January 9, 2023 3:00 a.m. 

Incoming Governor Tina Kotek has announced three new staff members that will join her administration plus one upcoming retirement.

Pooja Bhatt will serve as the Education Initiative Director, joining the Governor’s Policy Initiatives Team alongside Behavioral Health Initiative Director Annaliese Dolph, and Housing Initiative Director Taylor Smile Wolfe. The team is a new structure within the Governor’s Office to focus staff capacity on the three priority issues of shared statewide concern. In this role, Bhatt will oversee the Governor’s focused agenda on improving early learning and K-12 outcomes.

Melissa Goff will join the administration as the Governor’s Education Advisor, providing leadership and support on educational issues, including an expanded focus on supporting early learning and K-12 education related agencies.

Joining the Oregon Health Authority’s leadership team, Ebony Clarke will serve as the new Behavioral Health Director. Clarke joins the administration with more than 25 years of experience working in both the publicly funded and non-profit behavioral health arena.

Following the upcoming legislative session, Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill will retire after more than 30 years as an Oregon educator. A national search will be announced to replace Gill’s role in the coming months. Gill has been the ODE director since 2018.