DeWine makes female, black Cabinet picks after diversity vow

COLUMBUS (AP) — Gov.-elect Mike DeWine has named a female chief of staff and nominated three other women and two black men in his initial round of Cabinet picks.

The Republican attorney general, who led an all-white male GOP ticket, pledged during the 2018 campaign to promote diversity if elected.

Today, DeWine announced longtime aide and transition leader Laurel Dawson as his chief of staff.

He nominated Maj. Gen. John Harris as the Ohio National Guard’s adjutant general; Mary Mertz, the current first assistant attorney general, as natural resources director; Ann O’Donnell as chief adviser to the Governor’s Office; Ervan Rogers as chief information officer; and Alisha Nelson director of Recovery Ohio.

O’Donnell, Rogers and Nelson had similar positions at the attorney general’s office.

DeWine succeeds Republican Gov. John Kasich in January.