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

Portland-area Democrats now hold three top positions in the Oregon Legislature. House Democrats on Wednesday elected first-term Rep. Ben Bowman of Tigard as the new majority leader, replacing Rep. Julie Fahey, D-Eugene. The 2024 legislative session concluded with House Majority Leader Fahey being elected as House speaker, succeeding Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis. Other top Democrats include Senate President Rob Wagner, Lake Oswego, and Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, Portland.

After becoming speaker, Fahey appointed herself and House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich of Hood River to the Emergency Board. The panel handles budget issues when the Legislature is not in session.

Ashley Thirstrup takes over April 8 as the Oregon Health Authority chief of staff. She has been with the department since 2017, most recently as government relations director. Her background includes more than eight years as director of youth and education services at the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), Portland. OHA director Dr. Sejal Hathi said Thirstrup’s role will include working with agency leaders on root cause analysis, strategic planning efforts, agency-wide policy priorities and improvements in the agency’s operating structure. She also will direct OHA’s External Relations Division.

Kathy Hyzy joined Gov. Tina Kotek’s staff as the metro Regional Solutions coordinator. Hyzy chairs the Clackamas Community College board and was a Milwaukie city councilor for four years. Much of her regional work focused on climate, transportation and housing. Susana Sandoval joined the governor’s staff as executive assistant for the equity team, supporting the Racial Justice Council and related committees. She previously was a lead office technician at Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency and a family advocate at Oregon Child Development Coalition.

Colt Gill, who ran the state Department of Education under Gov. Kate Brown, is poised to become interim superintendent of the Eugene School District. Before going to work for Brown, Gill was superintendent of the Bethel School District, which serves part of the Eugene area. Assuming he and the Eugene School Board agree on a contract, Gill will take over from embattled Superintendent Andy Dey, who reached a mutual separation agreement with the board.

Former journalist Seth Gordon is communications officer with the Oregon Employment Department. He handled communications for North Clackamas Schools after more than a dozen years reporting for The Newberg Graphic and The Ann Arbor (Michigan) News.

After nearly three years with the House Republican Office, policy advisor Ryan Tuthill is leaving to become a field representative for Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-5th District.

The Oregon Republican Party Central Committee elected Dan Mason of Washington County as national committeeman, replacing Solomon Yue. Tracy Honl of Clatsop County was re-elected as national committeewoman.

Nathan Soltz, chief of staff for Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, is running for the Salem City Council. Soltz also is secretary of the state Democratic party.

The directors of two state agencies – Vicki Walker, Department of State Lands, and Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels, Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs – are among the public officials scheduled to get their hands slapped by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday. Like others, they were late in filing their lobbyist expenditure reports.

Sean Andries, executive director of the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, is the new chair of the Oregon Cultural Trust board. He succeeds Niki Price, executive director of the Lincoln City Cultural Center. George Kramer of Ashland continues as vice chair. Andries, of Tigard, also is a trained clown and for a time ran a circus school.