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

Felisa Hagins, political director at SEIU Local 49, is embarking on a new role as executive director of the SEIU Oregon State Council. She will lead the combined political efforts of SEIU Locals 503 and 49. The locals have 87,000 members, many of them public employees.

 

Kate Gonsalves is communications manager at the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, moving from that same role at Oregon Housing and Community Services.

 

Richard Donovan was hired as senior policy adviser and legislative coordinator for the Building Codes Division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. Donovan worked for the Oregon School Boards Association for seven years as legislative services specialist and, before that, for the Legislature as a committee administrator.

 

Bill Ryan, who is on a job rotation to serve as acting director of the Department of Agriculture, will return to being deputy director at the Department of State Lands once the new Agriculture director begins work. Pending confirmation by the Oregon Senate next month, Lisa Charpilloz Hanson is scheduled to take over on Dec. 1.

 

Kathryn Jones, operations manager at the Oregon Department of Revenue, was appointed to the Salem-Keizer School District budget committee. Jones previously worked for Gov. Kate Brown, Department of Education, State Treasury and ODOT.

 

The elevation of Rep. Jeff Helfrich, R-Hood River, to House Republican leader launched a cascade of committee changes. House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, appointed Helfrich to Ways & Means. Helfrich also replaces former leader Vikki Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville, on three committees: Rules, where he is vice chair, Legislative Administration and Legislative Counsel. In turn, she succeeded Helfrich on Housing and Homelessness as vice chair. Rayfield also named Reps. Charlie Conrad, R-Dexter, to the Ways & Means Public Safety Subcommittee, replacing Helfrich; Breese-Iverson to the Natural Resources Subcommittee, replacing Mark Owens, R-Crane; and E. Werner Reschke to Transportation, replacing Helfrich.

 

Seth Dugan-Knight, who was chief of staff for Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, is now chief of staff for Rep. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard.

Toby Riffle is state press assistant and special assistant for U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden.