Leon Leal of Grapevine was named by Gov. Rick Perry to the State Board for Educator Certification for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2017.

Ryan Brannan of Austin was named by Perry as commissioner of Workers' Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2015. He most recently was an adviser in Perry's budget, planning and policy division, focusing on the insurance industry.

Jamie Dudensing is leaving the lieutenant governor's office to become chief executive officer at the Texas Association of Health Plans, taking over for David Gonzales, who is departing for other opportunities to engage in policymaking in Texas.

Bryan Hebert is joining Delisi Communiciations on Aug. 11 as the company's general counsel, and he reports that his duties will involve public policy analysis, legal counseling and lobbying on behalf of clients. He was general counsel for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

Alejandro Garcia was named communications director for the Dan Patrick for Lieutenant Governor campaign. Garcia most recently served as director of border affairs for the Texas secretary of state and counts stints in Rick Perry's 2010 re-election campaign and inaugural committee.

Christann M. Vasquez was named the first president of Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas, the new Austin teaching hospital scheduled to open in 2017. She most recently was executive vice president and chief operating officer of University Health System in San Antonio, where she led efforts to plan and build a new hospital.

Kenneth Dierschke will not seek re-election as president of the Texas Farm Bureau, bringing to a close a 12-year tenure leading the organization. His retirement will become effective at the close of the TFB's annual meeting on Dec. 8.

Disclosure: The Texas Association of Health Plans, the Texas Farm Bureau and the University of Texas at Austin are corporate sponsors of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Texas Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here.