Senator Deb Patterson

Deb Patterson is a Democratic state senator representing Senate District 10 in Oregon, which includes South and West Salem, Monmouth, Independence, and parts of Four Corners and unincorporated East Salem. She has represented this district since 2021.

Patterson is a healthcare leader and longtime advocate for Oregon families with over 20 years of experience in healthcare administration. She served as Executive Director of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center, where she equipped registered nurses to provide health care advocacy and education globally. She also served as Executive Director of Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries in Portland and held the position of vice president at a children's health philanthropy organization. Additionally, she worked on the senior management team of a multi-hospital health system in the Midwest.

Education

Patterson holds the following degrees:

• Bachelor's degree in Music from Yankton College
• Master's degree in Music from the University of South Dakota
• Master of Health Administration from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
• Doctor of Ministry from Eden Theological Seminary

Political Experience

Patterson chairs the Senate Healthcare Committee, a position she has held since 2021. She also serves on Senate committees focused on Business and Labor, Housing and Development, Early Childhood and Behavioral Health, and Finance and Revenue.

Her previous legislative committee work included Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Recovery, and Veterans' Affairs and Emergency Preparedness.

Patterson has been appointed to numerous statewide commissions and boards, including the Oregon Commission on Women, the Governor's Commission on Senior Services, the Oregon Hunger Task Force, the Oregon State Capitol Foundation, and the Oregon Autism Commission. Before her election to the state senate, she chaired the Marion County Health Advisory Board and served on the Oregon Disabilities Commission and the Oregon Nursing Home Administrators Board.

In the legislature, Patterson champions access to healthcare, affordable housing, quality public education, climate action, elimination of health inequities, expansion of childcare and workforce training programs, support for small businesses, and clean energy jobs that provide living wages.