Tawna Dee Sanchez (born August 23, 1961) is an American politician, currently serving as a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. She represents the 43rd district, which covers parts of north-central Portland.

Early life and education

Sanchez was born and raised in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

. Sanchez self-identifies as Native American, claiming to be of Shoshone, Bannock, and Ute descent. She claims to be the second Native American to serve in the Oregon legislature, and the first to represent Portland. Sanchez graduated with a bachelor's degree from

Marylhurst University Marylhurst University was a private applied liberal arts and business university in Marylhurst, Oregon. It was among the oldest collegiate degree-granting institutions in Oregon, having awarded its first degree in 1897. Marylhurst was founded as S ...

and with a master's degree from

Portland State University Portland State University (PSU) is a public research university in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1946 as a post-secondary educational institution for World War II veterans. It evolved into a four-year college over the following two decad ...

Career

She has worked with the Native American Youth and Family Center for much of her life. Sanchez has served on the Oregon Child Welfare Advisory Commission and the Oregon Family Services Review Commission. She won election to the House in 2016, narrowly defeating Roberta Phillip-Robbins in the Democratic primary and running unopposed in the general election. As of 2023 Sanchez is the co-chair of the Oregon legislature's joint Ways and Means committee, along with Senator

Elizabeth Steiner Elizabeth Steiner (born April 5, 1963), also known as Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, is a Democratic member of the Oregon Senate, representing the 17th District. Steiner was appointed to the Senate in 2011 by commissioners from Multnomah and Washing ...

Electoral history

2016

2018

2020

2022

References

External links

Campaign website

Legislative website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanchez, Tawna 1960s births 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent Date of birth missing (living people) Living people Marylhurst University alumni Democratic Party members of the Oregon House of Representatives Politicians from Portland, Oregon Portland State University alumni American people of Shoshone descent American people of Ute descent Women state legislators in Oregon American people of Paiute descent