Cyreena Boston Ashby, a partner in the public affairs firm Shatter LLC and a former partner in Hilltop Public Solutions, joined 1803 Fund as vice president of external affairs. 

Meg Olson, director of digital services at Praxis Political, is now a partner. Madeline Neely joined the firm as an associate. She previously was a coalition coordinator at Northwest Family Services.

LaTonya Meyer now is chief of staff for Sen. Aaron Woods, D-Wilsonville, having been a legislative assistant for Sen. James I. Manning Jr., D-Eugene.

Zack Surmacz, who worked during the 2023 legislative session for Sen. Kathleen Taylor, D-Portland, now is policy director for Rep. Farrah Chaichi, D-Beaverton.

Kassy Bonanno joined the staff of Rep. Dacia Grayber, D-Portland, as legislative assistant.

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Ryan T. O’Connor to the Oregon Court of Appeals, filling the vacancy created by the resignation last year of Judge Josephine Mooney. He is a partner in the Portland law firm of O’Connor Weber LLC and co-executive director of Equal Justice Law.

Former Marion County Circuit Judge Vance Day, who was chairman of the Oregon Republican Party during 2005-2009, began working for the U.S. Department of Justice this week as senior counsel to the deputy attorney general. The Oregon Supreme Court in 2018 suspended Day from his judicial duties. He then became president of Promise Keepers before making an unsuccessful run for the Oregon Court of Appeals in 2022.

Dr. Sejal Hathi, director of the Oregon Health Authority, has taken a side gig as a part-time faculty member in the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she earned her medical degree. As first reported by The Lund Report, Hathi will work one weekend a month seeing patients at Stanford in California.

Dr. Greg Pereira will become president of Central Oregon Community College in July, succeeding Dr. Laurie Chesley, who is retiring. Pereira is vice president of student affairs at Rio Salado College in Arizona.

William Naru will serve as acting U.S. attorney for Oregon until President Donald Trump appoints a replacement for Natalie K. Wight, who had served since 2022. 

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.