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Positions

Specialist & Advisors - Seth Jones (Scarlet), Olivia Rutherford (Gray), Andy Seyfang
Presiding Officers - Youth Governors - Bob Gantner (Scarlet), Owen Penington (Gray)

Represents all delegates

Deliver opening remarks, closing remarks and a press conference

Guides the legislative process

Creates a platform with key issues they will focus on at State Assembly
Review and sign or veto student legislation

Model professional leadership throughout the State Assembly

Sets the tone, lifts student voices, and keeps the entire experience moving forward

Chiefs of Staff - Heidi (Scarlet), Alicia (Gray)

Assist the Youth Governor in managing the cabinet's daily operations.
Manages the Youth Governor’s Schedule.
Serves as a liaison for the Youth Governor and controls the flow of information to ensure the governor is focused on the most critical matters.
Helps the Youth Governor develop and implement their policy agenda, reviews policy initiatives for their political impact, and ensures alignment with the governor's overall strategy.

Governor’s Cabinet Members

Represent the Youth Governor with respect to legislation falling within your department area.
Speak in committees on behalf of the Youth Governor. They may suggest amendments, speak in favor or speak in opposition.
Track bills that are assigned to you by the Youth Governor or that concern your department.
Give daily reports to the Youth Governor on the status of your bills in committee or chambers.
Interview bill authors as necessary and ask them questions about their bill so that you may aid the Youth Governor on deciding whether to pass or veto the bill.
Debate with other cabinet members and advise the Youth Governor on vetoing or signing bills based on their policy area of expertise.
Accompany the Youth Governor to the Press Conference and support them in developing their speech for the Press Conference.

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Positions

Briana Saez	Press Secretary, Secretary of Treasury
Emerson Begley	Secretary of Education
Errion Edgerson	Secretary of Public Safety
Liam McMahon	Secretary of Energy & Environmental Affairs
John McGowan	Secretary of Infrastructure
Kamila Penaloza	Secretary Transportation
Tilia Ames	Secretary of Health and Human Services

Dahelson Sleasman	Co-Press Secretary, Director of Environmental & Agricultural Resources
Ben Wineberg	Director of the Treasury
Julia Naguit	Director of Transportation
Ava Lyons	Director of Human Services, Health & Insurance
Jeweliette Stemen	Co-Press Secretary, Director of Public Safety & Corrections
Brionna Brown	Director of Job and Family Services
Kaden Clayton	Director of Education and Workplace Development

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Governor’s Cabinet Goals

Overall Goals - OHYG Staff

Advise a leader and make recommendations
Take ownership of specific policy or operational areas
Understand how executive decisions affect many people
Analyze legislation and issues quickly
Team-based problem solving
Prepare briefings and talking points

2026 Goals - Youth Governors

Owen

Build a community and a sense of camaraderie

Emphasize how much OHYG means through making speeches and opinions that can help bill authors make better legislation on the future.
Encourage interest in civics, public policy, etc.

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State Assembly Prep - Materials

We suggest that you bring an Ipad, laptop or notebook with you to type up your speeches. Phones work, but can be tough to use sometimes.

Notecards can also be great to have when reading testimonies!

A folder can be useful to organize your materials.
If you bring a printed bill book, highlighters and sticky tabs can help you organize!

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State Assembly Prep - Practice

Practice writing and presenting testimony on a bill. You can use a bill from the bill book, or one that your delegation has written. Have someone give you feedback or record yourself and analyze.

Get feedback on your speaking cadence. Did you speak too quickly?
Were you fidgeting?
Was there anything that could make your speech more persuasive?

Practice asking questions of bill authors. Have someone from your delegation act as the bill author.
Review the bill book and start a list of bills that you think the Governor should champion.
Practice public speaking by just talking to someone new in a conversation! The more you talk to people, the more comfortable you will feel.

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Testifying in Committee

You will speak in committees on behalf of the Youth Governor. You may suggest amendments, speak in favor or speak in opposition.

Your time to speak takes place at the beginning of the bill discussion after the opening statement of the bill author.

Order of Business

Mr. or Madam (or Honorable if you want to be gender neutral) Chair and members of the committee…..
My name is (include your name and delegation)
I represent (your department)
I would like to testify for/in opposition to bill number
The Youth Governor supports (or opposes) this bill for the following reasons:

You might give legislators an example / story of what might happen if this bill passes or fails.
Include any facts or researched information that you have completed.
You may also suggest amendments that your department or the Youth Governor would like to see.
Thank you for your time!

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Interviewing Bill Authors

Interview bill authors as necessary and ask them questions about their bill so that you may aid the Youth Governor on deciding whether to pass or veto the bill.
Order of Business

Welcome to the author of bill ___. Please introduce yourself and briefly tell us about your bill.
Thank you ____. We will now open the floor to the cabinet for questions
The order of questions will be predetermined by the Youth Governor.
The Youth Governor will call on each Cabinet member that would like to ask a question, including themselves.
Thank you ____. Is there any additional information you would like us to know for our consideration of your bill?
We appreciate your time today! You may go back to your scheduled assignment.

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The Press Conference

The Youth Governor Press Conference will take place at 2pm on Friday at the designated location in the schedule (subject to change if something arises).
Cabinet members will assist the Youth Governor in the development of their speech as requested and provide updates on the status of important legislation as requested for the Youth Governor to include in their speech.
During the Press Conference, the cabinet will stand behind the Youth Governor.
Contents

Begin by introducing yourself and cabinet members
Highlight/review what your goals have been throughout the conference
Review the status of important legislation
What you hope to achieve by the end of the conference
Any calls to action the Youth Governor has for the conference at large
Wrap up
Be prepared for questions from the Media

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State Assembly Info - Tips & Tricks

Shake a lot of hands! Get to know a lot of people. There is an immense opportunity for connection building. Make as many friends as you can.
Decide how much school work you want to do at conference before you get there. Manage your time well in the evenings.
Get rest!
Wear comfortable shoes already broken in. We will be walking A LOT.

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