Mayor Ted Wheeler has hired veteran communications executive Jim Middaugh to be his next Director of Communications. Middaugh—who most recently served as Communications Director for Metro for more than eleven years—brings over 20 years of experience in policy, public affairs, communications and marketing across local, regional and national agencies.
“We are very pleased to welcome Jim Middaugh to the team. His expertise, insight and experience, particularly within government agencies at all levels, will be invaluable as we work to transparently and accessibly share our work with the community,” Mayor Wheeler said.
Middaugh returns to City Hall having previously worked for the City of Portland in various positions including Capital Projects Manager and Chief of Staff for then-commissioner Erik Sten. Middaugh also led the City of Portland's initial response to the listing of salmon and steelhead in local rivers and streams under the federal Endangered Species Act.
"I'm honored to help Mayor Wheeler build trust, give voice to people who haven't been heard and take actions to address systemic racism and the virus-caused recession. We all have an opportunity to support change. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to join the Mayor's staff at this critical time for our community,” Middaugh said.
On a personal note, Middaugh is an avid cyclist who has volunteered with environmentally-minded organizations including the Environmental Defense Fund and Oregon Wild.
Middaugh’s first day is Tuesday, Sept. 8.
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