Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, is seeking appointment to the Senate District 13 seat vacated by the death of Sen. Aaron Woods, D-Wilsonville. Other applicants include David Backen, Andrew Stiffler and Jeanette Shaw. The deadline for applying with the Democratic Party of Oregon is noon Friday. Precinct committee members will meet Sunday in Wilsonville to choose three to five nominees. The Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill county commissioners are scheduled to appoint the new senator on Wednesday.

Woods’ death created vacancies on several legislative committees. Senate President Rob Wagner filled them by appointing Sens. Khanh Phạm, D-Portland, to the Senate Committee on Veterans, Emergency Management, Federal and World Affairs; James Manning Jr., D-Eugene, co-chair, and Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, Joint Committee on Information Management and Technology; and Lew Frederick, D-Portland, Capital Construction Subcommittee.

Liz Merah has returned to state government as director of strategic communications at the Department of Education. Communications director Marc Siegel is heading to Washington state. Merah was a press secretary for Gov. Kate Brown before handling communications for the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and then working as a consultant. In the past, she worked for the state Administrative Services, Corrections and Transportation departments.

Martina McLennan departed as communications director for Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon. Merkley’s state director, Jessica Stevens, is leaving in June “to pursue other opportunities” after 12-plus years working for the senator.

The Oregon Health Authority is preparing a third attempt at hiring a long-term superintendent for Oregon State Hospital. Two previous recruitments were unsuccessful, with candidates not taking the job. Dr. Sara Walker abruptly departed April 11 as interim superintendent and chief medical officer, having worked out the terms of her resignation with human resources officials. Kristine Kautz, acting OHA director, accepted Walker’s emailed resignation at 8:09 p.m., nine minutes after it was submitted April 11.

Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Elisa Dozono to the Multnomah County Circuit Court and Cierra Brown to the Clackamas County Circuit Court. Dozono replaces retiring Judge Tom Ryan, effective immediately. She was deputy general counsel for CLEAResult and was founding board president of Emerge Oregon. She helped found the Oregon Asian Pacific American Bar Association, has been a Washington County judge pro tempore since 2018 and serves on the Oregon Public Broadcasting board. Brown fills a new judicial position, effective July 1. She is managing partner of Metro Law Group and the Lake Oswego Municipal Court judge. Before becoming a lawyer, she was a youth adviser for Nevada’s Washoe County Department of Juvenile Services.

The Oregon Senate confirmed Kotek’s appointment of Sarah Koski, Eugene, and Alexia Wellons, Portland, to the state Commission for Women. Koski is Lane Transit District’s homelessness and community resource liaison. Wellons is part of the Emerge class of 2025 and has 20 years’ marketing and research experience in health care and wellness.

A year before the 2026 Republican primary election, Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell announced her candidacy for governor. 

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.