Portland has extraordinary potential. At our best, we are one of the best places to live in the world. We have strong, vibrant neighborhoods that are a great place to raise a family. We have a diverse economy that embraces sustainability. And we attract innovators, pioneers, and creative people of all types.

But the rising cost of housing has hit working people hard, pushing them out and contributing to rising homelessness. We’ve faced a surge in addiction and behavioral health issues. And we continue to struggle with the legacies of racism and inequality that harm our community.

I am running because I believe I am the right leader for this time. For over 40 years, I have worked with local governments and organizations to strengthen our community and our economy. I am committed to social justice and sustainability, with the experience to translate those values into policies that work.

I grew up in Parkrose and have memories of East County becoming part of Portland. We heard a lot of promises then, of services on par with the rest of the city. I’m running for City Council to make sure the city keeps its promises, that government is accountable to the people of East Portland, and that all of our neighbors can build a life of belonging and purpose here.

As someone with 20 years of community organizing experience, one skill that I bring to this moment in our city’s history is that of coalition building. I filed an intent to run for Portland City Council early because I believe we have a rare chance to build more collaboration into Portland city government, and I believe that in order to be successful, that work needs to start on the campaign trail. I want to advance policies that allow my neighbors and me a future of self-determination and dignity.

First and foremost, I am running because the I believe in the promise of Portland.
I have experienced it, living here for 25 years, and know we can restore the vitality and health of our city. I can be agent to get us back on the path.

I have more than twenty years of service to the people of Portland, and seek to apply my expansive network and experience to greater benefit as a member of the new elected body. As a leader in the City and County governments, I have championed smart resource investments and delivery of core services. I have built programs that provide direct service to address the issues that the public cares most about, including camping in our public spaces. I have also led city department reorganization in preparation of the new form of government, and understand clearly how operational and legislative processes will change after January 1, 2025.

Also, I am deeply invested in the city of Portland as my home and community, as is my family. My husband worked as a leader in the City government for more than 30 years and my daughter was a PPS student, and we all volunteer in a variety of ways giving back to the community.

We’ll never change what comes out of City Hall if we don’t change who we elect to office. We need to start electing people who want to DO something, not just be something.

No one in my district has similar experience. Most candidates are currently, or are retired from, government and non-profit positions. I am a practicing architect and a partner in many Portland bars and restaurants. I have permitted and built more housing than anyone on city council or who is running. And I have set aside my professional practice – closed shop – to bring my experience to the city.

As an architect, I have a history of building places where people want to be; I have experience delivering projects on-time and on-budget, I am a straight talker, and I know how to get things done. I care too much for this city to stand on the sidelines and watch what’s happened to the city I love. I am committed to making measurable progress for Portland, not just generating more talk.

East Portlanders have approximately 10 years lower life expectancy than Portlanders residing west of I-205. This is due to greater rates of gun violence, traffic crashes, historic underinvestment, and a lack of political representation. Given the new political boundaries, I am running because I want to be accountable for reducing health disparities and extending life expectancies in East Portland.
For many working families, it is not feasible to spend 15 months running for public office. For our family, we felt that it was something we could do and running for office was an important way of serving our community.
Finally, a lot of perspectives have been missing from local government: first generation immigrants, former public sector union members, families who speak a language other than English at home, transit-dependent families, and parents of young kids. I’m proud to bring these perspectives to my campaign and public policy.

In my years of experience as Chair of the Joint Office of Homeless Services Community Budget Advisory Committee, I’ve seen firsthand how our local governments have struggle to effectively reduce unsheltered homelessness. Despite spending over $70,000 per unsheltered person this year just on direct services, when we asked local government to commit and say that this year’s $412 million plan would lead to at least one fewer people left to suffer and struggle on our streets, county and city leadership refused to make this commitment.

The trust and goodwill of Portlanders has been taken advantage of. Enough is enough.

We need pragmatic solutions that deliver real results, not just good intentions. I’m running to bring accountability, fiscal responsibility, and tangible progress to the homelessness crisis and the interconnected issues of unsafe neighborhoods, unaffordable housing, and unaccountable government.

With my extensive experience and data-driven approach, I am uniquely qualified to lead the charge for change. We can build a better Portland, together.

I believe in Portland’s future.

Portland is facing a number of significant challenges: the interrelated needs to support neighbors struggling with addiction, mental health, and housing affordability, people living unsheltered on the street, a public safety system that isn’t keeping anyone safe, and broader concerns like our climate crisis, racism, and economic inequities.

But with those challenges come unprecedented opportunity. We can build housing and a transportation systems that create the neighborhoods we will need as our city grows, imagine a public safety system that keeps us all safe, and make sure that all of our decisions make our community, and our economy, more equitable, sustainable, and resilient.

But we won’t get there unless we elect City Councilors who know how to build this new system so that it works for all of us.

I have the skills and experience to do that.

I want Portland to be the place my kids want to live in 20 years. I will be a leader who brings people together, addresses today’s challenges while looking to our future needs, and gets things done.

I’m running for Portland City Council because District 3’s numbers tell the story: 167,000 people, 74,800 households, with 35,000 earning $75,000 or less—many of whom need affordable housing. These aren’t just statistics—they’re real people facing housing costs and limited resources.

My housing policy emphasizes cooperative ownership, land banking, and increasing density to prevent displacement and expand affordable options. I propose a Division of Urban Canopy & Sustainability to plant 2,000 mature trees annually, cooling neighborhoods and improving livability. I also back a publicly owned utility that prioritizes people over corporate profits.

We must modernize affordable housing. Instead of relying on rentals, I’m pushing for ownership options like cooperatives, beautiful apartments, and cooperatively owned trailer parks to stabilize communities and reduce displacement.

As a leader on City Council, I will champion bold infrastructure projects like capping freeways to create green spaces and reconnect neighborhoods, focusing on areas outside the downtown core.

Portland is an inspiring and inspired city, full of good ideas. But we need more than good ideas. We need implementation. That is what I know how to do. I’m running as the most boring nerd in Portland because I’ve been thinking through the implications of policies my whole adult life. I fear if Portland doesn’t start showing voters that it can deliver on its progressive ideas, on time and under budget, there will be a backlash both here and across the state.