Speakers
US Senator Ron Wyden
Whether he’s taking on powerful interests, listening to constituents at one of his regular town hall meetings, or representing Oregonians’ views on the floor of the U.S. Senate, Ron Wyden is known for his strong, effective leadership on the issues that matter most.
Ron Wyden was elected to the US Senate in 1996, after serving in the US House of Representatives for 15 years, and holds the Senate seat once held by his mentor, the late Wayne Morse. In Oregon, he’s known for his accessibility to the public. He holds town meetings in each of the state’s 36 counties, every single year - and the occasional ice cream social.
In the Senate, Senator Wyden is known for his bipartisan approach to solving problems, his effectiveness in getting things done, and his creative approach to tough problems - particularly in the areas of health care, technology, and natural resources.
He serves on the Committes on Finance, Budget, Aging, Intelligence, and Energy and Natural Resources - where he serves on subcommittees on Energy and Water & Power, and chairs the subcommittee on Forests & Public Land.
US Senator Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley is the son of a millwright and the first in his family to attend college. His policy education came first from his father, Darrell, who after work each day would read the newspaper, watch the evening news, and run a commentary on how we could improve our nation. From his mother he gained the advice “to do what’s right!” and “to do your best!”
Merkley’s public service began as a 19-year-old intern with Oregon’s former Senator, Mark O. Hatfield. Never in Merkley’s wildest dreams did he anticipate that he would return to the Senate 33 years later to represent Oregon in Hatfield’s former seat. He considers it a great honor and a great challenge.
Between Merkley’s college internship on Capitol Hill and his election to the U.S. Senate in 2008, Merkley immersed himself in public service. Pursuing an interest generated by his experience as an exchange student in Ghana, West Africa, Merkley studied international relations at Stanford and worked in India and Mexico, including a project to build and operate an environmental camp for Mexican children. After earning a graduate degree in Public Policy at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Merkley worked as a national security analyst at the Pentagon and at the Congressional Budget Office, contributing, he hoped, to the dialogue on responsible management of nuclear weapons.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer
Earl Blumenauer was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and has been a life-long resident of Oregon's 3rd Congressional District. He is a graduate of Centennial High School and received an undergraduate degree from Lewis & Clark College and a law degree from the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis & Clark College.
As a college student, Earl was politically active and organized a campaign to lower Oregon's voting age. While still a student, he was elected to the Oregon Legislature, winning every precinct in his district. After three terms in the Oregon House of Representatives, including two terms chairing the Revenue and School Finance Committee, Earl was elected in 1978 to the Multnomah County Commission, where he served two terms. In 1986, he was elected to Portland's City Council and served as the Commissioner of Public Works. As a local official, Earl developed a national reputation for his advocacy of public transportation, land use planning, protection of the environment, and school funding. Earl's valuable work helped Portland become one of the nation's most livable cities.
Congressman Peter DeFazio
Peter DeFazio was elected to the U.S. Congress in 1986. He is a senior member of the House Transportation And Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as Chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
In 2005, he helped draft a $244 billion federal highways and transit spending bill that included $2.7 billion for transportation projects in Oregon. These federal investments helped create thousands of jobs and improved the state's long term economic viability. DeFazio will help write the next highways and transit reauthorization next year.
On the House Committee on Homeland Security, Peter works hard to meet the national security needs of the country. He has consistently fought for more money towards protecting our ports, our airports and our borders.
Congressman David Wu
Congressman David Wu was sworn in to a fifth term as a Member of the 110th Congress on January 3, 2007. Congressman Wu represents Oregon's First Congressional District, which stretches from Portland to the Oregon Coast, encompassing all of Washington, Yamhill, Columbia, and Clatsop counties, and part of Multnomah County.
Congressman Wu's priorities include: improving our nation's public education system and making college more affordable; growing Oregon's economy by encouraging new business investment and supporting high tech research; improving our nation's healthcare system by fighting for patients' rights and a Medicare prescription drug benefit; and meeting our obligation to future generations by preserving Social Security and protecting our natural environment.
Congressman Kurt Schrader
For nearly 20 years, Kurt Schrader has been a respected leader in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District. His background represents many of the elements of this diverse district. He understands its agricultural heritage: he raised organic crops on Canby’s historic Three Rivers Farm, where Kurt and his wife Martha raised 4 children. Kurt is also a small businessman and veterinarian, currently running clinics in West Linn and Oregon City.
Kurt Schrader, however, is best known for his record of public service. After serving on Canby’s local planning board he entered the Oregon House of Representatives in 1997, moving to the State Senate in 2003. Since 2003, Senator Schrader has made a difference for Oregon as the Legislature's budget chief.
Sen. Peter Courtney
Senate President Peter Courtney is the most veteran member of the Oregon Legislature. He is now serving his record-tying fourth term as Senate President.
President Courtney oversaw the extremely successful 2007 session, during which he provided strong leadership on a variety of Legislative reforms including moving towards annual Legislative sessions, restoration of the State Capitol building, and passage of one of the strongest ethics reform packages for public officials in the country. During this session he was also instrumental in passing an updated and expanded Oregon Bottle Bill and a bill to protect the health of bar and restaurant owners by banning smoking in all public indoor spaces. He also helped pass legislation that will phase in requirements for Physical Education in public schools and provide grants to districts to hire and train physical education teachers.
Sen. Richard Devlin
Richard Devlin is a lifelong Oregonian who was born in Eugene, earned his Bachelor’s degree at Portland State University, and now lives in Tualatin with his wife of 34 years, Eliza. Richard and Eliza have two grown children and three grandchildren.
Richard began his service in the Oregon Legislature when he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996. He served three terms in the House before being elected to the Oregon Senate in 2002.
Rep. Dave Hunt
Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt is serving his fourth term in the Oregon House of Representatives representing the Clackamas County communities of Gladstone, Oak Grove, Jennings Lodge, Johnson City, and North Clackamas.
A Northwest native, Speaker Hunt attended Sheldon High School in Eugene and Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in Political Science and American Government.
Speaker Hunt served as a Congressional staffer for a decade, working as district director for Congresswoman Darlene Hooley from Oregon and Congressman Brian Baird from Southwest Washington.
Since 2001 Speaker Hunt has been employed as Executive Director of the Columbia River Channel Coalition and the Association of Pacific Ports, working to enhance trade and job opportunities.
Rep. Mary Nolan
Rep. Nolan is serving her fifth term as an Oregon legislator and serves as House Majority Leader. During her tenure, Nolan spearheaded the largest increase in education funding in recent history, achieved a dramatic increase in funding for women’s health care and family planning services and led the successful effort to expand health coverage to over 100,000 Oregonians.
DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith
Meredith Wood Smith has served since March 10, 2007 as full time Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon and previously served four years as the full-time DPO Vice Chair. She also serves as Western Vice President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs and is a member of the Executive Committee. In 2009 she was appointed by DNC Chairman Tim Kaine to serve on the Change Commission. The Commission is charged with reviewing and making recommendations on automatic delegates to the national convention, timing of the Presidential primaries and process for presidential caucuses. Governor Kaine also appointed her to the DNC Budget and Finance Committee.