Jamie McLeod-Skinner is a small business owner and Regional Emergency Coordinator. Raised by a single mom when she was young, Jamie watched her mom work three jobs at times to put food on their table. Jamie paid her own way through college and law school — so she knows how tough it is to make ends meet. That’s why she focused her career on rebuilding communities and protecting our natural resources. A former union member, Jamie is an outspoken advocate for Oregon’s working people, family farmers, urban and rural communities. Jamie began her public service managing the repairs of schools and hospitals in Bosnia and Kosovo before returning to the U.S. to manage refugee resettlement programs, work in city and regional planning, and serve on a city council. She has led organizational change, mediated community disputes, helped develop affordable housing, and managed teams through crises. In 2021, Jamie led wildfire recovery efforts as the City of Talent’s Interim City Manager, bringing in millions of dollars in aid and emergency housing. Jamie holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, a Master’s in Regional Planning, and a law degree with a focus on Natural Resources Law. She serves as an elected board member of the Jefferson County Education Service District and was appointed by Governor Brown to serve on the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. As a rural Oregonian, Jamie understands the importance of water, natural resources and agriculture. In Congress, she will fight for rural communities. Jamie lives on a gravel road in rural Central Oregon. Jamie is a stepmom and lives with her wife in Central Oregon where they raise dogs, goats, and chickens. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with family and hiking with her dogs.