Bend resident Josh Lehner, whom many expected would be promoted to Oregon’s top economist, instead is leaving state government in mid-September. After nearly 16 years with the state, accepted an offer to join SGH Macro Advisors. A senior economist with the Office of Economic Analysis, Lehner has been acting state economist since Mark McMullen departed at the end of May. A new No. 1 economist is being hired with the title being changed from “state economist” to “chief economist.”

The Oregon Department of Transportation made several staff changes:

— Mac Lynde, who was Delivery and Operations Division administrator, no longer is with the agency. Now leading that division is Amy Ramsdell, who was Commerce and Compliance Division administrator. Carla Phelps, who was the CCD Roadside Safety and Compliance Branch manager, has taken on the CCD administrator role until ODOT can complete a competitive recruitment next year.

— The Bicycle and Pedestrian Program manager role has been filed by Ian Davidson. He comes to ODOT from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, where he was Justice Reinvestment Program manager. He also is board vice president of the Salem Area Mass Transit District, known as Cherriots.

— Shelley Snow, who was the strategic communications lead, retired after nearly 20 years with ODOT. Anna Howe has taken over as strategic communications lead.

— Paris Edwards is now Climate Adaptation Program manager.

— For the foreseeable future, the agency does not intend to hire a Toll Division administrator, a position for which ODOT had been recruiting early this year.

Philip Schmidt was named the Oregon Health Authority’s government relations director after filling the interim role since spring.

Carlos Valenzuela is the new director of the Court Language Access Services Division at the Oregon Judicial Department. He succeeds Ed Alletto, who retired last month after 17 years with the division, the last three as director. Valenzuela previously led the Legislature’s Language Access Program through the Legislative Policy and Research Office.

Mackenzie “Mack” Smith began work last week as communications director for the House Majority Office. She most recently was communications manager for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates. Devin Mullins joined House Majority Leader Ben Bowman’s staff this week as legislative assistant.

Tess Seger, communications director for the Senate Majority Office, is leaving Sept. 30. Applications to fill the job are being accepted through Sept. 5.

Emily Mooney was promoted to legislative director for Senate President Rob Wagner. She had been deputy legislative director since February 2023.

Benton County District Attorney John M. Haroldson is retiring after 17 years in the job. Appointed by Gov. Ted Kulongoski in 2007, Haroldson was first elected in 2008. Son of a Scandinavian father and a Mexican mother, he is the first Hispanic or Latino district attorney in Oregon history.

Liz Merah, who was a press secretary for Gov. Kate Brown, left the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. She is working as a communications consultant on contract for Deloitte Government & Public Services.

Alexandra Ring is joining the League of Oregon Cities as housing and land use lobbyist. She had been legislative and communications coordinator for Oregon Housing and Community Services after working for Congressman Kurt Schrader. Lindsay Tenes, who lobbied for LOC on tax and economic development issues, is moving to TriMet as state government relations manager.

A group of Oregonians and other Northwesterners recently traveled to Scotland to learn about offshore wind turbines. The delegation included Democratic Reps. David Gomberg of Otis and Dacia Grayber of Portland; Luke Harkins, Gomberg’s chief of staff; Ashley Audycki, Rogue Climate; Jena Carter, The Nature Conservancy; Bobby Cochran, Oregon Consensus; Nick Edwards, Shrimp Producers Marketing Cooperative and International Port of Coos Bay; Ranfis Giannettino Villatoro, BlueGreen Alliance; Nicole Hughes and Casey MacLean; Renewable Northwest; Sarah Henkel, Pacific Marine Energy Center and Oregon State University; Andy Lanier, Oregon Coastal Management Program; Reuben Martinez, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians; Rick Osborn, Blue Ridge Strategies; Brad Pettinger, Pacific Fisheries Management Council; Graham Trainor, Oregon AFL-CIO; Robert Westerman, IBEW Local Union 932; and Lexie Woodward, South Coast Development Council.

On Ukraine Independence Day (Aug. 24), Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, traveled to the Ukrainian village from which his ancestors emigrated to the U.S. in 1886. The village is now known as Pidhirne.