Mary Anne Wiley has been named Gov. Rick Perry's new general counsel. She had served as deputy general counsel and director of criminal justice policy for the office since 2001 and replaces David Morales, who has accepted a position outside the governor's office.

Leslie Ward of Austin was named by Perry to the Texas Economic Development Corp. for a term to expire at the pleasure of the governor. Ward, a vice president of legislative affairs for AT&T Texas, was also named chairwoman of the corporation.

TCEQ Chairman Bryan W. Shaw was named to the EPA's Good Neighbor Environmental Board by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy for a term ending March 9, 2015. The board makes recommendations based on environmental infrastructure needs in the states along the border with Mexico.

Donna Warndof has been named Harris County's new director of the Office of Legislative Relations. She has more than 15 years of legislative experience, with stints at the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association, Occidental Petroleum, and as a lobbyist at the Austin lobbying firm of Adams and Zottarelli, where she represented clients including Bexar County and the Texas Conference of Urban Counties.

Mark Miner, a former communications director for Perry, has returned to McGuireWoods Consulting as senior vice president.

Betsy Madru, formerly state Sen. Kel Seliger's legislative director, has been hired by Waste Control Specialists. Her new position involves outreach to state officials. She began work on May 1.

Robert "Bob" Donohoe will become the Texas Medical Liability Trust's new president and CEO effective July 1. He is currently the organization's COO.

The UT System Board of Regents has approved the establishment of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law and Business — a joint project of UT-Austin's School of Law and the McCombs School of Business.

Deaths: Sam W. Russell, who, as a Democrat, served in the Texas House representing Mount Pleasant from 1983 to 1992. He left the Legislature to serve as Gov. Ann Richards' legislative director. He later was an Austin-based lobbyist and was elected Titus County Judge in 2006. He was 68.

Disclosure: The Texas Medical Association and the University of Texas at Austin are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. AT&T Texas was a corporate sponsor in 2009 and 2010 of the Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.