Longtime Oregon political insider Fred VanNatta died March 29 in Salem. He was 86. He founded and guided VanNatta Public Relations, originally known as Public Affairs, Inc., for nearly six decades. His wide-ranging, influential political roles included legislative assistant, western states director for Ronald Reagan’s 1968 presidential campaign, lobbyist for local and national clients, Oregon State Capitol Foundation board member and co-founder of Oregon’s first political action committee for sport fishing. A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. May 12 at First Presbyterian Church in Salem.

With Jana McLellan now serving as interim executive director of the Oregon Youth Authority, several employees have shifted roles:

• Assistant Director Erin Fuimaono is interim deputy director. 

• Shannon Myrick is interim assistant director of Development Services.

• Jeannine Beatrice is interim assistant director of Business Services, joining OYA from the Employment Department.

• Caiti Hudson is Business Services’ chief of operations, with Lisa Fox remaining interim chief financial officer.

For its next director, the Youth Authority is recruiting a “skilled communicator, a problem-solver, and a transformational leader who is committed to fairness, integrity, and public service.” Applications are due April 30 for the position, which carries an annual salary of $152,724 to $236,400.

Laura Tabor is legislative affairs director at the Oregon Public Utility Commission. An engineer by training, she coordinated the New Mexico Climate Change Task Force and most recently was climate action director for The Nature Conservancy in Oregon.

Ali Ryan Hansen is stepping away for a bit from her communications director role at the Department of State Lands and will serve as special projects adviser.

Bob Estabrook is federal affairs adviser at the Oregon Department of Transportation. He previously was a  lobbyist for the Oregon School Employees Association after working for the Department of Revenue, Bureau of Labor and Industries, and the Legislature.

Two Polk County educators are the remaining finalists for executive director of the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission. Rachel Alpert is assistant superintendent of the Dallas School District. Brian Flannery is executive director of human resources for the Central School District. Nebraska administrator Brad Dirksen withdrew from consideration.

As first reported by Willamette Week, Oregon Republican Party chairman Jerry Cummings resigned this week. Vice chair Connie Whelchel replaced him.

Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, appointed Sen. Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, to replace former Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, on the Oregon Homeland Security Council.

Oregon first lady Aimee Kotek Wilson registered as a lobbyist for the Governor’s Office and testified in favor of HB 2467, which would change the state’s civil commitment law.

The Oregon State Interoperability Executive Council highlighted that Mike Fletcher, former director of Columbia County 911, joined the Statewide Interoperability Program as the deputy statewide interoperability coordinator.