Rogue Retreat appoints Sam Engel as new executive director

MEDFORD, Ore.– Rogue Retreat announced it has hired a new leader.

Sam Engel was chosen as the non-profit’s new executive director after months of searching.

Engel has worked in the Rogue Valley for nearly 20 years with organizations like AllCare.

He said he’s looking forward to bringing stability to Rogue Retreat.

In June Rogue Retreat parted ways with its executive director and founder Chad McComas

Since then, Bill Ihle has served as its temporary executive director.

Engel said he looks forward to continuing Rogue Retreat’s mission of being a positive force in our community.

Engel said, “even though Rogue Retreat has gone through a lot in the last 8 months or so, the work that was done here over the past 25 years is really incredible and a lot of lives have been changed, a lot of lives have been helped and healed.”

Engel has been working with Rogue Retreat as a community partner since 2016.

He feels he brings a good network of community partners to the organization that can help them solve the economic and social issues they’re working on.

Engel said he’s also looking forward to working on the Medford urban campground as well as the Redwood Motel and Project Turnkey.

He said making sure Rogue Retreat is financially stable is a top priority.

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NBC5 News reporter Derek Strom is from Renton, Washington. He recently graduated from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at Washington State University with a degree in Broadcast News and a minor in Sports Management. He played in the drumline with the WSU marching band. These days, he plays the guitar and piano. Derek is a devoted fan of the Mariners, Seahawks, and Kraken.
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