Oregon City Mayor Denyse McGriff has extensive experience in government. She was the Principal Planner for the city from 1988 to 1996. Now retired, she has has worked for a number of local governments, including the Lane Council of Governments, Columbia County, City of Tillamook, Deschutes County, City of Oregon City and rounded out her career at the Portland Development Commission. Her public service career was multifaceted with an emphasis on historic preservation/conservation, adaptive reuse and land use planning.
Denyse was first appointed to fill a vacant seat on the Commission in 2019, and then won a four-year term in 2020. She was elected to complete Mayor Lyles Smith's term in August of 2022 before winning a full term in the next election. As the first woman of color to be elected mayor in Oregon City, she continues to champion a government and community where everyone has a voice. She has been active in the League of Oregon Cities DEI and the founding of the People of Color Caucus.
She is active in several organizations and efforts in the Portland metro area such as the Oregon City Planning Commission, the Clackamas Heritage Council, McLoughlin Memorial Association, 1000 Friends of Oregon, Bosco-Milligan Foundation/Architectural Heritage Center, National Trust for Historic Preservation among many others. In 2013, she was awarded the Ruth McBride Powers Memorial Award for Service. The award notes the following: "Denyse's passion for preservation and love for her community is very evident. No matter what hat Denyse has worn over the years, she continuously pushes everybody she meets to try a little harder and aim a little higher"- Vicki Yates, Oregon City Historic Review Board member. In addition, in 2018, she was a member of the Rose Farm Management Committee who received the Ruth McBride Powers Memorial Award for their service.
Denyse grew up in a military family and gained an appreciation for the small older communities adjacent to the bases. She arrived in Oregon in 1975 to attend graduate school at the University of Oregon and went on to graduate with degrees in Political Science (MS) and Urban and Regional Planning (MURP). While at the University of Oregon, Denyse had a work study job with the Bureau of Governmental Research and Service/League of Oregon Cities. She has now come full circle!
