Jan 28, 2026 | AOC News
The Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) is pleased to announce the hiring of Rachael Gangelhoff as its new Legislative Affairs Coordinator.
Rachael brings over 10 years of valuable experience in local government to the AOC team. She is highly skilled in meeting administration and support, data collection and research, and is a subject matter expert in public meetings and public records. Prior to joining AOC, she served as the Deputy City Recorder for the City of Salem and as the City Recorder for the City of Gresham.
“We are confident that Rachael’s attention to detail and strong organizational skills make her a great addition to our team,” said Executive Director Gina Nikkel.
Contributed by: Erin Good | Communications Coordinator
Jan 28, 2026 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Covenant Technology Solutions
Counties don’t need a “perfect” cybersecurity program to make meaningful progress—they need a roadmap that fits real life: limited staff, tight budgets, and services that can’t pause.
Here’s a simple 3-stage approach we use with Oregon counties to move from uncertainty to steady improvement—without turning every meeting into a fire drill.
- VISIBILITY (Know what you’re protecting)
- Confirm your “crown jewels”: email, finance/payroll, public safety systems, records, and backups.
- Run a baseline check: exposed credentials/dark web, email spoofing risk (DMARC), and basic security posture.
- Make sure you know who has admin access—and why.
- HARDENING (Shut the easy doors)
- Lock down identity: strong MFA + conditional access, remove stale accounts, tighten admin roles.
- Patch what’s most exploited first: internet-facing systems, remote access, high-risk devices.
- Ensure backups can restore—test one critical restore, not “someday.”
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (Stay ready)
- Set a cadence: weekly alert review, monthly access review, quarterly tabletop exercise.
- Track leadership-friendly metrics: restore success, downtime avoided, phishing risk reduced.
Quick win for January: schedule a 30-minute “Crown Jewels + Admin Access” review. It’s the fastest way to reduce risk and clarify priorities.
Want the full roadmap? Read the expanded guide here: https://covenant-tech.net/blog/county-cybersecurity-roadmap-2026/
Want to see how this roadmap maps to a structured solution? Explore Fortify.
Jan 28, 2026 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: CIS
The CIS Annual Conference returns Feb. 25–27, 2026, bringing city and county leaders together in Salem and online for three days of learning, connection, and practical problem-solving. Now in its 24th year, this fully hybrid conference is built for Oregon’s public sector, with timely guidance on risk management, public safety, employee benefits, and organizational leadership — delivered in a format that works whether you attend in person or virtually.
The conference is designed to be both accessible and high impact. CIS offers one of the lowest conference registration fees among comparable public-sector events and provides a member grant program to help offset attendance costs — a benefit unique to CIS. By making participation affordable, CIS helps ensure members can receive early rate indications and receive practical education focused on claim prevention, risk reduction, and workforce wellbeing. This shared learning supports the overall health of the pool and helps control claims and long-term costs for all members.
The conference opens Wednesday with focused tracks for Public Safety professionals and Small Members, setting the tone with sessions grounded in real-world experience. Small members begin the day with a practical overview of CIS services and support, helping newer or smaller organizations quickly understand how to access risk management, claims, HR, and benefits resources. At the same time, public safety attendees dive into relationship-building strategies that strengthen trust between command staff, city managers, elected officials, and community partners — an essential foundation for navigating high-pressure incidents and public scrutiny.
Mid-morning sessions address the issues members face every day. Claims experts walk through property and liability claims from incident to resolution, giving attendees confidence in documentation, reporting, and next steps. Public safety leaders explore fitness-for-duty exams, prescreening tools, and emerging technology designed to support employee wellness while reducing risk. Cybersecurity takes center stage for small members, with cost-effective tools and collaborative solutions that make enterprise-level protection more accessible, even on limited budgets.
The afternoon shifts toward prevention and preparedness. Safety and emergency management sessions offer clear starting points for small organizations building safety programs and disaster response plans. Legal and HR-focused presentations unpack common pitfalls — from lawsuits and compliance missteps to hiring and performance challenges — providing straightforward guidance attendees can apply immediately. The day concludes with sessions on maximizing CIS benefits and navigating line-of-duty loss, underscoring CIS’ commitment to supporting members through both everyday operations and their most difficult moments.
Thursday brings all attendees together for general sessions and breakouts. The opening welcome and annual report provide a snapshot of CIS operations and a look ahead, including preliminary rate projections. Keynote speaker Laura Putnam follows with an energizing look at building cultures of wellbeing that support focus, safety, and performance across organizations. Throughout the day, members can choose sessions on cybersecurity threats, the full life of a claim, benefits updates, case law, recruitment, leave and accommodations, public works liability, and employee assistance resources. Fast-paced Popcorn Sessions add variety and inspiration, while the Agent & Member Update and CTAC Meeting create space for dialogue, feedback, and shared planning.
Friday closes the conference with inspiration and hands-on learning. Keynote speaker Hoan Do challenges attendees to think differently about connection and engagement, followed by practical workshops on documentation, volunteer program management, emergency response lessons from recent disasters, safety committee innovation, and progressive discipline. The conference wraps up with the always-popular Shark Tank & Lunch, where members vote to award risk management grant funding to projects that reduce claims and strengthen communities.
Across all three days, attendees can earn insurance, MCLE, SHRM, and DPSST credits through qualifying sessions. Whether joining in Salem or online, participants have access to live sessions and on-demand recordings for up to 90 days after the event, making it easy to revisit key takeaways and share them with their teams.
“No other event even comes close to the CIS Annual Conference. Year after year, it sets the gold standard.” — 2025 Conference attendee
Members are encouraged to register early to take full advantage of the conference experience. The 2026 CIS Annual Conference offers insights, tools, and relationships members need to reduce risk, manage change, and better serve their communities.
Explore the Full Conference Experience
The 2026 CIS Annual Conference offers 34 sessions over three days, with dedicated tracks for Public Safety and Small Members, general sessions, hands-on workshops, and returning favorites like Popcorn Sessions and Shark Tank.
The Small Members Track is also a great option for anyone new to CIS, offering practical overviews of CIS services, tools, and resources — and a strong foundation for navigating risk management, claims, benefits, HR, and training support.
“A great learning opportunity and a place to network with others in our community.” — 2025 Conference attendee
CIS is also unique in offering a fully hybrid conference experience, with every session available both in person and virtually — giving members flexibility to participate without missing content. All registrants also receive access to on-demand session recordings for up to 90 days after the event — making it easy to revisit key takeaways or share them with your team.
View the full agenda, see available credits, and register at cisoregon.org/conference.
Jan 28, 2026 | AOC Business Partner
Sponsored content contributed by AOC Business Partner: Center for Public Service
Across Oregon, county leaders are facing a common challenge: critical projects are stacking up while staffing remains tight. To bridge this gap, Portland State University’s Center for Public Service (CPS) is connecting Oregon counties with a pipeline of exceptionally qualified, diverse, and highly trained project managers through its 2025-26 Fellowship Program.
These fellows are recruited from over 60 prestigious graduate institutions nationwide and are specifically prepared to support counties in high-impact areas such as community engagement, program evaluation, climate policy, health equity, and data-driven research.
Strategic Support for County Goals
The program offers two distinct models tailored to different organizational needs and timelines:
- The Hatfield Resident Fellowship ($46,782): An eight-month commitment for recent Master’s and Ph.D. graduates ready to lead long-term, complex initiatives.
- The Oregon Summer Fellowship ($11,416): A ten-week intensive program designed for currently enrolled graduate students to tackle immediate, short-term project goals.
Real-World Results in Oregon Counties
County sponsorship has already proven to be a high-value investment. In recent years, counties have successfully utilized fellows to modernize internal operations. For example:
- Succession Planning: One Oregon county contracted a Summer Fellow to develop a succession plan for key positions, review workforce processes, and build new institutional relationships. The fellow’s recommendations provided significant long-term value for the county’s future planning.
- Operational Efficiency: Another county utilized a fellow to review internal fee practices and organizational structures. By conducting staff interviews and developing an effective data dashboard, the fellow directly improved the county’s programmatic efficiency.
A Streamlined Path to Partnership
PSU manages the rigorous screening and recruitment process, ensuring that sponsors are matched with candidates who possess a strong record of scholarship and a demonstrated interest in public service. Once a match is confirmed, PSU assists with the inter-governmental agreement and provides specialized training to the fellow before they arrive at your office. These fellowships offer a unique win-win: your county gains professional capacity for essential projects, while a rising leader gains invaluable experience in local government.
Ready to expand your team?
Counties interested in hosting a fellow for the upcoming cycle are encouraged to visit the PSU website and submit a sponsor application: https://www.pdx.edu/center-for-public-service/sponsor-fellow. For direct inquiries, please contact Program Administrator Meaghan Lingo at mlingo@pdx.edu.
