Lynn Peterson (born October 22, 1968) is an American politician in the U.S. state of Oregon serving as the council president of Metro.[1] Metro is the only directly-elected regional government in the United States, and spans 24 cities in the Portland, Oregon three-county area,[2][1] along with many unincorporated suburbs in the Portland metropolitan area.
Lynn Peterson | |
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President of Metro | |
Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
Secretary of Transportation of Washington | |
In office 2013–2016 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Wisconsin, U.S. | October 22, 1968
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Mark Peterson |
Residence(s) | Lake Oswego, Oregon, U.S. |
Alma mater | University of Wisconsin |
Career
Peterson's career began in 1988 as an engineer for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.[3] Peterson has worked as a travel forecaster for Metro, a transportation advocate for 1000 Friends of Oregon, a strategic planner for TriMet, and as an independent consultant.[4]
Peterson began her political career as a city councilor in Lake Oswego, Oregon from 2003 to 2006.[5] She served as the chair of Clackamas County Commission from 2007 to 2011.[5]
She resigned from the Clackamas County Commission when she was appointed to be a transportation adviser to Oregon governor John Kitzhaber.[6]
In 2013, she was appointed by Washington governor Jay Inslee as Secretary of Transportation, the chief of the Washington State Department of Transportation,[7] where she guided Washington's largest transportation funding package in its history: $16 billion.[3] In 2016, she was not confirmed by the Republican-controlled state senate, resulting in a controversial end to her WSDOT tenure.[8] Governor Inslee responded critically to the Republicans' action.[9]
Personal life
Peterson lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon, with her husband and three Alaskan malamute dogs.[5]
References
- ^ a b "Metro Council President Lynn Peterson". Metro. 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ "What is Metro?". Metro. March 24, 2014. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ a b Gragg, Randy (January 2019). "This Rising Political Star Could Redefine the Portland Region". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ Schiendelman, Ben (February 19, 2013). "Inslee Names Lynn Peterson to Head WSDOT". Seattle Transit Blog. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ a b c Griffin, Anna (January 7, 2019). "Meet Metro's New Boss, And Prepare For Major Portland Area Changes". OPB. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ Zheng, Yuxing (February 22, 2011). "Lynn Peterson named Kitzhaber transportation adviser, will resign as Clackamas County chairwoman". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ Damewood, Andrea (February 19, 2013). "Lynn Peterson to Become Washington's New Transportation Secretary". Willamette Week. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ Lindblom, Mike; O'Sullivan, Joseph (February 5, 2016). "WSDOT chief ousted by Senate Republicans after 3 years on job". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
- ^ caprecord (February 2016). "Gov. Inslee responds to Senate firing of WSDOT Secretary Lynn Peterson – TVW, Washington States' Public Affairs Network". TVW. Retrieved 2021-03-24.