Chad Campbell, former Dem legislative leader, will be Katie Hobbs’ new chief of staff

After several staff shake ups in the past few months, Gov. Katie Hobbs has hired former Arizona House of Representatives Democratic Leader Chad Campbell as her new chief of staff. 

Campbell is set to begin his work in the governor’s office on Monday. 

This comes after Hobbs’ former chief of staff, Allie Bones, resigned suddenly earlier this month. 

Campbell and Hobbs worked together in the legislature, both representing the same district in Phoenix for four years. 

“As House Democratic Leader, Chad Campbell effectively led his caucus and worked across the aisle to get big things done for the State of Arizona,” Hobbs said in a statement. “While we served in the legislature together, we worked with our Republican colleagues to expand Medicaid to hundreds of thousands of Arizonans. Chad’s extensive experience and commitment to working together to solve tough problems is exactly why he’s the best person for this job, and we’re eager to get to work on more bipartisan accomplishments to move our state forward.” 

Campbell did not return a request for comment.

Campbell was elected to the legislature in 2006 and served for eight years, and spent half of that time as the leader of House Democrats. In addition to his work with former Gov. Jan Brewer and fellow legislators to pass Medicaid expansion, Campbell worked on an array of bipartisan issues, including business advocacy, renewable energy, education, free speech and equal rights, according to the Governor’s Office. 

“It’s a great privilege to take on this critical role in Gov. Hobbs’ administration and an incredible opportunity to serve our state,” Campbell said in the written announcement. “In the many years Gov. Hobbs and I have worked together, we’ve shared a commitment to bipartisan, solutions-oriented leadership. That’s what has made her such an effective governor, and that’s the approach the administration will continue to bring to all we do.” 

Bones lasted less than five months in her role as Hobbs’ chief of staff before leaving to “pursue new opportunities.” Before following Hobbs to the Governor’s Office, Bones was the assistant secretary of state for the four years that Hobbs was secretary of state. The two have worked together for more than 20 years, after meeting in 2001 when they both were social workers advocating for survivors of domestic abuse. 

Bones’ resignation followed several changes in Hobbs’ leadership team. In March Hobbs’ press secretary, Josselyn Berry stepped down from her role after sharing a controversial tweet and Hobbs’ director of communications, Murphy Hebert left shortly after that. 

After Hebert’s resignation, Will Gaona, formerly the director of public affairs, moved up to deputy chief of staff, Jennifer Loredo, formerly the director of community engagement, became director of policy, legislative and intergovernmental affairs; and Tracy Lopes, former director of policy, became the governor’s director of community and constituent engagement. And earlier this month, Rebecca Beebe, who was the legislative affairs director, resigned.