Nevada Current file photo
Over the holiday break, Gov.-elect Steve Sisolak announced six senior staff hires in his administration, including Democratic advisor Michelle White as Chief of Staff, J. Brin Gibson as general counsel, and Scott Gilles as senior advisor.
White, a former Hillary Clinton campaign operative in Nevada and director of the State Senate Democratic Caucus, is the executive director of Sisolak’s transition, as such naming her chief of staff was expected.
Gibson is the outgoing assistant attorney general and chief of the gaming division in the attorney general’s office, where he has worked for the last four years. Gilles previously served as the deputy secretary of state for elections before managing government affairs and legislative relations for the City of Reno where he’s worked since February 2015.
Sisolak also named Allison Combs as policy director. Combs has been with the Nevada System of Higher Education for the last few years, and before that was a researcher in the Legislative Counsel Bureau. Additionally, Francisco Morales has named public relations and community affairs director. Previously a staffer with Rep. Dina Titus and deputy political director at Culinary 226, Morales worked both on Sisolak’s campaign and the transition.
And also among the new hires, Keith J.D. Hightower will be the new governor’s legislative and intergovernmental affairs director — a position not unlike that Hightower has currently under Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Throughout his election campaign, Sisolak tried to tie himself to Sandoval by emphasizing their shared support of Medicaid expansion and Sandoval’s approach to economic development and diversification.
Prior to serving in the Sandoval administration, Hightower was an assistant administrator at Boyd School of Law, where he earned his J.D. in 2017.
“I am excited to be able to have such talented individuals as part of my administration,” said Gov.-elect Sisolak. “The experience and skills these members will bring to this team cannot be matched and I am honored to have them by my side as we work to keep Nevada moving forward.”
Susan Brown, acting deputy director of the budget division in the Governor’s Finance Office, was previously announced as Budget Director.
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