Former Rep. Jessica George, R-St. Paul, is now interim chief of staff for the House Republican Office. During the 2023 Legislature, she was a senior adviser for the caucus. Mark Cruz, whom former Republican Leader Christine Drazan hired as chief of staff in December 2020, left the office last month. Republican Leader Vikki Breese-Iverson plans to hire a new chief of staff before the 2024 legislative session.

Juliana Wallace will join Gov. Tina Kotek’s staff on Sept. 5 as behavioral health initiative director. Wallace has been senior director of mental health and culturally specific services at Central City Concern, as well as an adjunct instructor in the Portland State University School of Social Work. She previously served as director of services at Unity Center for Behavioral Health, worked at Oregon Health & Science University, and developed OutsideIn’s StreetRISE Project for homeless youth.

Kotek appointed the additional members of her Early Literacy Educator Preparation Council. Co-chairs are Ronda Fritz, Eastern Oregon University, and Susan Gardner, Oregon State University. Other appointees are Katie Danielson, University of Portland; Julie Esparza Brown, Portland State University; Anita Archer, consultant; Mikkaka Overstreet, Education Northwest; Shahnaz Sahnow, Corvallis School District; Julie Ragan, Lebanon Community Unit School District; Heidi Brown, Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District; Jennifer Whitten, Beaverton School District; and Valerie Switzler, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

They join Anthony Rosilez, director, Teacher Standards and Practices Commission; Ben Cannon, director, Higher Education Coordinating Commission; Charlene Williams, interim/incoming director, Oregon Department of Education; Sara Spencer, interim director, Educator Advancement Council; Sens. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, and Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook; Reps. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, and Boomer Wright, R-Reedsport; and Kotek.

The Oregon Department of Human Services promoted several top executives:

• Chief of Staff Keith Falkenberg was DHS strategic initiatives director.

• Chief Operations Officer Seth Lyon had been a district manager for child welfare and self-sufficiency in Clackamas County.

• Chief Financial Officer Rob Kodiriy joined DHS in 2021 as deputy chief financial officer and had been interim CFO since February.

• Aprille Flint-Gerner, Child Welfare Division director, had served as interim director.

• Claire Seguin, Self-Sufficiency Programs director, had served as interim director and deputy director.

Michael Harryman, resilience manager at DHS and the Oregon Health Authority, was named the first lifetime member of the Oregon Emergency Management Association. He served as state resilience officer under Gov. Kate Brown.

Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner reappointed Sherry Stock to the Residential Ombudsman and Public Guardianship Advisory Board.

Sen. Elisabeth Steiner, D-Portland, promoted Tatiana Amrein to chief of staff.