Kate Brown appoints healthcare policy adviser

Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday filled another vacancy in her executive staff, naming a new policy adviser for healthcare issues.

Jeremy Vandehey, government affairs director for Kaiser Permanente in Oregon and Washington, will start with Brown's administration Oct. 12.

Before moving to Kaiser Permanente in December 2012, Vandehey spent nearly three years working as the Oregon Health Authority's in-house lobbyist and legislative director. Vandehey replaces Sean Kolmer, who'd been appointed to the post by Gov. John Kitzhaber in 2013.

"Jeremy has a strong track record of collaboration with diverse health care stakeholders," Brown said in a statement. "He will play a lead role in my pursuit of policy that ensures all Oregonians have access to high quality, affordable health care."

Brown on Thursday also named the head of a new task force, created under Senate Bill 222, meant to "develop recommendations for a model of representation in juvenile dependency cases." Adrian Smith, a Portland-based attorney for the National Indian Child Welfare Association, will start Oct. 1.

-- Denis C. Theriault

503-221-8430; @TheriaultPDX

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