[5]By Oregonians for Food and Shelter [6]
Oregon’s farm community was hit with some shocking news; Katy Coba would be stepping down as Director of Agriculture to accept the Governor’s appointment of her as the state’s chief operating officer and director of the Department of Administrative Services. The appointment is effective October 1st, but requires confirmation by the Oregon Senate.
Katy’s Eastern Oregon wheat farm roots served her well in her ability to relate with producers on the ground and gave her a passion to promote the industry to both the general public and lawmakers. She strived to create a collaborative environment for both the Department’s staff and the natural resource industry sectors.
OFS is proud of our working relationship with Katy and the Department. She is always open to others’ thoughts and perspectives, especially those coming from the folks on the ground. We may not always agree 100%, but the process was open and fair.
The Department of Agriculture’s deputy director, Lisa Charpilloz Hanson, will serve as interim director starting Oct. 1, until a successor to Coba is appointed. It is important that the Governor appoints someone with a similar leadership style as Katy, but also with background and connection with agriculture.
We wish Katy the best in her new position and recognize this is only goodbye to ODA, not farewell to her passion for agriculture.