Gov. Steve Sisolak makes appointments

Gov. Steve Sisolak has named Jennifer Ott director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

She has been head of the department’s Plant Industry Division for the past year. Before that, she was operations director for the Desert Farming Initiative at University of Nevada, Reno.

Sisolak said Ott has many years of experience in the agriculture industry as well as a background in leadership and fiscal management.

She has a masters in business administration from UNR as well as a bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of Texas.

Bulla appointed to appellate court

Bonnie Bulla has been appointed to Nevada’s intermediate court of appeals filling the seat vacated by Abbi Silver who won a seat on the Supreme Court in November.

She was Discovery Commissioner for Clark County’s judicial district from 2007 until her appointment by Sisolak.

Bulla received her Juris Doctor from Arizona State in 1987. She will take her position on the three-member appellate court bench March 4.

Contine named director of administration

Sisolak has named Deonne Contine to replace Patrick Cates as director of the state Department of Administration.

Cates left Friday to become the new Douglas County manager.

Sisolak said Contine has a long career in public service, most recently as Director of the Department of Taxation.

Before that she was a deputy attorney general.

The Department of Administration is a collection of 12 state divisions including IT services grant management, hearings and appeals, human resources, purchasing ands buildings and grounds.