Matt West is the new administrator of the Workers’ Compensation Division after serving as interim administrator since January 2024. For two years, he was deputy administrator of WCD, which is part of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. West started at the division in 2003 as a benefit consultant.

Tom McLay and Jamie Miller were promoted to regional positions with the Department of Corrections. A 24-year DOC employee, McLay is the new westside institutions administrator. He was Powder River Correctional Facility superintendent. McLay succeeds Ken Jeske, who retired from DOC but is serving a limited-duration appointment with the Oregon Youth Authority through July. Miller, the new eastside institutions administrator, joined DOC in 1996. He was superintendent at Snake River Correctional Institution. Miller succeeds Mark Nooth, who retired but has continued temporarily with DOC.

The Department of Land Conservation and Development promoted Rachel Six and Ryan Marquardt to associate housing accountability planner. The agency also hired Kieran Turnbull, housing navigator; Jenna Otto, accounting technician; and Sam Goldberg, housing policy analyst.

Hazel Tylinski joined the staff of Rep. Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego, as communications and outreach director. She worked for Dan Rayfield on his attorney general campaign and when he was Oregon House speaker, and before that for Congressman Peter DeFazio, D-4th District.

State Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, appointed himself to the Oregon Capitol Foundation board, replacing Sen. Kate Lieber, D-Portland, who now is Ways & Means co-chair. Wagner appointed Sen. Lisa Reynolds, D-Portland, to the Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission, replacing Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro.

House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, appointed Rep. Kim Wallan, R-Medford, as co-vice chair of the Joint Legislative Audits Committee.

In changes at federal offices, new Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, D-5th District, hired Koray Rosati as communications director. Dan Whelan, who was deputy district director and chief of staff for Congresswoman Val Hoyle, D-4th District, moved to Sustainable Northwest as director of government affairs.

Ben Botkin is leaving the Oregon Capital Chronicle to become politics and policy correspondent for Lookout Eugene-Springfield, which is being launched in Lane County. He previously worked for The Lund Report, Salem Statesman Journal and The Bulletin in Bend, as well as news media in Oklahoma, Nevada and Idaho.

The Oregonian’s executive editor, Therese Bottomly, is retiring Aug. 1. A University of Oregon graduate, she has worked at the newspaper for 42 years, starting with an internship on the copy desk.

If you have an update on who’s coming or going – or taking on a new assignment – in state government or organizations involved with it, email Dick Hughes at TheHughesisms@gmail.com.