Veteran public servant brings 35 years of experience to Portland.
POSTED ON JANUARY 26, 2017
(Portland, OR) –
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) welcomes Ramiro Villalvazo as the Bureau’s new Assets and Development division manager. Villalvazo served the USDA Forest Service for the past 35 years and was most recently the California National Forests’ Director for Public Services.
Photo: New PP&R Assets and Development Division manager Ramiro Villalvazo
In his new role with Portland Parks & Recreation, which begins on Thursday, January 26, 2017, Villalvazo leads PP&R’s Assets and Development Division, which includes Planning, Design and Construction department, as well as major maintenance projects. His responsibilities also include Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) initiatives.
“Ramiro is a dedicated public servant with the expertise, passion and values we were looking for,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Mike Abbaté. “His responsibilities with PP&R include some of our most exciting and most important endeavors. We welcome him warmly, and are delighted he is on board to help us grow and maintain a healthy parks system for all Portlanders.”
Previously, Villalvazo was responsible for programs that included Outdoor Recreation, Land Acquisition, Wilderness, Landscape Architecture, Interpretive Services and Volunteer Services. He served as Forest Supervisor on the Eldorado National Forest in California where he was responsible for managing 700,000 acres of public lands in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with assets including a thousand miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and associated built assets, including National icons such as the Pacific Crest Trail.
“I am thankful to join such a dedicated, nationally-recognized team of park and recreation professionals,” says Villalvazo. “Working with Portland Parks & Recreation is a privilege, and I am excited to embrace the challenges and opportunities which await me in my new role. My special thanks to Director Abbaté and Commissioner Fritz.”
For several years, Villalvazo served in Washington, D.C., as the Chief Landscape Architect of the Forest Service. He has extensive international experience, including work in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Jamaica, Panamá, México, Puerto Rico and Egypt.
Villalvazo has a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and is a licensed landscape architect in the State of California. In 2014, he received the prestigious LaGasse Medal for his lifetime achievements. The American Society of Landscape Architects welcomed Villalvazo as a Fellow in 2016.
Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Villalvazo grew up in San Diego, California. He considers his life and professional journey a true American success story. He has been married to his wife, Ana, for 31 years, and they have two children, Joshua and Nicole. He enjoys the outdoors, physical fitness, and traveling with his family.
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