Mayor
Remy Drabkin
Remy Drabkin was born and raised in McMinnville and also lived and studied in Pittsburgh, Israel, and France. She is a graduate of both Mac High and Linfield College, (nw University) majoring in History and minoring in World Religions. Remy is an entrepreneur, she started her local winery business in 2006, having worked in wine since 1995. Remy served on the McMinnville Planning Commission for four years before being elected to City Council. She spends her free time enjoying life with her family.
Commission Chair
Tom Tankersley
Commissioner
Ed Gormley
Commissioner
Jody Christensen
Jody Christensen works for Governor Kate Brown as the Mid-Valley Regional Solutions Coordinator covering Marion, Polk, and Yamhill Counties. As coordinator, Christensen works with the Mid-Valley Regional Solutions Team (RST) and the Regional Solutions Advisory Committee (RSAC) to transact interagency coordination for priority projects. She also serves on the Oregon Workforce and Talent Development Board, the Travel Oregon Agri-Tourism Coordinating Committee, and was appointed to the McMinnville Water & Light Commission in January 2020.
Christensen served 12+ years as the Executive Director for the McMinnville Economic Development Partnership. She was involved in numerous local, regional, and state community and economic development projects and programs. Christensen has also served on the Oregon Economic Development Association Board of Directors, Launch Mid-Valley, the Mid-Valley Regional Solutions Advisory Committee, and 8 years on the McMinnville Airport Commission. In 2017, she was named Economic Development Leader of the Year by her peers at the Oregon Economic Development Association. Jody lives in McMinnville with her husband where they raised three children.
Commissioner
Kathy Tate
Kathy Tate grew up in Oregon and settled in Yamhill County in 1995, first living outside of Sheridan and then moved to McMinnville in 2002.
Kathy started with OnlineNW in 2000, becoming CEO in 2008. The company has evolved from a dial-up company with four employees to a fiber and wireless Internet company with forty five employees and a second office in Eugene. OnlineNW was awarded one the 100 best places to work in Oregon in 2020.
Tate has served on numerous boards and committees including: Sheridan School Board (1998-2001), Sheridan Japanese School (2003-2014), Juliette’s House, Sedcor, the Economic Development Advisory Council, and most recently joined the McMinnville Water and Light Commission in January 2021.
Kathy lives in McMinnville and has two grown sons that graduated from McMinnville High School.
General Manager
John Dietz
