FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: 503-888-7172, contact@emergeor.org
Emerge Oregon Announces Newport’s CM Hall as Next Executive Director
Hall (Emerge Class of 2012) is the first rural and coastal Oregonian to lead the organization with decades of teaching and campaign experience
NEWPORT, OR — Today, Emerge Oregon, the state’s premier training program for recruiting and training Democratic women, announced Newport City Councilor and seasoned educator CM Hall will serve as the organization’s next director.
Hall, a 20-year educator specializing in DeafBlind interpreting and LGBTQ Studies at Western Oregon University, brings more than 30 years of campaign experience ranging from the 1994 No on 13 ballot measure campaign, and the 2004 John Kerry Presidential campaign, and her own successful runs for Newport City Council in 2018 and 2022, among many others.
“We are so proud of the impact Emerge Oregon has had these last four years under Annie Ellison’s leadership,” says board chair Morgan Anderson. “We are thrilled to have CM Hall join as Emerge Oregon’s executive director. She has a unique wealth of experience and skills in Oregon at all levels of campaigning and leadership and we are confident she will build upon the work of the women who led before her.”
Hall is the first rural and coastal Oregonian to lead the organization, is a 2012 alum of the Emerge candidate training program, and served on the Emerge Oregon Board of Directors from 2019-2022.
“This is a dream come true and I could not be more excited to grow the next generation of Oregon’s leaders. I am committed to strengthen the alumni network and build on the powerful and verifiable results of Emerge at the local level across our state.”
Hall will succeed Annie Ellison, who served as Executive Director of Emerge Oregon from 2020-2024 and will continue to serve the organization as a senior advisor.
Under Ellison’s leadership, the organization grew to 400 alum and saw electoral successes including: an average win rate of 85%, four Emerge Oregon alum elected to U.S. Congress, 20 Emerge alum to the State House and Senate, and women Mayors elected to lead Oregon’s fastest-growing cities like Beaverton, Bend, Tigard and Hillsboro.
Emerge Oregon, now in its 15th year of operation, has one mission – to increase the number of Democratic women leaders from diverse backgrounds in all levels of public office through recruitment, training, and providing a powerful network in order to have policies that are responsive to all. Applications for the 2025 Emerge Oregon signature program will open December 1, 2024.
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