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Nonpartisan
Occupation: Compliance Specialist
Occupational Background: Two decades working for small employers; two decades working in state government.
Educational Background: Portland Community College (no degree); Hunter College (no degree); Lincoln High School.
Prior Governmental Experience: Civil Rights Investigator, Civil Rights Manager, BOLI. Safety Enforcement Manager, DCBS.
BOLI needs help. I know, because I’ve been there. BOLI enforces Oregon’s civil rights, child labor, and wage laws. Whether you’re a business owner, employee, tenant, or consumer, in times of conflict, BOLI can make a difference.
After decades working for small businesses, I went to BOLI as a PCC intern, and eventually became a manager in the Civil Rights Division. For 14 years, we effectively served Oregonians. I left in 2019 because I couldn’t stand to watch the agency fall apart; mismanagement by multiple labor commissioners has caused untenable backlogs and massive delays in case processing. In 2023 I was optimistic about a new commissioner’s potential and I returned to BOLI that October. But leadership was absent, staff morale was decimated, and I could not stand to stay.
BOLI has been a sinking ship, unable to meet demands, while the current commissioner prioritizes increasing middle management over empowering front line workers. A recent Secretary of State audit of BOLI noted “money alone will not fix BOLI’s problems.” Employee morale is an organization’s greatest resource. Leaders who don’t recognize that will never fulfill their team’s potential.
Under my lead, claims would be closed or investigated, but they would not linger in limbo for years on end. Our priority would be fair, effective, and efficient processing of cases without a partisan agenda. Often, Republicans will believe BOLI is too aggressive, while Democrats will think BOLI isn’t doing enough. I am not a Democrat or a Republican, or even a politician. I would be honored to lead BOLI forward for all Oregonians.
More at CL4LC.com
(This information furnished by Chris Lynch for Oregon.)