About Patrick

Patrick is a Salem-Keizer native who attended Cummings Elementary, Keizer Elementary, Whiteaker Middle, and McNary High Schools. Patrick's family has been involved at many levels in Salem-Keizer Schools. His mom, Pat, was an instructional assistant with the district for nearly 10 years. Patrick's younger brother, Michael, served on the district's Equity Issues Committee and Budget Advisory Committee as a student at McNary.

While attending McNary High School, Patrick served as class president for three years and student body Public Relations Director his senior year, where he initiated events and programs for community members to be involved in school events, such as Back to School Week and a debate for 2000 Secretary of State candidates. During his senior year of high school, Patrick served on McNary's Site Council and the district's Citizen Ambassadors for Public Schools committee where he became familiar with many of the district's programs.

After attending Willamette University and Portland State University, Patrick returned to public service in our community by working on political campaigns and in his current position as Chief of Staff to State Representative Jean Cowan (D-Newport). In 2006, he was elected by Marion County residents to the Marion Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Directors and served until he was appointed by Gov. Ted Kulongoski to the Oregon Commission on Asian Affairs.

In 2008, Patrick was named campaign manager for the Yes for Our Schools Political Action Committee, which led efforts to pass the Salem-Keizer school bond - the largest K-12 bond measure in Oregon history. The bond measure will provide 48 of 66 schools across our community with urgent health and safety repairs and build four new schools to relieve overcrowding. As a School Board Director, Patrick will ensure that bond dollars are spent wisely and projects are on time and within budget.

Patrick also serves on the Salem-Keizer School District Budget Committee and the Salem Area Mass Transit District Budget Committee, bringing experience in fiscal management of public budgets. In addition to those two budget committees, Patrick serves as Finance Committee Chair and is a member of the board of directors for the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, which provides essential services to low-income families like Head Start, energy assistance, and day centers for homeless youth.

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