SEATTLE — Washington Governor-Elect Bob Ferguson today filled key positions on his executive leadership team:

• Shane Esquibel, Chief Operations Officer
• Mike Webb, Chief Strategy Officer
• Kristin Beneski, Chief Legal Counsel
• Sahar Fathi, Policy Director
• Jaime Martin, External Relations Director
• Joyce Bruce, Legislative Director
• Franklin Plaistowe, Deputy Chief Operations Officer
• Brionna Aho, Communications Director

Ferguson’s executive leadership team includes many of the individuals who helped him lead an Attorney General’s Office that won high-profile cases against the federal government, passed significant laws advancing public safety and economic justice, and recovered more than $2.8 billion for the people of Washington through successful civil rights and consumer protection cases.

“I’m committed to taking on our toughest challenges, getting results, and centering the people in all decisions of state government,” Ferguson said. “I’m excited to get to work with my executive leadership team to improve the lives of all Washingtonians.”

Ferguson is restructuring the senior leadership team in the Governor’s Office. There will not be a Chief of Staff. The Chief Operations Officer and Chief Strategy Officer will report directly to Ferguson. The Tri-City Herald and others have praised Ferguson for “running his office like a business” as Attorney General, and he’s promised to do the same as Governor.

Shane Esquibel will oversee Ferguson’s cabinet agencies as Chief Operations Officer. Esquibel currently serves as Chief Deputy Attorney General, a position he’s held since 2016. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, he worked for the Office of Financial Management and the Department of Health. Esquibel earned his juris doctorate from the University of Utah.

Mike Webb will lead Ferguson’s policy, legislative, and communications work and oversee strategy for the Governor’s Office. Webb currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Attorney General, a position he’s held since 2017. Previously, he served as the Attorney General’s Legislative Director. He attended the University of Richmond and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Kristin Beneski will serve as Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor. She currently serves as First Assistant Attorney General. She joined the Attorney General’s Office in July 2018. Beneski started in the Complex Litigation Division, where she handled high-profile cases, including several cases against the Trump administration. Beneski is the lead attorney on Washington’s mifepristone litigation. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a juris doctorate from Georgetown Law School.

Sahar Fathi will serve as Governor Ferguson’s Policy Director, a position she currently holds in the Attorney General’s Office. She has held a variety of leadership and policy positions at the City of Seattle and King County. Fathi earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Southern California, a master’s degree from the University of Washington, and a juris doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law.

Jaime Martin will serve as External Relations Director for Governor Ferguson. A Snoqualmie Tribal member, Martin currently serves as the Executive Director of Government Affairs and Special Projects for the Snoqualmie Tribe. Martin has worked on several major issues for the Tribe, including re-acquisition of its Ancestral Forest and Snoqualmie Falls, a sacred cultural site. Martin received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Washington. 

Joyce Bruce will serve as Legislative Director, a position she holds in the Attorney General’s Office. She led the passage of historic legislation, including the ban on the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, affordable hospital care expansion, and the My Health My Data law. Prior to serving as the Attorney General’s Legislative Director, Bruce led the Attorney General’s Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance. Bruce attended the University of Washington and earned a juris doctorate from Seattle University School of Law.

Franklin Plaistowe will help manage executive operations as the Deputy Chief Operations Officer. Plaistowe is the Chief Human Resources Officer for the Attorney General’s Office. Previously, he worked as the State Human Resources Director at the Office of Financial Management. Plaistowe earned a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and his juris doctorate from Gonzaga Law School.

Brionna Aho will serve as Governor Ferguson’s Communications Director. Aho worked as a reporter for The Daily World before joining the Attorney General’s Office, where she has led the communications team since 2017. Aho earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Washington.