Today, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler named Jonna Papaefthimiou interim director of the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM). Papaefthimiou currently serves as the bureau’s planning, policy, and community programs manager. She starts as interim director on April 1. The City will conduct a national recruitment for the position.
Papaefthimiou replaces Mike Myers who was recently named Portland’s community safety transition director.
"Jonna Papaefthimiou knows what it takes to advance the Bureau of Emergency Management’s work,” said Mayor Wheeler. “Emergency management is critical to Portland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and community resilience overall.”
Papaefthimiou started with PBEM in 2013. Her current role coordinates citywide emergency planning and supervises the bureau’s community resilience team. Prior to PBEM, Papaefthimiou worked as a community organizer, land-use planner, and political policy advisor.
“The bureau did tremendous work in the past year, responding to the pandemic, and then wildfires and severe winter storms,” said Papaefthimiou. “We strengthened our team and our community partnerships, and evolved our response to meet emerging needs. I am excited for the opportunity to advance this work, and look forward to the transition to recovery.”