- Hometown: Scappoose, Ore.
- Role: Legislative assistant to Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner
- Years of legislative service: 1½
“All we have to decide is what to do in our lives—may as well choose to be the best we can be and live life to the fullest.”
Worthington
Why did you choose to work at the Legislature?
I chose to work in the Legislature after graduating from Oregon State University in 2022. The summer following graduation, I interned for former Oregon Speaker Dan Rayfield through his Willamette Valley Legislative Fellowship. The program was a fantastic balance of campaign work and learning about the Legislature. By the end of the internship, the Capitol bug had bit me—I knew I wanted to work in the January 2023 Legislative Session. After interviewing with a few offices, I landed in Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner’s office as his legislative assistant. I am so grateful to be in this job and to work with such an amazing team.
What skill or talent are you most proud of?
I would say I’m most proud of my talent for planning. I’m good at scheduling and creating events. One of my favorite things is to create a fun, often punny, little graphic invite for folks to get together after work at the Capitol. It doesn’t take too much effort, but I enjoy bringing people together.
What’s the best advice you were ever given?
The best advice I was ever given would have to be from Gandalf in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”: “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” This quote is sort of my philosophy in life. All we have to decide is what to do in our lives—may as well choose to be the best we can be and live life to the fullest.
Who or what inspires you?
My mother, Donelly, inspires me the most. With my dad, she raised me and my twin sister in the early 2000s and eventually went back to work in Scappoose School District as a special education assistant for over 10 years. Her dedication to both her family and public service inspired my career in public service.
What’s one thing you love about your state or territory?
I love the mountains we have here in Oregon, rather the entire Pacific Northwest. I’ve always lived somewhere with a view of the beautiful Cascade Range. I am an avid hiker for every weekend the past two years, so I always cherish a view of the mountains. Mount Hood and the Three Sisters are particularly my favorites to spot on a day where they’re “out.”
What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?
I am currently binge-watching “Young Sheldon,” an easy watch as the episodes are only 18 minutes long. If you’re looking for a fun feel-good show, I highly recommend checking it out. I also found a fun fact related to the Oregon Legislature in the show. The Oregon Senate chamber is featured in Season 3, Episode 14 as they reference the California Legislature being the first to require catalytic converters on all cars. But the show used a video of the Oregon Senate chamber instead! It’s likely a video from the 77th Legislative Assembly, either from 2013 or 2014, based on some notable senators seen in the video, like former Senate President Peter Courtney. I would like to thank my friend Lina DeMorais for the detective work in finding the correct Legislative Assembly.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Use the email icon above to suggest a legislative staffer for the “Staff Snapshots” series.