Countywide : Supervisor Riley Names Chief of Staff

Orange County Supervisor Thomas F. Riley says he likes keeping a “personal hand” on his government business. So, unlike most of his colleagues, he never named a chief of staff to oversee his office operations.

But that changed this week when Riley named longtime aide Christie McDaniel to the newly created post.

McDaniel has worked for Riley since June, 1985, focusing primarily on political and fiscal issues. She will now also have formal responsibility for overseeing Riley’s staff of eight.

“I’m looking forward to it,” said McDaniel, 37. “Obviously, it’s a nice vote of confidence from him.”

Riley, first appointed as supervisor in 1974 by Gov. Ronald Reagan to represent his South County district, is the board’s senior member.

Riley said he has always enjoyed taking a hands-on approach to his office operations.

However, he said, he finally came to the conclusion that there could be more “cohesion” by letting McDaniel run staff meetings and oversee the office.

“She’s done a great job for us,” he said.

The 80-year-old supervisor said his decision had nothing to do with a spate of health problems earlier in the year, and said that he now feels better than he has in years. McDaniel’s appointment leaves Chairman Roger R. Stanton as the only one of the five county supervisors without a chief of staff.