I would be honored to receive your vote. I would be honored to serve as your next City Councilor for South Eugene’s Ward 2.
I love Eugene. For the 30+ years I’ve lived here I’ve committed myself to local grassroots organizations, programs, and causes.
Our community fuels and inspires me to give back.
It’s time I give my passion, expertise, and leadership to the Eugene City Council. I know I am the right person at the right time to provide leadership on the issues we as a community need to face and resolve, together.
Education
- B.A. Creative Writing, University of Colorado at Boulder
- French Language and Culture, Universite de Savoi, Chambery, France
- Upper Level Coursework, Creative Writing, University of Oregon
- Pursued Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Graduate Coursework in Business Planning, University of Oregon
Government Experience
As a member of the following committees, I facilitated the creation of funding priorities and criteria, which contributed to the robust and stable human services network we experience in Lane County today.
- Chaired, Southeast Neighbors Neighborhood Association
- Former Member, Neighborhood Leader’s Council
- Southeast Neighbors Disaster Preparedness Block Captain
- Former Member, City of Eugene Budget Committee
- Chaired, Human Services Commission Community Action Advisory Committee
- Chaired, Human Services Commission Budget and Planning Committee
- Chaired, City of Eugene Community Development Block Grant Committee
- Chaired, Lane County Stabilization Task Force
As Chair of Southeast Neighborhood Association, I convened a 130-neighbor-strong general meeting on November 12, 2019, so people in the Ward upset about the possibility of losing their bus service could voice their frustration and explain to LTD how important this tax-supported service is to Ward 2. The SEN transportation committee was born of this meeting. I continue to fight for our bus service.
See: https://www.klcc.org/post/eugene-city-council-candidate-stumps-proposed-ltd-routes
See: https://www.katedavidson.org/my-position-on-public-transportation/
As member of the City of Eugene Budget Committee, I worked with Eugene City Councilors and citizen budget committee members to evaluate the city’s services and make decisions regarding funding priorities.
Non-profit Boards
- Co-Founder, Vice-Chair, Lane Library League
- Member, Fundraising Chair, School Garden Project
- Member, LEARN – Lane Education and Resource Network
- Oregon Country Fair, Hiway 128 Security Crewmember
Political Campaigns
- Campaign Manager, Elect Kate Davidson
- Volunteer Coordinator, Lane Library District Campaign
- Campaign Co-Manager, Betty Taylor Re-election Campaign
- Volunteer, Parks and Open Space Bond Measure
- Volunteer Coordinator, Jerry Brown for President Campaign
- Volunteer Coordinator, Measure 6 Campaign
Professional Experience
As Co-founder and Coordinator of Lane Library League, I was instrumental in the passage of a ballot measure in Creswell creating the Lane Library District providing library service for 10,000 people.
In addition to changing the landscape of library services in Lane County, I assisted in the creation of a comprehensive system of woody biomass utilization in Klamath and Lake Counties. Along with establishing strong lines of communication between myriad systems and personalities, I secured hundreds of thousands of dollars through federal, state, and county sources to fund the vision for sound forest management practices combined with economic growth. The vision and funding for this project helped lay the foundation for c0-generation plants utilizing hogfuel from woody biomass. I worked with Congressmen Peter Defazio, and Greg Walden; Senators Gordon Smith and Doug Whitsett; Representative George Gilman; the Oregon Natural Resources Council; Walker Range Fire Patrol Association; The Crescent Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest; the Watershed Research and Training Center; Cascade Timberlands LLC; Exterior Wood Inc. along with numerous others to build a durable public/private partnership which is appreciated even more today given climate change and the need for alternatives to fossil fuels.
I served as Director of Lost Valley Educational Center, bringing their budget into the black; Director of Cascade Foothills Library where I led a successful capital campaign; Coordinator of Lane Library League where I established tax-supported library service in rural Lane County. Other leadership positions include: Development Director for LEAD, an organization serving low income at-risk youth, where I spearheaded a 3-year capacity building initiative, raising over $300,000 in 18 months.
As Outreach Coordinator for the Sponsors Mentorship Program, I wrote and implemented an outreach plan which secured 80 volunteer mentors in 7 months.
- Director, Lost Valley Educational Center
- Director, Cascade Foothills Library
- Coordinator, Lane Library League
- Principal Consultant, Davidson Strategies
- Development Director, LEAD – Leadership.Education.Adventure.Direction – Teen leadership and outdoor adventure program
- Community Engagement Coordinator, Lane County Human Services Commission
- Development and Grants Manager, Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force
- Development Manager, SMART
- Mentorship Program Outreach Coordinator, Sponsors inc
- Educator, 4J
Entrepreneur
I launched then managed a successful internet retail/wholesale company which manufactured and sold tie-dye and other uniquely styled umbrellas world-wide.
- Founder/CEO, The OMbrella
Davidson Strategies
As Principal Consultant of Davidson Strategies for 12 years, I can celebrate the achievement of helping to build and sustain organizations that effectively meet community needs.
- Centro Latino Americano
- Grlzz Rock
- Language Learning Solutions
- Helios Resource Network
- Dexter Sewer District
- Dexter Library
- Walama Restoration Project
- Co-intelligence Institute
- Constitutional Law Foundation
- Spotlight Theater
- River Road/Santa Clara Volunteer Library
- United Societies on Space
- Northwest Environmental Justice Center
- Madison Square Meadow
- West Wind Forest Products
- M & L Enterprises
- Community Mediation Services
- Goal One Coalition
Family
My most rewarding and beloved leadership role has been as a mother of three children – two bio and one step. We raised our children with Progressive Democratic values. They are now environmentalists and work in the public sector.
Our family also has close ties to the University of Oregon. My former husband taught in the political science department for 20 years. Between the 5 of us, we hold 11 degrees from that institution.
Danaan and Bridget attended on full scholarship, the Robert D. Clark Honors College, obtaining 5 undergraduate degrees between them – political science, journalism, advertising, psychology, business. Danaan went on to secure 2 Master’s Degrees – 1 in Higher Education, and 1 in Public Administration, graduating from the same program I had attended 10 years prior. Danaan now works at 4J in Human Resources.
Bridget is married to her South Eugene High School sweetheart, Tyler Barrett. After they both graduated Summa/Magna Cum Laude from the University of Oregon, they moved to Chicago where Tyler earned a Master’s Degree at Northwestern. They are now living in Chapel Hill. Bridget is pursuing a PhD in Media Studies from University of North Carolina. Tyler works in the Medical School at Duke University, writing academic peer reviewed articles for publication.
My stepson Noah graduated from Reed College with a degree in Mathematics. He works in the Solar Power industry, researching, crunching data, and publishing results and findings for industry platforms.
Environmental Activism
I became an environmentalist at CU Boulder. I paid my own way through college working in the restaurant industry, and then with COPIRG. I started there as a canvasser, then became Crew Coordinator. COPIRG was involved in a number of initiatives at that time, the most well-known being the Colorado Bottle Bill.
Leap forward to 2002 – moving to our home in Ward 2 on Martin Street. I immediately dove into working with neighbors to save what are referred to as the “Green Property” off Nectar, and the “Beverly Property” off Martin.
My environmental activism in the area goes back to 1990, the year I moved to Eugene.
- Participated in Direct Action Tree Sits
- Launched and managed an environmental home-based business while pregnant and raising my children. Merry Moon Pads manufactured and locally sold 100% organic cotton feminine pads, belly wraps, and baby swaddlers
- Director and Member, Lost Valley Educational Center (LVEC) – a non-profit sustainable living community and conference center
- Supported the family while Director of LVEC, so my husband, John Davidson, could conceive of and write the seminal Law Review Article whose concepts are the foundation of Our Children’s Trust
- After the law review article, Tomorrow’s Standing Today (link above) was published, I worked with John and the Constitutional Law Foundation to secure funding for the development of conference materials, additional articles, and collaboration with the U of O’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center
- Intentionally purchased a home on the LTD bus line in order to avoid driving
- Raised three environmentalists who are vegan/vegetarian and not only don’t drive; they don’t own cars
- Ride my bike and take the bus as frequently as possible, even while campaigning
- I stopped flying 7 years ago
- I stopped buying new clothing 6 years ago. I hold quarterly clothing swaps for women in the community who also no longer purchase new clothing, keeping textiles out of the waste stream
I’m an environmentalist all day every day
Hobbies:
- Write
- Create Jewelry
- Collage
- Garden
- Quilt
- Yoga and meditation
Sports and Outdoor
- Fish
- Golf
- Hike
- Ski
- Surf
