Former SOLVE executive director Melisa McDonald has been selected to lead Metro's cemetery operations.
As head of that department, McDonald will oversee Metro's 14 publicly-owned cemeteries, which have been managed by the regional government since 1996.
"I am honored to accept this position. Metro plays such a unique, and critical, role in the management of these historic cemeteries," McDonald said. "We will continue working to create options for modern families to include these gems in their local community network."
Metro has spent much of the last two years reorganizing its cemetery operations department, cleaning up records, establishing new protocols to ensure perpetual respect for those buried and finding new ways to honor those who wish to be remembered in the regionally-owned cemeteries.
Within the last year, Metro has launched a Cemetery Advisory Committee to preserve, protect and promote the historic cemeteries, and opened the Chestnut Grove Memorial Garden at Lone Fir Cemetery, an area providing an option for the increasing number of people who choose to be cremated.
McDonald, who has been managing the program on an interim basis since July, has 14 years experience in the funeral and cemetery industry, including serving as the general manager of the Portland Memorial Funeral Home and Mausoleum. McDonald was the executive director of SOLVE from 2010-12. Before that, she was the executive director of Oregon 150, the celebrations recognizing our state's sesquicentennial.
"Needless to say, we are most fortunate to have someone of her talent, caliber, and experience on Metro’s team," said Paul Slyman, director of Metro's Parks and Environmental Services Department. "The horizon looks bright for our 14 historic cemeteries and the communities we serve."
She replaces Rachel Fox, who left in June to become the general manager at Skyline Memorial Gardens.