JESSE MALDONADO, 30
At Large candidate
Hometown: Lewiston, Idaho
Employer and occupation: Adjunct Professor, University of Oregon, School of Planning Public Policy and Management; Political and Labor Director, Democratic Municipal Officials
Private sector experience: Junior Associate, Hilltop Public Solutions; Political Director, Idaho Democratic Party … City Councilor, Lewiston, Idaho, 2014-18
Leadership style: “Collaborative”
At your best: “Determined”
At your worst: “Intense”
I grew up in Lewiston, ID, where, at the age of 18, I became the youngest City Councilor ever elected in the State of Idaho and the first Latino elected in the city.
After spending years working to improve my community, including leading the successful effort to build a $60 million high school and regional career technical facility in Lewiston, I wanted to return to school to further my education. When deciding where to receive my master’s degree, I immediately fell in love with Eugene, making it a no-brainer to attend the University of Oregon. I received my Master’s in Public Administration in 2023.
Since moving to Eugene, I have thrown myself into the community by serving as a board member of the Eugene Parks Foundation. I currently serve as a Citizen Member on the Eugene Budget Committee, as the Fundraising Chair for the Democratic Party of Lane County, and Secretary of the Democratic Party of Oregon.
I also spend Tuesday and Thursday afternoons teaching 150 Ducks about Public Policy as an adjunct professor in the School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management.
My passion for public service and urge to make a difference in my community all point back to one place: education. Countless teachers, professors, and faculty instilled in me the idea that, through service, I could help make my community a better and more just place, and I have spent my life trying to do just that.
I know that LCC is uniquely positioned to serve students from all backgrounds, helping those from diverse and often underserved communities acquire the skills they need to succeed.
I am excited to bring my lived experience, my passion for higher education, and my perspective as a young person of color to the Lane Community College Board of Directors.
