Leadership transition at Department of Administrative Services prompts additional changes in state agency leadership

Salem, OR – On March 20th, Governor Tina Kotek announced forthcoming changes in leadership at three state agencies and the opening for a director in a fourth agency following Berri Leslie’s resignation announcement as the director of the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) made earlier this month. The impending vacancy at DAS prompted the Governor to make additional changes to shuffle her cabinet to best serve Oregonians.

“Since taking office I have been focused on improving customer service, transparency and accountability across state government. I believe we have made strides in this effort, and I remain committed to staying the course,” Governor Kotek said. “The changes I am announcing on March 20th, will help the state tap into existing leadership and bring fresh perspectives to getting things done. Departing DAS director Berri Leslie’s resignation prompted me to take an enterprise-wide approach to making sure we can continue to deliver for Oregonians. The leaders I have asked to serve in new roles are exemplary public service professionals, best positioned to succeed at the helm of three critical state agencies.”

Leslie will depart in June. The following leadership changes will take effect in June, pending Senate confirmation:

• Betsy Imholt will bring her more than 30 years in state government with her when she becomes the director of DAS. Imholt, previously chief of staff to former Senate President Peter Courtney, has been the director of the Department of Revenue (DOR) since 2020 where she has improved the customer experience for taxpayers by hiring a taxpayer advocate to assist Oregonians, enhanced the security of taxpayer data, and opened free tax filing through Direct File Oregon on the department’s website.
  
  
• David Gerstenfeld will become the director of the DOR from his current position at the Oregon Employment Department (OED). Gerstenfeld took the helm of OED in 2020 during the height of the pandemic and helped the agency navigate that difficult period while leading the transition to a modern IT system for the agency’s benefit programs. He has improved the agency’s work by increasing accessibility to all Oregonians, including making the unemployment insurance website available in 12 different languages. He also incorporated Paid Leave Oregon into FRANCES Online under budget and on time.
  
  
• Andrew Stolfi will lead OED and depart from his current position as director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). Appointed in 2020 to lead that agency, he also serves as the state’s insurance commissioner. Stolfi has been successful leading an agency focused on standing up for Oregonians, demonstrated by the millions of dollars they save Oregonians each year by advocating for consumers and workers.

There will be an open recruitment for the next director of DCBS.

Since day one, Governor Kotek has had a central focus on improving how state agencies do business and deliver customer service and the decisions to select these agency directors show her continued commitment to increasing access and improving state government for Oregonians and their families.

Headshots for agency directors can be found here.