Town of Ashland - Office of the Select Board

The Town of Ashland is pleased to announce the appointment of Katherine Bird as Interim Town Manager, effective Sept. 2, 2026. The Ashland Select Board voted to appoint Bird to the position at its Aug. 26, 2026 meeting.

Following Michael Herbert’s departure from the Town Manager role, Bird stepped in to provide continuity and leadership for the organization. Her appointment ensures a seamless transition and allows the Town to continue moving forward on important municipal initiatives and priorities. Bird joined the Town of Ashland in 2022 as the Town’s Human Resources Director. Prior to coming to Ashland, she served the Town of Medway for more than eight years as Human Resources Coordinator and later as Human Resources Director.

In 2025, Bird was promoted to Assistant Town Manager for Administration & Operations. Since joining Ashland, she has made a strong and positive impact across the organization. Her integrity, steady leadership, and understanding of municipal operations and organizational systems have helped guide the Town through important changes and challenges. Throughout her career, Bird has been committed to supporting employees and helping them become their

most successful selves in the workplace. She is a strong advocate for teamwork and collaboration across all levels of the organization. Bird brings significant institutional knowledge, leadership experience, and a deep understanding of Ashland’s operations, employees, priorities, and long-term goals to her new role.

“Having the experience and institutional knowledge already within our organization is a benefit to the Town,” said Brandi Kinsman, Select Board Chair. “Internal leadership provides continuity during times of transition and ensures that the Town’s leadership reflects a deep understanding of Ashland’s values, priorities, and community.”

The Town is confident that Bird’s experience and leadership will provide stability and continuity as Ashland moves forward.

“The Select Board is confident in Katherine’s ability to serve as Interim Town Manager,” Kinsman stated. “She has demonstrated strong leadership throughout her time in Ashland and has earned the trust and respect of employees, colleagues, and the Board. We look forward to working with her in this new role.”

The Town of Ashland looks forward to continuing its work under Bird’s leadership and remains committed to providing the professionalism, responsiveness, and high-quality services that Ashland residents deserve. The Select Board will move forward in the coming weeks with a comprehensive plan for the search for Ashland’s next permanent Town Manager. The Board is looking at different options to assist in the search for qualified candidates. The Select Board is committed to making the process thoughtful, thorough, and inclusive, and there will be opportunities for public involvement and community input as the search moves forward.