By Adam Pagnucco.
The Montgomery County Planning Board has named Miti Figueredo as the new parks director, succeeding Mike Riley on January 1. Miti has previously been the chief of staff for the planning board chair and the deputy director of parks.
I have a few things to say about Miti. I first met her many years ago when she was working for Congressman Chris Van Hollen and I was one of a group of Forest Glen residents seeking to establish a quiet zone around the railroad crossing there. Right away, I could tell she was smart, savvy, accessible and dedicated to helping community folks like me. Since then, I have watched her rise through a number of positions including council chief of staff (where I worked with her again), the Chevy Chase Land Company and the partnership building the Purple Line. She is a terrific public servant and the county will be getting a great parks director.
The planning board’s press release is reprinted below.
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Miti Figueredo selected as new director for Montgomery Parks following national search
November 16, 2023
WHEATON, Md. — The Montgomery County Planning Board announced the appointment of Miti Figueredo as the new Parks Director for Montgomery Parks following a national search. Prior to her appointment as director, Figueredo served as Chief of Staff for the Planning Board Chair and later as Parks Deputy Director for Administration.
Figueredo, the first Latina selected to lead the Parks Department, will assume the role of Director effective January 1, 2024, succeeding retiring Parks Director, Mike Riley. She will report to the five-member, County Council-appointed Planning Board. As director of the department, Figueredo will oversee 1,145 staff, including the Montgomery Park Police, a $148 million operating budget, and a $296 million six-year Capital Improvements Program.
“We have complete confidence in Miti’s ability to lead Montgomery Parks in delivering exceptional park experiences and programs for the county,” stated Planning Board Chair Artie Harris. “Her comprehensive knowledge of our community’s needs and instrumental role in shaping pivotal initiatives, such as the County’s General Plan Thrive Montgomery 2050 and the 2022 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan, makes her an invaluable asset to our team.”
Expressing gratitude for the appointment, Figueredo stated, “I am honored and thrilled to lead Montgomery Parks. I am committed to enhancing the quality of life for current and future generations in Montgomery County by creating parks amenities and programs that foster social connections, get people outside and exercising, and protect the environment. I am eager to use our community-focused, data-driven approach to advance the parks goals outlined in Thrive Montgomery 2050 and the 2022 PROS Plan.”
“Miti has been an invaluable colleague and advisor while serving as Deputy Director,” said retiring Parks Director Mike Riley. “I am certain she will continue the Parks Department’s legacy of delivering exceptional parks and programs that make Montgomery County a great place to live, work and play.”
About Miti Figueredo: Figueredo has more than six years of experience within The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Within the Commission, she served as Chief of Staff for the Planning Board and as Parks Deputy Director of Administration, giving her a deep understanding of parks and planning issues in the county. Before joining the Commission, Figueredo worked in both the public and private sectors in a variety of roles. She served as East County Regional Director under County Executive Isiah Leggett, as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Nancy Navarro, and as an aide to Councilmember Roger Berliner and then-Congressman Chris Van Hollen. She was also an executive at the Chevy Chase Land Company, a mixed-use real estate development company, and the Director of Public Affairs for the Purple Line Transit Partners, Maryland’s public-private partner building the Purple Line light rail transit project. She earned a law degree from the Northwestern University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Florida.
About Montgomery Parks
Montgomery Parks manages more than 37,000 acres of parkland, consisting of 419 parks. Montgomery Parks is a department of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), a bi-county agency established in 1927 to steward public land. The M-NCPPC has been nationally recognized for its high-quality parks and recreation services and is regarded as a national model by other parks systems.
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