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

Republican Dwayne Yunker, a Grants Pass city councilor and real estate agent, was sworn in Wednesday as the state representative for House District 3. Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Meagan Flynn administered the oath of office. Josephine County commissioners appointed Yunker to replace Rep. Lily Morgan, R-Grants Pass, who resigned to become city manager in Gold Hill.

A former interim president at Oregon State University will begin that same role at Linfield University on Jan. 1. Becky Johnson was vice president for OSU-Cascades before being asked to lead OSU during 2021-22. Johnson and her wife, Lori Elkins, will relocate from Central Oregon to the president’s house on the Linfield campus while she serves as interim president. After a sometimes-turbulent tenure, President Miles Davis announced his resignation last month.

The field for executive director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission has been pared to two state employees: Susan Myers, the commission’s compliance and education coordinator, and Jay Messenger, internal controls officer at the Department of Revenue. Separate stakeholder meet-and-greet sessions will be held with them on Jan. 4 via Microsoft Teams.

Christine Kirk has retired from the Oregon Youth Authority but will continue in her role until April 1. Applications for the job are due Jan. 8. Kirk has been public policy and government relations manager for 10 years, including a stint as OYA’s acting deputy director. Her career in public safety policy began in 1993 as a crime prevention specialist with the Albany Police Department.

Linea Gagliano, who has worked for the Oregon Wine Board and Travel Oregon, joined U.S. Ron Wyden’s staff as deputy state communications director.

Andrea Phillips, who was vice chair of the Iowa Democratic Party and a candidate for the Iowa Legislature, is the new campaign manager for State Treasurer Tobias Read. He is running for Oregon secretary of state. Read and Phillips have known each other since they were high schoolers volunteering on the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992.

Angel Gillette was promoted to chief information officer at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

Brittany Leffel, who was a legislative assistant for Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, will start a contract position next month as Colorado policy coordinator at Winter Wildlands Alliance. 

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed David Schutt as Klamath County district attorney, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Eve Costello. A criminal defense lawyer, Schutt previously was the Lake County DA and a prosecutor for Klamath County.

Andrew Stolfi, insurance commissioner and director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, received the Bonnie Burns Excellence in Consumer Advocacy Award. It honors a state regulator who the National Association of Insurance Commissioners consumer representatives believe has most-effectively represented and advanced the interests of consumers in NAIC proceedings.