Representative Willy Chotzen was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in November 2024 and is currently serving his first term representing House District 46. A lifelong advocate for equity and justice, Willy has dedicated his career to uplifting historically marginalized communities—first as a public school teacher and later as a public defender. Born in Ashland, Willy now lives in Southeast Portland’s Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. As a middle school math teacher, he empowered students to use math as a tool for advocacy and change. Motivated by the systemic inequities his students faced, he pursued a law degree at Harvard, where he worked in a legal aid clinic fighting wage theft, evictions, and foreclosures, while also teaching an undergraduate economics course. Later, as a Chief Attorney in Portland’s public defenders office, Willy trained and supervised new attorneys, shaped court policy, and advocated for his clients, both in the courtroom and in the community.
