Gov.-elect Jim Gibbons on Monday named his former congressional chief of staff to head his administrative team in Carson City.
Michael Dayton managed Gibbons' successful campaign for Congress in 1996 and served as his Congressional Chief of Staff for nearly six years.
Prior to that, he served seven years as executive director of the Senate Republican Leadership Conference under Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio. Dayton was also chief policy advisor to Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt during the 2003 Nevada Legislature.
He leaves the post of vice president of government affairs for the McDonald, Carano, Wilson law firm to become chief of staff in January.
"He is well known throughout Nevada political circles and is widely respected for his professionalism, work ethic and knowledge of public policy issues," Gibbons said.
Gibbons named former Washoe County commissioner Dianne Cornwall his deputy chief of staff. At present, she runs Gibbons' congressional offices in Reno, Las Vegas, Elko and Washington, D.C. Cornwall has also served as a board member of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and was the first woman to lead the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.
Veteran newsman Brent Boynton has been named the governor-elect's communications director.
Boynton has been a television news anchor and reporter 28 years, including more than 13 years in Reno. He was Gibbons' communications director during the campaign.
• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.