We are pleased to announce that Desta Walsh, District Manager for D6 will be officially expanding her role to now jointly lead District 6 and 7 (Coos, Curry and Douglas counties), following Mike Marchant’s retirement this spring.
Since 2018 Mike has led cross-district leadership collaboration efforts. As this intentional collaboration work evolved, Districts 6 and 7 were chosen to be part of the Regional Demonstration Project. With Mike’s retirement this spring, bridging the districts under one leader is the natural next step that aligns with the future state concept outlined in recommendations by the Human Services Group (HSG) assessment for building regions.
Desta has been a dedicated and collaborative leader within the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and has worked alongside Mike over the past year to ensure a smooth and thoughtful transition. She brings extensive experience in working across teams and districts, ensuring service continuity and staff support.
As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between District 6 and District 7, this leadership change reinforces the strong working relationships already in place. While this transition aligns with ODHS’s broader goals of inter-district collaboration, it should not be seen as reflective of an overall structural shift within ODHS.
What this means for ODHS
- Districts 6 and 7 will continue to operate internally and collaborate with ODHS as a whole as they do now, with no immediate structural changes or reporting adjustments.
- This transition ensures leadership continuity, with Desta continuing to actively engage with both districts and ODHS as a whole to support staff and service coordination.
- For District 6 and 7 staff, additional details have already been shared in a dedicated communication, including an FAQ. There will also be a Q&A session for District 6 and 7 staff on March 17 with Desta and district leadership.
We recognize that leadership transitions bring questions, and we are committed to providing clear and transparent updates. If you have any immediate questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your program or district manager.
Finally, we want to take a moment to express our deep appreciation to Mike Marchant for his years of dedication and leadership in ODHS. His contributions to both District 7 and ODHS as a whole have been instrumental in supporting staff and the communities we serve.
Please join us in welcoming Desta to her new role and thanking Mike for his incredible service to ODHS.
Aprille Flint-Gerner, CW Director and Claire Seguin, SSP Director
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