Starting part-time on Jan. 22, Democratic stalwart Barry Pack will succeed Tom Powers as chief of staff for Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego. Powers joined Multnomah County’s government relations staff as state and regional coordinator.

Pack will go full-time on Feb. 1. He was director of the Oregon Lottery until Jan. 9, 2023, the day Gov. Tina Kotek was sworn in. He since worked for Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. Pack previously was a top executive in the state Department of Administrative Services, Kate Brown’s deputy when she was secretary of state, and chief of staff in the Senate Majority Office.

Longtime political insiders Jennifer Williamson, Kari Chisholm and Amy Ruiz have launched their own consulting firm, Portland-based Swift Public Affairs. All three were senior vice presidents at Strategies 360. Williamson is a former Oregon House majority leader, Chisholm founded Mandate Media, and Ruiz was on Portland Mayor Sam Adams’ staff.

Salem-based Pilot Strategies is now Cleave Government Affairs, run by Shawn Cleave. He and Chuck Deister, who works for Charter Communications, had co-owned Pilot Strategies.

Sue Hildick, who led Oregon’s pioneering Chalkboard Project to improve K-12 public schools, is now managing director at the World Forestry Center in Portland. She most recently was director of public and government affairs at Clackamas County.

After leading the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife since 2014, Curt Melcher will retire on April 1. The Fish and Wildlife Commission appointed him as department director in 2015 after he served as interim director. In February 2023, the commission reappointed him to a third four-year term.

Gina Bianco begins work Feb. 1 as executive director of the Oregon Wine Board, a semi-independent state agency that has eight employees and a budget approaching $2.5 million. Tom Danowski had announced his resignation in June. Bianco has been executive director of the Rogue Valley Vintners Association.

George Plaven, a longtime reporter for the Capital Press and EO Media Group, joined PacWest Lobby Group as director of communications.

With Yamhill County Sheriff Tim Svenson having departed to become executive director of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, Sam Elliott was sworn in Dec. 21 as interim sheriff after being appointed by the county commissioners. Former Marion County Sheriff Jason Myers had led the association since 2019 and was heavily involved at the State Capitol.

Rep. Dwayne Yunker, who was appointed to replace fellow Grants Pass Republican Lily Morgan in the Legislature, will take her seat on three committees. House Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, appointed Yunker to the Behavioral Health and Health Care, Economic Development and Small Business, and Judiciary committees. Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, will replace Morgan on the Joint Committee on Legislative Policy and Research.

Former state Rep. Duane Stark, R-Grants Pass, is CEO of Bridges Community Ministries, Bullard, Texas. Stark was teaching at the local community college in East Texas before establishing the nonprofit, which is an umbrella organization for several ministries that serve vulnerable populations.