Portland State Magazine Winter 2017

WINTER 2017 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 11 INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN LEADERS. PASSING THE TORCH WR I T T E N B Y S T E PHAN I E ARGY B etty Roberts ’58 blazed political trails for Oregon women. Starting in the 1960s, she served in both houses of the Oregon Legislature and became the first woman on the Oregon Supreme Court in 1972. Determined and bold, Roberts smashed through the obstacles she faced—from subtle, insidious discrimination to inappropriate touching. More than half a century after the late Betty Roberts was first elected to the Oregon House, women in politics and other positions of leadership still face barriers and need guidance and support. The late Betty Roberts ’58, pictured here at the 1976 Democratic National Convention, helped start the PSU Center for Women’s Leadership—sharing her experiences as an Oregon politician and judge.