Medford Selects Martha Bennett as Next City Manager
The former Ashland administrator and Lake Oswego city manager will take over Nov. 30 following a nationwide search.
Martha Bennett: Medford’s incoming city manager, Martha Bennett, will begin leading the city on Nov. 30 after being selected through a nationwide recruitment. City of Medford.
AT A GLANCE
Selected: Martha Bennett
Position: Medford City Manager
Start date: Nov. 30, 2026
Current leadership: Interim City Manager John Vial will continue until Bennett begins.
Previous roles: Lake Oswego city manager, Metro chief operating officer, and Ashland city administrator.
Recruitment: Nearly 40 applicants were considered during a nationwide search.
MEDFORD, Ore. — Medford has selected a familiar Oregon local-government leader to take over day-to-day operations at City Hall later this year.
The Medford City Council has chosen Martha Bennett as the city’s next city manager. Bennett will begin Nov. 30, replacing Interim City Manager John Vial, who will remain in the role until she arrives.
“I am thrilled by the chance to serve as Medford’s next City Manager. I look forward to working with the Mayor, Council and Medford’s outstanding staff.”
Bennett brings more than 25 years of public-sector leadership experience, including previous work in Southern Oregon. She served five years as Ashland city administrator before later becoming chief operating officer for Metro in the Portland area and, most recently, city manager of Lake Oswego.
Her selection follows a nationwide recruitment that drew nearly 40 applicants. The city narrowed that field to three finalists in August before making its final choice.
“I am thrilled by the chance to serve as Medford’s next City Manager,” Bennett said. “I look forward to working with the Mayor, Council and Medford’s outstanding staff.”
Bennett said she is also looking forward to working with nonprofit and government partners, businesses, faith organizations, and residents as Medford plans for future growth.
She served as Lake Oswego city manager from 2019 until February 2026, overseeing a full-service city government and working on infrastructure, redevelopment, and organizational priorities.
Before that, Bennett spent nearly eight years as chief operating officer of Metro, the regional government serving the Portland metropolitan area.
Her earlier tenure in Ashland gives Bennett direct experience with the Rogue Valley. There, she oversaw municipal operations and worked on public safety, infrastructure, economic development, and regional partnerships.
Mayor Michael Zarosinski cited Bennett’s experience managing municipal organizations and working with elected councils.
“Her depth of experience in Oregon local government, familiarity with Southern Oregon and collaborative approach will serve Medford well,” Zarosinski said.
The city manager serves as Medford’s chief executive officer, overseeing municipal operations and carrying out the policies and priorities set by the City Council. Current city priorities identified during the recruitment include downtown revitalization, major infrastructure projects, implementation of the Medford 2040 vision, and managing services for a growing population.
Bennett’s broader career has also included leadership positions with the Columbia River Gorge Commission and the cities of Milwaukie, Albany, Portland, and Pinole, California.
She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree from Willamette University.
Bennett succeeds a period of transition at Medford City Hall that began after former City Manager Rob Field resigned in November 2025. Vial was appointed to lead the city on an interim basis while the council conducted the search for a permanent replacement.
Keep Reading
