Montana News

Governor-elect Bullock announces key staff appointments

Posted: Dec 6, 2012 3:34 PM by MTN News

HELENA - Montana Governor-elect Steve Bullock announced the appointment of key staff members on Thursday.

Tim Burton will serve as chief of staff and Dan Villa will serve as budget director.

Ali Bovingdon and Kevin O'Brien serve as deputy chiefs of staff.

In a press release, Bullock said, "These folks are on my team because I personally know their commitment to public service and that they will help create even greater opportunities for the next generation. I couldn't ask for a more talented group of Montanans to help me lead the state."

Burton is a Great Falls native and has served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Director of the Montana Department of Justice since 2009. Prior to serving as Bullock's Chief of Staff, he served as City Manager of Helena from 2000-2009 and Chief Administrative Officer for Lewis & Clark County between 1994 and 2000.

Villa, from Anaconda, served as Education Policy Advisor to the Governor. He was elected three times to the Montana House of Representatives where he sat on the Education, Business and Labor, Agriculture, Rules and Appropriations Committees.

Bovingdon, who hails from Chinook, has served as Chief Deputy Attorney General and Administrator of the Montana Department of Justice's Legal Services Division since 2009. She has worked as an assistant attorney general since 2000 where her primary areas of practice have included defending the state in constitutional litigation and performing legislative and policy work on behalf of the Department.

O'Brien served as Campaign Manager to Bullock/Walsh for Governor. Prior to that, he was the Director of Communications for the Montana Department of Justice and primary spokesman for the Attorney General.