Jim Desmond joined Metro in 1995 and managed the implementation of Metro's $135.6 million open spaces, parks and streams bond measure, which led to the acquisition of 8,200 acres of open space and funded more than 100 local and neighborhood parks projects throughout the region. In 2003 he was appointed director of the Regional Parks and Greenspaces department, where in addition to leading the department’s various programs, Jim led the effort to implement the Metro Council's Nature in Neighborhoods program and in 2006 orchestrated a second successful $227.4 million Natural Areas Parks and Streams bond measure.

In 2008, Jim was appointed director of Metro’s Sustainability Center and currently oversees management of the natural areas acquisition, parks planning and development, science and stewardship, resource conservation and recycling and community involvement and education programs.

Prior to Metro, Jim worked as a project manager for the Trust for Public Land and as a regional attorney for The Nature Conservancy. He started his career as a business attorney in Chicago, where he was elected partner at the law firm of Winston and Strawn. He was raised in Detroit and holds degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Vanderbilt School of Law. Desmond and his wife, Elisabeth Williams, reside in Southwest Portland with 10 year old twins Lily and Louise.