Dani Ledezma appointed to key role in County Administrative Office

County Administrator Tanya Ange announced the appointment of Dani Ledezma as assistant county administrator/strategic planning officer this week. Ledezma will begin her tenure with Washington County on October 16.

Ledezma will serve as a new assistant county administrator with a portfolio including Land Use and Transportation, Cooperative Library Services, Economic Development and Westside Commons (formerly the Fair Complex). Ledezma will also assist with the ongoing implementation of the Design the Future initiative and support the organization as a community-focused strategic planning process takes shape. Ledezma will take over from Rachael Fuller who has been serving in that position in an interim capacity since September 2021.

Ledezma comes to Washington County after serving for nearly five years as a senior advisor for racial equity and justice in the superintendent’s office of Portland Public Schools. She has served as a policy advisor for two governors, Kate Brown and John Kitzhaber, and as a policy director for former Portland City Councilor Nick Fish. She spent a total of 12 years in various positions with the Portland Housing Bureau. Finally, she has served as an interim executive director for the Coalition of Communities of Color, an alliance of culturally specific community-based organizations supporting a collective racial justice effort. 

“I’m delighted that Dani has chosen to bring her proven skills in leadership, collaboration and strategic planning to the Washington County government as a member of our executive team,” said County Administrator Tanya Ange. “Dani has a wide range of experience with local, state and nonprofit organizations that will be highly valued as we work together – as One Washington County – to center our community as we deliver vital county services.”

“I'm honored to serve the people of Washington County in this role and to join this amazing team. I am thrilled to put my leadership skills and experience to good use to advance Washington County's mission through a leading-edge approach that values collaboration, community need and equity.”

Washington County is a home-rule municipality operating under the council-manager form of government. The five non-partisan elected commissioners appoint a county administrator to serve as the chief executive of the organization. The chair of the board of county commissioners is elected at-large while the four other commissioners are elected from districts. All commissioners are elected to serve four-year terms.

County services are made possible through a workforce of approximately 2,392 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. The county’s all-funds budget for fiscal year 2023-2024 is $1.7 billion, of which $347 million is in the general fund.

The county works cooperatively with more than a dozen cities that are wholly or partially within the county’s boundaries, five fire districts, plus Clean Water Services and other service districts to serve the county’s shared residential, business and institutional constituents.

Washington County’s 606,219 population, the second largest county in Oregon, is among the state’s most diverse, including the state’s largest county population of Latino/Latina/Latinx community members and the highest percentage of Asians and Pacific Islanders. The county is home to a thriving high-technology industry, sometimes referred to as the Silicon Forest, as well as world leaders in sports and recreational apparel and a long-established agricultural sector.