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Metro Council President Juan Carlos González has hired Shea Flaherty Betin, former executive director of Prosper Portland, to serve as his chief of staff.
González won the Metro Council presidency in the May election. But he was appointed to the job early after former President Lynn Peterson stepped down this spring in anticipation of taking a job as Lake Oswego city manager (a job that has since gone to someone else).
Flaherty Betin joins González’s staff a little over a year after he stepped down as Prosper Portland’s interim executive director in June 2025 at the request of Mayor Keith Wilson. Wilson asked for Flaherty Betin’s resignation after a fractious budget fight over a proposal by a handful of city councilors that would’ve stripped Prosper of most of its general fund dollars. Records at the time showed that Flaherty Betin had lobbied Prosper supporters and its grantees to advocate against the proposal; in addition, a text thread obtained by WW at the time showed that Flaherty Betin, among other agency leaders, had spoken critically at times of the council as the budget discussion took place in real time.
In one message to all agency staff the day of the marathon budget session back in 2025, Flaherty Betin wrote: “It’s 8:10 am here and I’m vibrating from delirium, pride over this team, and sheer adrenaline. We are the last vote of the night.”
Though the council proposal would eventually fail, the trickle-down effects cost Flaherty Betin his job. Wilson shortly thereafter requested that he step down and resume a lesser role at Prosper, but Flaherty Betin decided to leave entirely instead.
At the time, the mayor’s spokesman said that a few councilors had “[raised] concerns about leadership at Prosper Portland.”
Prior to serving as Prosper’s interim executive director, Flaherty Betin served in various leadership roles at the agency, including for three years as its economic development director.
Prior to joining Prosper, he primarily worked at nonprofits in the Portland metro area.
