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Council interviews Mary Anderson for public information director; members press for stronger outreach to underserved communities
Summary
Mary Anderson, acting director of the Office of Public Information, was introduced as the county executive’s nominee for permanent director. Council members praised her pandemic-era work but asked how she would improve outreach to non-English speakers, younger residents and communities that historically receive less information.
The County Council interviewed Mary Anderson on July 15 as the county executive’s nominee to serve as director of Montgomery County’s Office of Public Information. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matt Maddalino introduced Anderson, citing her 35 years of county service and leadership as acting PIO during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anderson described her background: "I graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Journalism," and explained that the office organizes countywide communication, manages a $3 million budget and 17.5 full-time-equivalent positions, and coordinates with departmental communications staff. Anderson said Public Information Office staff are assigned portfolios of departments, "so they're in regular contact with those departments" and that the office balances routine messaging with crisis response.
Council members asked detailed questions about how the office will reach residents who do not get information through traditional channels. Vice President Chiwanda and others pressed for strategies to reach people who lack familiarity with government processes or do not check email; Chiwanda said the county needs new approaches to reach those populations quickly and clearly. Anderson said the office plans to strengthen partnerships with the Office of Community Partnerships, regional service center directors and community-based organizations, expand outreach to school and youth groups, and explore targeted channels such as WhatsApp groups and student newspapers to reach younger and nontraditional audiences.
Councilmember Fani Gonzalez raised specific complaints about coordination and timeliness in Spanish-language outreach and urged the PIO office to provide more proactive, paid Spanish-language advertising rather than sporadic interviews or limited translations. Anderson acknowledged the challenge and said she aims to develop deeper ties with community leaders and trusted organizations to expand reach without large, recurring budgets.
Councilmembers from across the chamber praised Anderson’s pandemic performance and local knowledge. Several members said they will support her confirmation but asked her to return to the Government Operations committee for a follow-up hearing to spell out implementation steps, coordination with council communications, and metrics to measure whether outreach reaches underserved communities. The nomination was presented; no confirmation vote occurred during the session.
