Why subscribe to The Liftoff?
The Liftoff delivers everything you need to know about Oregon politics, government and the legislature to your inbox Monday morning! Consider becoming a paid subscriber to help us expand our coverage.
The Way is Oregon’s premiere digital op-ed page. We hear from Oregonians across the state on a diverse range of issues. We want our contributors to span different ideologies, geographies, and backgrounds.
Want to get involved?
Consider becoming a paid subscriber! We’re also always recruiting editors and op-ed contributors for The Way!
If you have suggestions, or would like to contribute, please email theway@or360.org
Who’s posting?
Most contributors to The Way will share a timely take on an issue of statewide significance. Unless otherwise stated, the posts reflect the views of the contributor and not any organizations with which they are affiliated. Posts are not meant to advance any partisan interests.
How can YOU support The Liftoff and The Way?
(1) Share and Subscribe! We love it when you spread the word.
(2) Contact us to become a contributor to The Way!
(3) Tips? Feedback? Ideas? Corrections for The Liftoff? Email benjaminwbowman@gmail.com.
Subscribe to Oregon360 Media
People
Kevin Frazier
Assistant Professor at St. Thomas University College of Law and Research Affiliate at Legal Priorities Project. Focused on improving the resilience of our democratic institutions.
Kristina Edmunson
Kristina has 15 years of political, and crisis communications experience. She has been involved with some of the biggest and most controversial policy and legal decisions in Oregon. But her proudest title? 6th generation Oregonian.
Jim Moore
Longtime observer of Oregon and west coast politics. Political analyst for various media outlets, professor at Pacific University.
Adam Davis
Adam Davis works with Oregon Humanities to get people thinking and talking together, and he used to lead backcountry trail crews with the US Forest Service.
Rich Vial
Former State Legislator, Former Deputy Secretary of State
Jared Garson
Jared is a Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics Major at Willamette University, aspiring to bring Oregon together to achieve more representative elections and a sustainable energy program to brag about.
Brenda Smith
Current director of High Desert Partnership, a nonprofit organization in Harney County, Oregon that seeks to find common ground through collaboration.
Cameron Scott
Cameron Scott holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Arizona, is a fly-fishing guide and teaches 7th-12th grade English Language Arts.
Don Williams
Creator of Thebeerchaser.com. Former Chief Operating Officer of Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt.
Hilary Dumitrescu
I am a 6-year Oregon resident. We moved here for the rainy weather and the green; we stayed because of the beautiful community we found.
Mark Hass
former Oregon State Senator
Tam Moore
Retired journalist. Former Jackson County Commissioner. Born in Corvallis, 1934; graduate of Oregon State
Jared @🏡 in PDX
Write about society reopening, the positive side of technology and doing better.
When not writing I work on creating growth & opportunity in Portland Tech
Peter Sage
Retired. Now, a political blogger
Sarah White
Non-profit director and advocate for the unhoused, pursuing justice with those at the margins. She lives in Silverton with her family and critters.
Rod Ray
Former CEO Bend Research, Inc
Ph.D. Chemical Engineer
"Courtesy Professor" OSU-Cascades. Teach Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Thermodynamics
Nathan Howard
Cofounder & President at East Fork Cultivars
Advisor to various political campaigns and candidates. Board of Directors at various Oregon-based organizations.
Rob Harris
Rob is managing partner of Harris Velazquez Gibbens, Attorneys, a litigation law firm
Taylor Stewart
Founder of the Oregon Remembrance Project. Seeking the truth and repair required to bring us closer to reconciliation.
Elden Rosenthal
Oregon trial lawyer, 1972-2017. Member, Board of Directors, Southern Poverty Law Center.
Xavier D. Stickler
Xavier is a student of architecture and sustainable urban development at Portland State University—as well as a transportation, housing, and urban policy advocate.
Allen Alley
Tech entrepreneur-investor creating opportunities for the next generation. Former OR GOP Chair & candidate for Gov & Treasurer. Speaking up for those not heard.
Bennett Minton
Policy advocate/strategist/organizer over three decades as a journalist, congressional press secretary, lobbyist and analyst
Sue Hildick
Fourth generation Oregonian with a serious love of place. I work across sectors to surface pragmatic public policy solutions.
Melissa Unger
Executive Director of SEIU Local 503, representing 72,000 public services workers and care providers in Oregon.
Kyle Palmer
I just started my third term as Mayor of Silverton.
I believe that decency is not dead and meaningful discourse is not only possible, but vital.
Ginger L Savage
Ginger L Savage, Executive Director of Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City, OR. Lifelong Central and Eastern Oregonian.
Andy Kerr
Andy Kerr consults on environmental and conservation issues. He is best known for his two decades with the Oregon Wild (then Oregon Natural Resources Council), the organization best known for having brought you the northern spotted owl.
Jamie McLeod-Skinner
Jamie McLeod-Skinner is an attorney, planner, engineer, and small business owner building a better Oregon through healthy, equitable, and resilient communities.
Jenn Stephens
Oregon born, raised, and educated. Loved Austin, TX, then moved back home to raise our three boys. Political nerd, MBA, and passionate about helping people.
Charles Gallia
Oregonian. PhD in public administration and policy from Portland State. An Oregon health policy navigator.
Katy Brooks
CEO, Bend Chamber of Commerce
Greg Wolf
Greg Wolf is the co-founder of the National Policy Consensus Center, and founded Oregon Solutions, Oregon Consensus, Regional Solutions and County Solutions. He is now the Director of the Oregon iSector.
Kim Mosier
Attorney advising non-profit and government entities, some courtroom practice, teacher of Criminal Justice for 9 years. Passionate about local civic involvement. Fifth-generation Eastern Oregonian. I love this place and its people.
Luhui Whitebear
Luhui Whitebear (she/her) is Coastal Chumash. She is a mother, poet, and Indigenous activist. Luhui is passionate about disrupting systems of oppression and creating positive change in society.
Sarah Iannarone
Sarah Iannarone is Executive Director of The Street Trust, an advocacy non-profit and action fund promoting multimodal transportation options that prioritize safety, accessibility, equity, and climate justice in the Portland metro region and beyond.
Xander Levine
Student, Skier, Traveler, Portlander
Scott Kerman
Scott Kerman is Executive Director of BLANCHET HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY, which provides meals to persons experiencing housing insecurity in Old Town, Portland, as well as long-term transitional shelter in Old Town and at Blanchet Farm in Carlton, Oregon.
Eric Fruits
I'm am Oregon-based economist. When I'm not writing here, I'm doing research on state and local government and international competition policy.
Rachel King
Author of People Along the Sand: A Novel, Bratwurst Haven: Stories, and two poetry chapbooks. Stories in One Story, North American Review, Northwest Review, etc. booksrachelking.com
Jeff Eager
Writer of politics and lame jokes at Oregon Roundup on Substack.
https://oregonroundup.substack.com/
Karmen Fore
Karmen Fore is the director of Oregon Solutions.
Sara Gelser Blouin
Senator. Policy wonk. Youth and disability rights advocate. Mom of 5. Fiercely pro-choice, pro-equality, pro-labor and pro-science. Fighting to dismantle institutional abuse.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith served three tours in Iraq as a U.S. Marine and is a past director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
Susheela Jayapal
Multnomah County Commissioner for District 2, North and Northeast Portland. South Asian immigrant, lawyer, and Oregonian since 1994.
Kenji Sugahara
Lawyer, Drone Pilot, Drone Remote ID Pioneer, FAA Drone Advisory Committee Member, and Oregon Tourism Commissioner.
Eric Paine
CEO of Community Development Partners
Debra Porta
Debra is a nonprofit professional with a passion for building and empowering community. A Portlander for the last 25 years, Debra lives with her wife in North Portland.
Brian Duty
I'm a native Oregonian who is deeply passionate about the wellbeing of our community and state. I'm a Urologist at OHSU and heavily involved in health policy.
Representative Mark Owens
Mark Owens is the Republican State Representative for House District 60. He’s a farmer, small business owner, Crane School Board Member, husband and father.
Gavin Barrett
Political Science Student at the University of Oregon
Sabbath Rain Mikelson
Sabbath is a campaign manager, community organizer, and candidate. She focuses her political activism on the needs of rural Oregon and young voters.
Jody Wiser
Tax wonk with the all-volunteer organization Tax Fairness Oregon
Keith A. Mobley
Grew up on ranch near Shaniko, degrees OSU and UO Law; Law practice, The Dalles and Dufur, now retired; past board chair, OPB; current president, Sun River Owners Association; telecom advocate since service as Navy communications officer in 1962.
Vadim Mozyrsky
Director, Partnership for Common Sense Government. U.S. Administrative Law Judge. AFL-CIO, IFPTE, Judicial Council 1 vice president. Candidate for Portland City Council. Board member and advocate for public safety, immigrant and disability rights.
Angus Duncan
In and out of politics, policy, government (local/state/federal) the energy business, and energy/climate advocacy. Have served in policy and advocacy positions at all levels. Focused since 1990 on environmental externalities, energy and climate.
Jeff Allen
Jeff Allen is Executive Director of Forth, a nonprofit working to electrify transportation. (www.forthmobility.org) He previously served 10 years as Executive Director of the Oregon Environmental Council.
Elizabeth Steiner Hayward
Oregon State Senator for District 17; family physician OHSU
Iris WeaverBell
high school student in pdx
passionate about student civic engagement, law, and public service
Elise Yu
Elise Yu is a high school sophomore in Portland who fosters interests in STEM, ballet, music, and social equity through volunteering and involvement in marketing at nonprofit organizations.
Tricia Mooney
Dr. Tricia Mooney has been an educator and administrator in Umatilla County since 1995 and the superintendent of the Hermiston School District since 2018. She is a member of the Oregon Quality Education Commission.
Keith Tymchuk
Teacher for 41 years; 6 terms as Mayor of Reedsport; 27 years as a Port of Umpqua Commissioner; 6 years as a Director with the Central Lincoln PUD.
I enjoy reading, chasing steelhead with the fly rod, hunting and golf.
Marie Bowers
5th generation farmer, passionate about farming, rural Oregon and politics.
Nancy Haque
Nancy Haque is the executive director of Basic Rights Oregon, an organization dedicated to the legal and lived equality of all LGBTQ2SIA+ Oregonians.
Mark Gamba
Mark Gamba’s record speaks for itself.
As Mayor of Milwaukie, Mark dramatically expanded housing options, passed a Climate Action Plan with real teeth, and much more.
Mark is running for State Representative to take this record of success statewide.
Rachel Prusak
Nurse Practitioner. State Representative.
Jessica Vega Pederson
Jessica Vega Pederson is a Multnomah County Commissioner, proud east Portlander and champion for universal pre-K. Before being elected as a commissioner, Jessica served as a state Rep. where she was the first Latina elected to the Oregon House.
Bob Dalton
Bob Dalton is the founder and CEO of Sackcloth & Ashes, a mission-driven company that gives a blanket to a local homeless shelter for each one purchased.
nitin rai
managing partner elevate.vc
Stephen Green
Recovering banker and VC working tirelessly to make Oregon an even better place for Black and Latinx owned businesses to start, grow and prosper.
corn_grove@msn.com
Kathleen was born and raised in rural Oregon. She is the retired VP for Grants and Programs at Oregon Community Foundation where she worked for 33 years.
Gina Firman Nikkel
Executive Director, Association of Oregon Counties
Dana Whitelaw
Mom, Oregonian, Anthropologist, museologist and daughter of an economist.
Hunter Spence
President of Oregon College Democrats, Senior Organizer for College Democrats of America, Senior at the University of Oregon
Nick Johnson
Nick is the Executive Director of LCRI, a nonprofit organization in Lake County, OR.
McCall Delaney
Third year honors student at the University of Oregon.
Lorelei Juntunen
President of ECONorthwest, a West Coast policy and economic research firm
Lori Chavez-DeRemer
Wife, mom, and small business owner. Former Mayor of Happy Valley, OR. Republican Nominee for Oregon's 5th Congressional District.
Rose Kordahl
University of Oregon Class of 2022, Student of political science and chemistry
Lynn Heider
A champion for not-for-profit, cooperative credit unions.
Henry A Balensifer III
Mayor of the City of Warrenton, American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow (Class XXVIII), Vice-President of WarHF, Inc., and Government Relations Manager for JBT LEKTRO, Inc.
Ariane Le Chevallier
Ariane Le Chevallier is a strategic communications advisor and founder of Le Chevallier Strategies based in Portland, OR. She writes about media, communications, politics, nonprofits, and government in the search for the common good.
Ben Bowman
Host of The Oregon Bridge Podcast; State Representative-Elect, Tigard-Tualatin School Board Member; Founder of Packed with Pride food pantry. I speak only for myself!
Mark Hester
Mark worked 20 years at The Oregonian in positions including business editor & editorial writer. He currently is a communications consultant.
Gary Conkling
Gary has been a journalist, congressional aide, federal and state lobbyist and co-founder of a public affairs firm in Portland.
Tim Nesbitt
Tim served as Chief of Staff for Gov. Kulongoski. A former union leader, he lives near Independence and oversees a specialty apple orchard.
Marty Wilde
Former State Representative, HD 11
Retired Colonel, USAF
The view expressed herein are my own and not necessarily those of any employer.
Jessica Gomez
Jessica Gomez is Founder/CEO of Rogue Valley Microdevices and serves on the OIT Board of Trustees, Oregon Healthcare & Oregon Business Development committees.
Steve Novick
Environmental lawyer, former Sizemore fighter, former Portland City Commissioner, believer in taxing the rich and letting people know where tax dollars go.
Christina deVillier
"Christina deVillier is a writer, a gardener, and a fourth-generation explorer of northeast Oregon's mountains, canyons, and communities."
David Frank
Professor
Eric K. Ward
Eric K. Ward, Executive Director of Western States Center, Senior Fellow of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Senior Advisor to Race Forward. @BulldogShadow
Andrew Kalloch
I'm a proud Oregonian, the lucky spouse of @AdamsKalloch & father of three. Former: ACLU lawyer/Policy wonk/Candidate for Congress, OR-4.
John Tapogna
John is President of ECONorthwest--an economic consulting firm with offices in Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Eugene, and Bend.
Glendora Claybrooks
Glendora Claybrooks is a contributing author to the OregonWay Blog.
Melissa Cribbins
Coos County Commissioner, Attorney, Mother, Life-long Oregonian
Bill Bradbury
Former Oregon Secretary of State
John Horvick
DHM Research, Political Director
Cyreena Boston Ashby
Cyreena is Partner at Hilltop Public Solutions and has worked on Oregon’s pressing issues of economic development, health care, housing, and racial equity.
Joseph Jordan
Oregonian, writer, law student.
Peter Laufer
Instant Gratification
Kelley Minty Morris
Recently referred to as "the least political person in politics ", Kelley serves as a non-partisan, elected, Klamath County Commissioner
Loran Joseph
Formerly the Mayor of Baker City; now just a wind farm owner/operator, audio engineer, bass player, woodworker, barista, entrepreneur, and general repairman.
Jeff Gudman
BA Economics - Pomona College
MBA - Wharton
Hyster Company, Magnetech, Biogas Technology, Oregon Natural Gas Development, Private Investor
Rich Wandschneider
Rich directs the Library at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture in Joseph, OR, and writes a column for the Wallowa County Chieftain.
Jenn Schuberth
Jenn writes period crime fiction and is a literacy advocate. She has worked in finance, academics, and nonprofits. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Philosophy of Religion, and a finance degree from Washington University.
Aeric Estep
Co-host of the City on a Hill Podcast.
He has lived in Oregon for the last 25 years and currently resides in West Linn. Perennial city/county advisory board member. Neighbor.
Bruce Abernethy
Member Bend City Council, COCC Board of Directors, Grantwriter with Bend-La Pine School District
Kim Phelps
Mostly retired cattle rancher in Wallowa County, Oregon.
Mayor Stan Pulliam
Stan Pulliam is the Mayor of his hometown of Sandy. He’s been called a Rising Star after receiving local and national headlines and recently formed an exploratory committee for Oregon Governor. He’s married to his wife MacKensey and has 2 daughters.
Ben Sand
CEO of The Contingent
Author of A Kids Book About White Privilege
Casey Kulla
Yamhill County Commissioner, veggie and cannabis farmer, Democrat for Governor 2022, ecologist, father&husband, left-handed
Rukaiyah Adams
Chair of the Albina Vision Trust.
Ron Paradis
Born and raised in Oregon, Ron worked at colleges out of state for 10 years; he returned home and spent 28 years at Central Oregon Community College.
Lacey Beaty
34th Mayor of Beaverton, She/Her, Girl Mom, Combat Veteran, Military Spouse, and all around outdoor enthusiast.
Chris Harder
Principal at Coraggio Group, a strategy and leadership management consulting firm. Former Director of Business Oregon, the state's economic development agency.
Cheri Helt
Working mom, small business owner, former State Representative, and former nine-year member of the Bend-La Pine School Board.
Aaron Pina
I'm a Portland-based human rights equity culture broker. After 20+ years of domestic and international human rights work, I returned to my adopted Oregon to live, raise my son Ollie, and work towards a better, less polarized society.
Jeff Golden
State Senator Jeff Golden represents District 3 in the Oregon Legislature.
Alberto Moreno
Alberto is a poet whose poetry touches on the ecstatic divine, justice and the immigrant experience. Alberto served as the columnist for El Hispanic News and as the Governor’s representative on the Oregon Humanities Council
George Murdock
A journalist, education leader, and cattle rancher, Murdock is chair of the Umatilla County Board of commissioners. He is a graduate of WSU and holds a masters degree from Linfield College.
Tobias Read
A proud Democrat, Tobias Read was elected State Treasurer in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. Before that, he represented the Beaverton area from 2006 to 2016 as State Representative. He lives in Beaverton with his wife Heidi and their two kids.
Rob Nosse
State Representative in Oregon for Inner SE and Inner NE Portland. Openly gay man who also worked at Oregon Nurses Association and SEIU Local 49 and 503. Got my start in Oregon politics in the early 1990s with Oregon Student Association
Jessie Burke
Jessie Burke is co-owner of The Society Hotel and serves as chair of the Old Town Community Association. She is the granddaughter of a Chinese immigrant, a mother of three, a former social worker, and a long-time small business owner.
Thomas L. Ngo
Digital marketer, entrepreneur, and real estate investor. Transportation, community development, and public health are my jam. Grown in Portland. Aged in NYC. @ColumbiaSIPA and @UPortland alum.
Chris Smith
Chris Smith has served on a number of transportation and planning advisory committees. Most recently he completed 12 years of service on the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission. He is part of the No More Freeways campaign.
Mason Finn Kennedy
Part-time Funnyman, The News Director at KWVA Eugene, and a journalist from Eugene, Oregon.
Ciara Williams
RARE AmeriCorps Member. Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council. B.A. International Affairs, GWU 2019.
Mayor Sally Russell
Russell became Bend’s Mayor in 2018, after 6 years on Bend's City Council. Career and volunteer work while raising two daughters didn’t prepare her for 2020!
Moira Bowman
25 years working gender, racial and economic justice. Currently, Director of Advocacy at Oregon Food Bank.
Margi Hoffmann
Margi Hoffmann is Director of Strategic Operations for the Farmers Conservation Alliance (FCA).
Dahnesh Medora
Practical idealist building infrastructure for social justice.
Lauri Aunan
Lucky to live in beautiful Oregon with people who care about safe and healthy communities, equity, transparency, and our environment. All of these depend on a functioning democracy where all people can vote and have their votes counted!
David Yaden
Native Oregonian with more than 50 years experience in public affairs, including political and policy positions with two governors, a US cabinet secretary and Congressman, and owning a public opinion research firm.
Kris Nine
Writer & painter—politics, poetry, and prose.
It’s impossible to describe the world without changing it.
Julie O'Shea
Julie O’Shea is the Director of the Farmers Conservation Alliance. To learn about FCA and its efforts in irrigation modernization go to fcasolutions.org
Michael DeWolf
Member, Oregon Open Primaries and League of Women Voters - Deschutes County. Retired from electric utility industry, serving as corporate asset manager, strategy director, and finance manager. Lifelong Oregonian.
Adam Marl
Oregon City Commissioner; Community Organizer; Oregon's Youngest Public Official
Nils D Christoffersen
Nils D. Christoffersen is the Executive Director of Wallowa Resources, a community non-profit working to sustain working lands and livelihoods, in Northeast Oregon.
Laurie Wimmer
26 years as an education advocate and 40 years as a progressive activist, I now run Oregon Policy Analytics, my policy and electoral consulting firm.
Beatrice Kahn
A senior at Beaverton High School, Beatrice is passionate about spreading student voices. She is the founder and editor of the Beaverton Hummer Newspaper club. Beatrice is Co-President of the Beaverton Student Advisory Committee.
Catherine McMullen
Catherine McMullen is a Certified Elections Administrator and former public librarian. Catherine has conducted more than 15 elections and is a candidate for Clackamas County Clerk. Learn more at ClackamasVoice.org.
Priscilla Macy
Executive Director, Oregon Outfitters & Guides Association
Commissioner David Yamamoto
I am a Tillamook County Commissioner as well as Chair of Council of Forest Trust Lands Counties and county commissioner representative to Oregon Broadband Advisory Council and Ocean Policy Advisory Council.
Shreya Soman
Shreya Soman is a high school sophomore in Portland and an aspiring advocate for human rights and environmental justice. She enjoys volunteer work, writing, and performance arts and hopes to continue to work to help her community and those in need.
Angela Zhang
Angela Zhang is a Portland high school student and passionate about law, STEM, public speaking, while contributing to her community through coaching middle and high school students in speech and debate.
Emerson Levy
Mom, Renewable Energy Attorney, and candidate for the Oregon Legislature. I live in Bend, Oregon with my husband and seven-year-old daughter.
emersonvotes.com
Nick Hess
Tech CEO Nick Hess is the only Republican that can win the state of Oregon and bring real change.
Anthony Veliz
The son of farmworkers, Anthony's advocacy started in Woodburn, OR. Today, as the founder of the Oregon Latinx Leadership Network, he has started a collective movement of Latino CBO’s and leaders in both rural and urban communities.
John M. Rexford
Superintendent-Retired, High Desert Education Service District. Chair of the Oregon Quality Education Commission. 32 years in k-12 administration and school business. BS in business at Oregon State University & MBA from Portland State University.
Sharon Meieran
Dr. Meieran (she/her) is a Multnomah County Commissioner and ER doctor. Her experience caring for those in crisis informs her policy/advocacy work. Her focus areas include behavioral health, housing/homelessness, coordination of services, and equity.
Tera Hurst
Tera Hurst is currently the Executive Director of the Oregon Health Justice Recovery Alliance (HJRA).
Greg Graziano
Unapologetically spends 95% of his day in his head.
Rob Schläpfer
Rob teaches critical thinking classes that aim to promote deliberative democracy and inspire effective altruism.
Aaron Brown
Transportation, climate, and housing justice organizer based in North Portland. Admirer of sidewalks, soccer clubs and social movements. Happiest on a bike or on the Oregon coast.
Dr. Christine Pitts
Education Research & Policy; Government Affairs & Partnerships; Public Speaking.
Rory Bialostosky
West Linn City Councilor, youngest elected official in the Portland metro area
Victoria Binning
Program Coordinator for Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE)
Jared Kennedy
Development Director and Blue Mountains Trail Project Lead at Greater Hells Canyon Council
Bruce Starr
Business owner and former state legislator. Oregon native.
Jim Labbe
Jim serves as a Director at Participatory Budgeting Oregon, which he co-founded in 2018 to advance "more participatory and just public budgeting for all Oregonians."
Mike McArthur
ED CREA
Buddy Terry
Producer
Sophia Holbrook
Willamette Law Student, Blogger, California native living in Salem!
Jyoni Tetsurō Shuler
they/she
Research Analyst @ Our Children Oregon, based in Portland