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

Sophi Beym is tribal liaison for the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. She has 18 years’ experience working with tribes throughout the U.S. in emergency management and 14 months in hazard mitigation in Puerto Rico. She taught at the Emergency Management Institute and at Columbia University’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness.

Tony Clem now is OEM’s chief information officer. He has worked for over 20 years in IT leadership, security and compliance management.

Troy Davis joined the Oregon State Fire Marshal as diversity, equity and inclusion manager. He previously worked in state government and the private sector in Oregon, Northern California and the Midwest. As a digital innovation executive with a Fortune 500 retailer, he founded and co-chaired the company’s first business resource group BUILD (Blacks United in Leadership). 

Sarah Kelber is starting a job rotation as strategic projects and initiatives manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation. She has been internal communications coordinator at ODOT. 

Dr. Sarah Klain replaced the retired Dr. Tommy Swearingen as the Oregon Marine Reserves Program’s human dimensions project leader. Klain was an assistant professor at Utah State University after doing post-doctoral work at Oregon State University.

The Oregon Senate confirmed Lisa Charpilloz Hanson as director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Charpilloz Hanson in October 2023, and she has been serving as interim director since December. She previously was executive director of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. 

Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford was appointed to co-chair the Public Safety Committee of the Council of State Governments West.

Among the new chiefs of staff for Democratic lawmakers this session are Seth Dugan-Night for Rep. Ben Bowman, Tigard; Nathan Clark, Rep. Maxine Dexter, Portland; Alex Fallman, Rep. Rob Nosse, Portland; Will Worth, Rep. Jules Walters, West Linn; Barrett Johnson, Rep. Dacia Grayber, Portland; Sang Tzun “Sam” Phan, Rep. Hoa Nguyen, Portland; Andy Smith, Rep. Tom Andersen, Salem; and Kathy Martin-Willis, Rep. Paul Evans, Monmouth.

Dr. Krista Parent, who was the South Lane School District superintendent until 2018, will take over as executive director of the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators by July 1. Craig Hawkins is retiring after 11 years. Parent has been COSA’s deputy executive director after joining the organization in 2018 as director of executive leadership.