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

Davia Palmeri will become interim director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on April 1, when director Curt Melcher retires. The Fish and Wildlife Commission, which appointed Palmeri, expects to name a permanent director in May. In her six years at the department, Palmeri has been the conservation policy coordinator, tribal policy coordinator and acting deputy director for fish and wildlife programs. She currently is the acting land resources program manager.

The Oregon and Washington state transportation commission formed a bi-state tolling subcommittee “to study and assess possible toll rates and policies” for the I-5 bridge across the Columbia River. Members from the Oregon Transportation Commission are Lee Beyer, a former legislator and head of the Public Utility Commission, and Alicia Chapman, owner/CEO of Willamette Technical Fabricators. Washington’s representatives are James Restucci and Roy Jennings.

Longtime Salem lobbyist Ted Hughes, 93-ish, who was an Oregon Capitol presence for a half-century, died Feb. 15 with his son and daughter by his side. Hughes came to Salem in 1963, working with as many as 25 clients at a time.

Kristin Bigler is the new broadband communications coordinator at the Oregon Broadband Office. She worked for the state Department of Education as a public affairs specialist and for the Lincoln County School District as public information officer/communications coordinator.

Sherwood Mayor Tim Rosener, who chairs the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council, was appointed to the Federal Communication Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. 

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Pamela Haan and Christine Martin to the Multnomah County Circuit Court, where they will serve in the Family Law Department. They replace judges Michael S. Loy and Kathryn L. Villa-Smith, who retired. Haan was a supervising attorney at Legal Aid Services of Oregon’s Portland Regional Office. Martin was a public defender at Multnomah Defenders Inc.

Kotek appointed Joanna A. Marikos as circuit judge for Oregon’s Sixth Judicial District, which encompasses Umatilla and Morrow counties. She replaces Judge Christopher R. Brauer, who retired. Marikos was referee pro tem for the Sixth Judicial District Civil Department and the treatment court judge.

The Oregon Senate confirmed Kotek’s appointments of Jen Procter Andrews, vice chair of the Coquille Indian Tribe, and Theresa Martinez, coordinator for Eastern Oregon Child Care Resources, to the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. They will serve through June 30, 2027, succeeding Dr. Terry Cross and Helen Edwards.

Kristina Kelchner was appointed as the Port of Portland’s chief development services officer, a new position. She has been assistant general counsel since 2022.

Elisabeth Gade is legislative assistant for Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove.