Commissioner Pedoeem enters second term as Planning Board member
ROCKVILLE, Md. – The Montgomery County Council voted to reappoint Mitra Pedoeem to the Montgomery County Planning Board, part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), at its June 24 meeting. Pedoeem, who was first appointed in 2023 to fill a partial term, and has been serving as Vice Chair under Planning Board Chair Artie Harris, will now serve a four-year term on the Planning Board.
“I’m honored and grateful to the County Council for the opportunity to continue serving on the Planning Board,” said Commissioner Pedoeem. “Together, we’ve laid a strong foundation for making our county a more vibrant place to live, work, and recreate—by expanding housing options, enhancing pedestrian safety, increasing access to parks, and making our planning processes more inclusive. I’m committed to building on this momentum as we shape a more equitable and sustainable future for the county.”
“We are very excited about the reappointment of Commissioner Pedoeem,” Planning Board Chair Artie Harris said. “Her breadth and depth of knowledge in public administration in her previous roles as Director of the Department of Permitting Services and Deputy Director of Montgomery Parks, and her passion for the future of Montgomery County is inspiring. She has demonstrated her commitment to ensuring the Board is a partner in creating quality places in the natural and built environment for all Montgomery County residents.”
Commissioner Pedoeem was appointed to the Planning Board in March 2023. The Planning Board voted her as Vice Chair in June 2023 and September 2024. Throughout her time serving on the Planning Board, Commissioner Pedoeem has reviewed many important plans and projects such as the University Boulevard Corridor Plan, the Pedestrian Master Plan, the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment, the Fairland and Briggs Chaney Master Plan, and many development projects and studies.
Watch the County Council’s interviews of each candidate on June 10.
Commissioner Pedoeem was featured in a Third Place Blog post for Women’s History Month, and this year she was recognized by the Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women as a “woman making history.”
About Mitra Pedoeem
Mitra Pedoeem has more than 40 years of expert knowledge in public administration, organization, and leadership for different levels of government.
She began her career as a bridge engineer with the State Highway Administration designing bridges for the State of Maryland for five years, then worked as a structural engineer at the Montgomery County Department of Transportation. In 2001, she became a senior budget analyst with the Montgomery County Office of Management and Budget, expanding her knowledge of government organization and operation. Mitra began work as the Chief of Construction for Montgomery Parks in 2004, managing all aspects of construction for park facilities, then in 2009, was promoted to the Chief of the Parks Development Division to oversee Montgomery Parks’ $200 million Capital Improvement program. Her final position with the Parks Department was as the Deputy Director of Administration from 2014 to 2019. In early 2021, Mitra was appointed as the Director for the Department of Permitting Services by the Montgomery County Executive; she retired from that position in 2022.
Mitra has been a Montgomery County resident for 40-plus years. She is a licensed engineer and has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in structural engineering from the University of Maryland.