Commencement Address THE HONORABLE VERA KATZ Next year Vera Katz will begin her third term as mayor of Portland and her fourth decade of public service to the citizens of Portland and Oregon. Mayor Katz has focused her administration on improving public safety, expanding economic opportunity, restoring trust and confidence in government, and investing in our livable future. She is a tireless advocate for high- quality public education and has worked to provide funding for Portland Public Schools and Portland State University. Her leadership has brought national attention to Portland-for her commitment to developing vital neighborhoods, for her support of public transit, for her work to bring high-wage jobs to the city, for her efforts to reduce crime, and for the partnerships she has developed with other leaders in the metropolitan region and the state of Oregon. Her efforts have truly made Portland the “City that Works.” Mayor Katz began her political career as a local volunteer on Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign. That experience showed her that one person could make a difference by being involved in the political process. Elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1972, Mayor Katz became one of Oregon’s trailblazers when she was chosen in 1985 as the first woman speaker of the Oregon House. She later became the only person in state history to hold the post for three terms. Mayor Katz has received many awards in recognition of her work, including the 1998 National Minority Enterprise Development Week Visionary Leadership Award; the Portland Chamber of Commerce’s Chair’s Award for Public Service; the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus’s Hero Award; the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs Special Award for outstanding ability to represent the interests of the black community; the Jeanette Rankin First Woman Award; the Abigail Scott Duniway Award for significant contributions to the status of women in Oregon; the Lucille Hart Award for human rights; and the Dave Burke Award from the Oregon Sheriff’s Association. Mayor Katz currently sits on the boards of the National Center of Education and the Economy and of the Urban Institute. She also recently served as one of President Clinton’s appointees to the National Skill Standards Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in New York City. 6
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