***MEDIA ADVISORY***
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 28, 2022
CONTACT: (503)810-7873 / info@RSforMilwaukie.com
Local Leader Announces Election Bid
Mother seeks local change in response to national impacts for women
Milwaukie, OR - Rebecca Stavenjord has announced her intention to run for Milwaukie City Council, position 4. Stavenjord, a working mom and neighborhood leader, will be on the ballot in November to represent families and caregivers in the suburb of Portland. As an employee of both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties for the last 22 years, she holds a master’s degree in urban and regional planning and has been part of regional efforts to focus investment and policy at the root causes of community issues.
Stavenjord made the decision to run after seeing millions of women and primary caregivers leaving their professional careers and community roles during the COVID19 pandemic. After news of the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, she has doubled down on the importance of women’s voices in decision-making.
“Everyone should feel they are a part of local decision making. Without representative voices in government, we get more of the same. The issues facing our communities are complex and interconnected, we have to work together and make decisions with the whole picture in mind. Our government should reflect the diversity in our communities, that is the only way to inform our future equitably.”
The issues Stavenjord prioritizes are at the core of that connectedness: housing insecurity, living wages and economic stability, access to equitable services and resources, and smart design of neighborhoods to promote resilience and thriving families. She will bring her lived experience in many of these areas to a new role on the Milwaukie City Council and looks forward to engaging with communities all across the city.
As Milwaukie continues to grow, thousands of new households will be added in the coming years. Stavenjord is committed to thoughtful growth planning that accommodates the individual needs of residents as well as the demands of rapid population growth on municipal infrastructure. With more families calling Milwaukie home, she will focus on the future of housing, parks, and walkable neighborhoods across the city.
“Our child crosses a busy street several times a day to get to school or visit friends and they see first hand the gaps in our neighborhood's infrastructure. I appreciate that our neighborhood is walkable but our infrastructure improvements must be seen through the eyes of our future residents.”
Stavenjord also understands the importance of bold climate action and believes that strategies must embody change for the environment as well as the people who live in it. She sees potential in new federal investments, local attention to resilience, and community revitalization and economic development strategies. Much of her work with local governments has been focused on community mobilization, youth engagement, and structural investments. Her campaign includes youth organizers who have been filling up a busy calendar of summer events powered by bikes, solar, and community engagement.
Stavenjord is active in her local neighborhood, serving as the chair of the Lewelling Neighborhood District Association. She is endorsed by over 40 residents, business owners, and electeds including Milwaukie City Council President Kathy Hyzy who said, “Rebecca's commitment to truly accessible local government was evident to me in the leadership she provided to the Lewelling neighborhood in their transportation advocacy. Her outreach ideas resulted in responses from businesses and many residents who are often missed by traditional outreach efforts. As we work to make Milwaukie entirely equitable by 2040, Rebecca is the leader we need to help us get there."
Stavenjord is married to Jeff Paramchuk, a technical account manager and co-owner of their Three Stinky Goats Urban Farm. Together they have an amazing middle school student and a menagerie of rescue animals. She is a local Girl Scout leader, a volunteer for the Rose City Rollers, and a lifelong ice hockey fan having coached and personally played for 28 years.
Rebecca kicks off her campaign with a neighborhood block party on Friday, July 15th from 6:30-8:30pm at SE 45th Ave and Mason Hill Dr. in Milwaukie.
To learn more about Rebecca and her vision for Milwaukie, please visit https://www.RSforMilwaukie.com/
###