Oregon's health agency may soon have a new leader. Governor John Kitzhaber named Lynne Saxton to the post Thursday, pending confirmation by the state senate. She would run the Oregon Health Authority - an agency that's grown by hundreds of thousands of low-income clients over the last 12 months, after federal healthcare changes.
Saxton serves on the governor's Early Learning Council with her husband, former Republican candidate for governor, Ron Saxton.
Sean Kolmer in Kitzhaber's office says Lynne Saxton's experience running health organizations makes her a good choice to lead the Oregon Health Authority: "She's been an executive director and/or a chief operating officer for health care providers for the last ten years or so, and that's where her most direct experience is."
Kolmer says her job will be to build on the transformation of the state's health care system. Her confirmation hearings are slated for January.
Copyright 2014 Oregon Public Broadcasting
