Gov. Tina Kotek’s inner circle at the Capitol is getting a noticeable shake-up. Three senior aides are leaving her Salem office, triggering a round of promotions and new advisory roles that the governor’s team insists will keep core priorities on track during what is expected to be a packed year.
The departures come just as the 2026 legislative session wrapped last week, turning the end of the short session into a bit of a staff reset. “The work is not done, and the year ahead will be a busy one,” Kotek said in a statement, as reported by OPB, framing the exits as part of a broader transition.
Who’s leaving and who’s taking over
The governor’s office confirmed that three well-known players are moving on. Taylor Smiley Wolfe, who has served as deputy chief of staff for initiatives and worked with Kotek since her days as House speaker, is leaving to become a policy director at the Ford Family Foundation. Legislative director Bob Livingston is retiring, with Deputy Legislative Director Danny Moran stepping into his role.
Communications director Elisabeth Shepard is also exiting, heading to Washington, D.C., to work for U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum. Shepard will be succeeded by Deputy Public Affairs Director Lucas Bezerra, while Emerald Bogue will join as a special adviser and Amelia Porterfield will take charge of homelessness, housing, mental health and education policy, according to OPB.
Internal continuity and outside experience
Per Oregon.gov, several of the newly elevated figures were already fixtures inside the administration. Bezerra is listed as deputy public affairs director and Moran as deputy legislative director, giving Kotek a built-in bench that already knows the policy agenda and the rhythms of Oregon’s budget and legislative timelines.
The additions of Bogue and Porterfield layer in outside expertise on homelessness, housing, behavioral health and education, areas Kotek has repeatedly highlighted as central to her governorship. The result is a bit of Salem-style musical chairs, but with familiar faces still in the room.
Background: past turnover and the political stakes
This is not the first time in recent years that Kotek’s office has faced significant staff turnover. In 2024, Chief of Staff Andrea Cooper and other top aides departed amid scrutiny of the role of the first spouse, a first spouse shake-up that drew ethics questions and public attention.
Those earlier departures set the stage for how every new staffing move is viewed, with stability in the governor’s office now part of the broader political story. Kotek publicly thanked the outgoing aides and stressed that the handoffs will be orderly, while her team has emphasized continuity on core issues as new and promoted staff settle into their expanded roles. Formal timelines and confirmations of when each change fully kicks in are still to come, and will shape how smoothly this latest reset plays out in Salem.
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