Elaine Miller is Tisbury’s new appointed representative to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, after the town select board named her on Tuesday to replace Greg Martino.
Mr. Martino announced last month that he would be leaving the commission to be more available to his young family, but called his departure a “see you later, not a goodbye.”
Bill O’Brien, who also had put himself forward for the seat, withdrew at Tuesday’s select board meeting, saying he had not been aware that Ms. Miller was a candidate and would support her appointment to the MVC.
A retired entrepreneur and real estate agent, Ms. Miller was elected to a five-year seat on the Tisbury planning board in 2021 but resigned in 2024, citing what she considered a hostile relationship between the planning board and select board.
Her background will help her represent the town effectively on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, she told select board members John Cahill and Roy Cutrer.
Also Tuesday, the board named Elena DeFoe as Tisbury’s new treasurer, tax collector and finance director, effective Feb. 2.
Originally from Bulgaria, Ms. DeFoe moved to the Vineyard in 2014 and has worked for years as the administrative assistant to Tisbury’s town administrator and select board. She and her family also run a popular food booth at the agricultural fair in August.
Ms. DeFoe earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in Bulgaria and is currently studying for a master’s degree in public administration from Suffolk University, she told the board at Tuesday’s meeting.
Along with an understanding of Tisbury’s municipal management, Ms. DeFoe is well-versed in its computer operations, town administrator Joseph LaCivita said.
“I give her a lot of credit for moving up and stepping up, and we’re going to give her a lot of support to make sure that she is… successful,” Mr. LaCivita told the board.
Longtime Tisbury treasurer, tax collector and finance director Jonathan Snyder, who is retiring next week, told the Gazette Wednesday that he will stay on with the town part-time to help orient Ms. DeFoe to her new position and to work on projects.
This article appears in January 30, 2026.