Professional Background:​​​

• Lincoln County Commissioner, 2005-to date

• News Director, KZUS radio and the YBC radio group, 1990-2004

• Reporter and acting editor, Newport News-Times, 1987-1990

• Producer and on-air host, KBPS, Portland, OR 1981-1985

 

Roles As a County Commissioner:

• Member, Oregon Housing Stability Council

  • 2018 to date

  • Current Chairperson (since 2020)

  • Steers funds to Lincoln County for permanent and transitional housing (500 to date).

• Chairperson for Lincoln County Homeless Advisory Board

  • (2023 to date)

  • Led the effort to develop and implement a comprehensive county-wide homeless strategy as funded by Oregon HB 4123 (2022 session).

  • Achieved unprecedented collaboration from public partners, agencies, non-profits, and other entities to put Lincoln County on a path to make homelessness, among our neighbors, brief and rare.

• Former co-chair of Oregon Ending Homelessness Advisory Council

• Former chairperson, Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Programs

• Member and chair of the Cascades West Council of Governments Board of Directors (2005 to date).

  • Ensuring the delivery of senior and disability services for Lincoln-Linn-Benton region.

  • Worked with other Lincoln County leaders to derail a plan to close the senior meal sites.

• Member/Chairperson, Community Services Consortium (CSC) Board of Directors (2005 to date).

  • CSC provides housing, energy assistance and job training in the Lincoln-Benton-Linn region, as well as Lincoln County Head Start, which puts four and five-year olds and their families on a stronger path toward life success.

• Member of the Board of Directors and Past President (2017), Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) (2005 to date).

  • AOC is an advocacy, educational and networking organization made up of county commissioners and other county elected officials in the state. I was only the third Lincoln County Commissioner to serve as AOC president in the organization’s 118-year history.

  • My AOC leadership has provided me ongoing opportunities to be a voice for rural Oregon, the coast, and especially Lincoln County.

​

Volunteer Service:

I have served on the Boards of Directors for a several local non-profit organizations. In these roles, she has been involved in supporting the organizations through raising funds, supervising staff and maintaining operation of their important programs.

• Samaritan House Family Homeless Shelter (17 years).

• My Sisters’ Place Domestic Violence Shelter & Services (6 years).

• Lincoln County Food Share (6 years).

​

Education:

MS Journalism, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

BA Communications, Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon

John Adams High School, Portland Oregon