Communications Director
Email: pressoffice@multco.us
Denis Theriault is the interim communications director for Multnomah County. Denis helps support all of the County's communications work, having previously served as the office's deputy director. In Denis' time at the County, he has worked closely with the Elections Division and the Homeless Services Department (formerly Joint Office of Homeless Services), among other assignments.
Before starting at the County in January 2017, Denis worked in newspapers for nearly 17 years. Most recently, he oversaw politics, education and business coverage as a senior managing producer at the Oregonian, where he also covered the Oregon Legislature, the governor’s office and elections. Denis also worked as news editor at the Portland Mercury, covering Portland City Hall, homelessness and police accountability issues, while also writing the Hall Monitor column.
And though it’s not popular to admit it around these parts, Denis worked in California before coming to Oregon. Denis covered San Jose City Hall and the California Legislature, and also held a variety of editing roles. Denis grew up in Chicagoland and attended Northwestern University.
Off the job, Denis likes to sing karaoke, play guitar, make collage art, roll dice in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, and take photographs. He collects books on Chicago history and he’s still desperate to find the perfect Chicago-style pizza (no, he says, deep dish doesn’t count; it’s for tourists).