Supervisors’ staff changing

The Orange County Board of Supervisors’ staff is mixing itself up with new faces, old faces in new positions and the loss of some members, but one old face, Chief of Staff Mario Mainero, has decided to stick around in a new capacity.

Mainero announced his retirement to Supervisor John Moorlach on June 29 to teach law full-time at Chapman University’s School of Law.

While he will step down from the position of chief of staff, Mainero will take on a part-time senior policy advisor position.

“It’s really helpful to not lose institutional knowledge,” Moorlach said. “It provides some sense of relief.”

Mainero will be teaching at Chapman, where he has been teaching full-time for a year, as a visiting associate professor of academic achievement.

“I am delighted to be full time with the good folks of Chapman,” Mainero said.

Mainero will step down as chief of staff July 31, and Rick Francis, currently deputy chief of staff, will fill the position.

“I think Rick will be, in certain ways, a better chief of staff than me,” Mainero said.

The staff is going through more changes with the loss of policy advisors Mark Batarse and April Rudge.

Rudge has decided to become a full-time mother, and Batarse was recruited by the Orange County Counsel, Moorlach said.

“I’m happy for him — happy to see him progress in his career,” Moorlach said.

Batarse’s shoes will be filled by recent Claremont McKenna College graduate Danielle Peebles.

Administrative Assistant Lindsay Brennan has been promoted to policy advisor, and Kyndell Paine will continue as a part-time policy advisor after she temporarily filled the position during Rudge’s maternity leave.

Margaret Chang, the executive aid for Supervisor Patricia Bates, will fill Brennan’s position as administrative assistant.

With all the changes in the office, Moorlach said he is confidant the transition will go smoothly.

“Everything seems to be moving along without a hitch,” he said.