopp absent, unanimously endorsed Gerstenfeld and the other nominees after interviewing them on May 9. Sens. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, and Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland, wondered why it had taken so long for Gerstenfeld to be named director. (Insiders have suggested Brown’s intended appointment of him last year didn’t happen because of a clerical mix-up.)

Brandy Hemsley joined Kotek’s staff as executive appointments advisor. She previously directed the Office of Recovery and Resilience at the Oregon Health Authority.

Terrence McTier Jr. is the new equity and civil rights program manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation, where he will work on ODOT’s Engagement Toolkit and the Equitable Engagement Compensation Plan and be involved in the work of the Office of Equity and Civil Rights. He was associate dean of students for standards and discipline at Oregon State University. 

Sage Delong, who was a field representative for Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-2nd District, is now Umatilla County’s emergency manager. Sam Dudley, who worked as a ranchhand in Jefferson County, is the new field representative.

 

Joe Morelock will become superintendent of the influential Willamette Education Service District, which serves Salem-Keizer and 20 other school districts, on July 3. Currently the school superintendent in Woodburn, Morelock was in the statewide news when the Newberg School Board fired him as superintendent in 2021 after the board’s political makeup changed. 

 

Oregon Smart Growth has contracted withTom Rinehart to serve as its new executive director. Rinehart, who founded Rinehart Strategies last year, was a longtime aide to mayor, state treasurer and Multnomah County chair Ted Wheeler.