Top Oregon official put on leave for allegedly prioritizing 'qualified' job candidates over 'gender identity'

A diversity, equity and inclusion expert had her former boss placed on administrative leave for reportedly prioritizing merit over personal identity when hiring new employees, according to a report.

Megan Donecker, who formerly served as the Oregon Department of Forestry’s DEI strategy officer, complained about the agency's management, criticizing her boss Mike Shaw for looking "beyond gender and identity in hiring, seeking only candidates most qualified for the job," OregonLive reported.

Shaw served as the agency's second-in-command under State Forester Cal Mukumoto until he was placed on administrative leave on Aug. 6 after Donecker filed a formal complaint against him, the Daily Mail reported.

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Donecker reportedly first took issue with Shaw when he advocated for a careful approach to DEI, comparing rapid changes to speeding on "an icy road." She claimed that Shaw, using this metaphor, warned, "We don’t go 60 (mph) out of the gate, or we’re gonna crash the car."

She also reportedly claimed that six queer staffers didn't "feel safe or comfortable" at work because they could not have "conversation around pronouns" and referred to the department as a "boys club," the Daily Mail reported, citing the formal complaint obtained by OregonLive.

While the Oregon Department of Forestry did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s inquiry, they have responded to recent criticism of their agency, insisting that leadership "takes employee complaints and concerns seriously and, when brought to our attention, we ensure they’re handled in accordance with state laws, rules, policies and HR best practices. This includes protecting employees from retaliation."

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State Forester Mukumoto added that "Providing a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace is a shared core value and priority of both the department and the Board of Forestry."

The pink-haired, tattooed Salem resident has left the department and now works as a DEI consultant, according to the Daily Mail. She reportedly describes herself as an "accomplice to marginalized communities," the outlet reported.

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OregonLive summarized that leadership in the department has significant implications for the state.

"The Department of Forestry is charged with protecting about 16 million acres of public and private forestland and serves as Oregon’s largest fire department," The local journalist Noelle Crombie wrote. "It is overseen by Mukumoto, who answers to the Oregon Board of Forestry, a seven-member citizen board appointed by the governor. Mukumoto, appointed in 2021, manages an agency of nearly 1,400 employees and a biennial budget of about $577 million. His salary is $237,288."

Oregon widely implemented DEI initiatives following the political unrest in response to George Floyd's killing in 2020, prompting racial justice protests that swept the nation — and raged for more than 100 consecutive nights in nearby Portland. 

But residents have slowly begun pushing back. Clackamas County in Oregon announced in January that it will dismantle their nearly $830,000 a year diversity, equity and inclusion office, calling it an "unnecessary expense" that "only foments friction."