Board Members
Brian Sjothun
President
Brian Sjothun was appointed as Medford’s City Manager in 2016. Prior to his current role, he served as Medford’s Parks and Recreation Director for 12 years.
Passionate about leadership, Brian has extensive experience with public administration and has helped lead the development of innovative local government programs, performance management initiatives, leadership and teambuilding efforts and strategic planning activities which include the 2021-23 Council Biennial Goals and Medford 2040 Community Vision and Action Plan.
Brian has coordinated capital improvement projects in excess of $70 million, including the largest municipal installation of FieldTurf in the United States at Lithia & Driveway Fields. The park has generated over $120 million in economic impact since opening in May 2008.
In 2005, he helped establish the Medford Play Foundation, which has since generated over $1 million in property donations, $750,000 in park development funding and over $150,000 for youth recreation scholarships.
Raul Woerner
Secretary/Treasurer
Raul is a professional land use planner with the firm CSA Planning, Ltd. in Medford and a University of Oregon alumni with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He was born in Puerto Rico where his father was stationed with the Army Corps of Engineers. He first moved to the Rogue Valley (Foots Creek area) in 1979 with his parents and returned with his wife Jennifer in 1998 to live in Medford. He fondly remembers all the times their parents would drive them to Medford to use the parks and pools over summer vacations. Medford Parks & Recreation promotes “Community Connections” really for everyone in the region, young and old and in between.
Raul strongly support the Medford Play Foundation’s efforts to facilitate access to all through its support of youth program scholarships and development of parks and trails.
Rich Rosenthal
Staff Liaison
Rich Rosenthal has been the Medford Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department director since August 2016, and his service to the City of Medford started in Sept. 2006.
Under his stewardship as director, and in collaboration with the Medford Play Foundation and other community partners, the City has opened Village Center Park and Cedar Links Park, expanded Donahue-Frohnmayer Park and Lone Pine Park, acquired Howard Memorial Sports Park, and completed a major refurbishment of Bear Creek Park, including the Olsrud Family Community Playground.
After gaining voter and City Council approvals, the Department is currently working on building the 140,000-square-foot Rogue Credit Union Community Complex.
Rachel Dials
Vice President
Rachel Dials began her career in public service at age 15 as a volunteer with the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District in Springfield, Oregon. Dedicated entirely to enhancing community and recreational spaces across the State of Oregon, she moved to Ashland in 2004 to serve as Recreation Superintendent for Ashland Parks and Recreation. Today, as the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Ashland, she leads a team of parks and recreation professionals as the head of the department. Rachel lives in Medford with her husband, John, and their son, Toren—a lifelong participant in the Medford community parks and recreation programs.
