Sandoval names members of administration team
CARSON CITY -- Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval announced Wednesday that former Assembly Minority Leader Heidi Gansert will be his chief of staff and that Dale Erquiaga will be his senior adviser.
Their appointments are no surprise. Gansert, R-Reno, and Erquiaga, a former Clark County School District employee, have been leading his transition team since Sandoval was elected governor on Nov. 2. He takes office Jan. 3 and will release his proposed state budget on Jan. 24.
In addition, current state Budget Director Andrew Clinger has agreed to remain as budget director. Clinger has held the position for five years, working under both Gov. Jim Gibbons and Gov. Kenny Guinn.
"Andrew's integral knowledge of the state budget will be invaluable as we look to balance the budget without raising taxes," said Sandoval in a statement.
As senior adviser, Erquiaga will be responsible for communications and education policy. He said a press secretary will be named later.
Erquiaga said Sandoval realizes that his administration must include people from all over the state and that he intends to appoint Southern Nevadans to leadership posts.
While Erquiaga has lived on-and-off in Las Vegas since 1997, he is a Fallon native who held state jobs with Guinn and former Republican Secretaries of State Dean Heller and Cheryl Lau.
Sandoval, Erquiaga and Gansert all are 47 and have known each other since childhood.
When Sandoval was class president at Bishop Manogue High School in Reno, Gansert was class vice president.
Erquiaga said he met Sandoval in second grade in Fallon when the governor-elect's family lived in Churchill County for a short time.
As chief of staff, Gansert will be responsible for the governor's overall administration, with emphasis on the budget. She has a master's degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a bachelor's of science degree in engineering from Santa Clara University.
"Each brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to their jobs," Sandoval said.
