Kotek Announces Staff Shake-Up Ahead of Reelection Campaign

By Nigel Jaquiss
March 11, 2026

As Gov. Tina Kotek begins her campaign for a second term in earnest, she announced today that she’ll move forward without three of her senior executive staff.

Departing are deputy chief of staff Taylor Smiley Wolfe, who is joining the Ford Family Foundation; legislative director Bob Livingston, who is retiring; and communications director Elisabeth Shepard, who is moving to Washington, D.C., to become chief of staff for 5th District Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.). All three joined Kotek’s team after she won election in 2022.

Amelia Porterfield, a longtime Kotek aide currently serving as the governor’s Regional Solutions director, will assume some of Smiley Wolfe’s duties related to homelessness and housing, mental health and addiction care, and education. Danny Moran, another longtime Kotek aide currently serving as Livingston’s deputy, will become interim legislative director; and Lucas Bezerra, currently a deputy to Shepard, will become interim communications director.

Kotek is also bringing in temporary help from the Port of Portland, in the form of Emerald Bogue, the port’s director of government affairs and strategy. Bogue, who previously worked at Multnomah County and Service Employees International Union, will “help oversee coordination across key areas of the office, including legislative affairs, communications, federal response and the governor’s Prosperity Roadmap,” according to the governor’s office.

Kotek saw a large exodus of top staff in 2024, due to tensions over the role of first lady Aimee Kotek Wilson.

Today’s announcement appears to be more routine turnover, timed to the end of the February legislative session and the beginning of election season. Kotek faces only nominal opposition in the May 19 Democratic primary nine other candidates have filed to run but none appears to pose any threat to the incumbent).

Kotek thanked her departing staff in a statement.

“Over the last three years, the team in my office has served Oregonians with distinction,” Kotek said. “As they each move on to new opportunities near and far, I want to thank three leaders who have been with my office since day one: Taylor Smiley Wolfe, Bob Livingston and Elisabeth Shepard.”