Jamie McLeod-Skinner named 1 of 2 finalists to lead Oregon Department of Environmental Quality

Former Congressional candidate Jamie McLeod-Skinner has been named one of two finalists to lead the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality along with interim director Leah Feldon.

The five-member Oregon Environmental Quality Commission announced Thursday that it had selected McLeod-Skinner and Feldon after a seven-month national search. Richard Whitman, who had led the agency since 2016, resigned abruptly in September, three months before his scheduled retirement.

McLeod-Skinner is regional emergency coordinator with the Oregon Department of Human Services who has 25 years of management experience in public, private and nonprofit sectors. She holds degrees in engineering, regional planning and law. A Democrat, McLeod-Skinner lost narrowly to Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District race last November.

Feldon is the former deputy director and current interim director of the environmental quality department. She has worked for the department since 2005. She became manager of compliance and enforcement in 2009 and also served special advisor for Cleaner Air Oregon, an initiative by Gov. Kate Brown to overhaul air toxics regulations.

“Both finalists are extremely qualified to lead DEQ and chart a course for the agency’s future,” Commission Chair Kathleen George said in a statement.

The commission will hold a special meeting in February at which staff and the public can hear from both McLeod-Skinner and Feldon. Feldon will remain in her role until a permanent director is appointed.

— Jamie Goldberg; jgoldberg@oregonian.com; 503-221-8228; @jamiebgoldberg

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