Whether she’s fighting for civil rights or natural resources, Annabelle Jaramillo is known as a strong voice in Oregon, and a leader who represents Benton County.
She’s worn many professional hats: in addition to being re-elected to a third four-year term as Benton County Commissioner on November 4, 2008, she’s also been the Citizens’ Representative for Governor Kitzhaber; a research botanist; a development director; a civil rights advocate; a teacher; and a diversity, motivation, employment, and computer trainer.
Jaramillo has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of Science from Portland State University, working as a research botanist for the USDA Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station at the Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon, from 1974 until 1987. She served as both the President of National Image Inc., a national Hispanic civil rights organization, and the Executive Director of the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs. From 1995 to 2000, she served as a senior staff member for Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber’s as his Citizen’s Representative, responding directly to citizen concerns. In 1997, Kitzhaber named Jaramillo to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Board (NEJAC), an EPA body that assists federal agencies in the development of environmental justice strategies. Jaramillo’s service with NEJAC ended in 2001.
She was elected as a Benton Count Commissioner in 2000, 2004, and 2008.
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