Representative Sue Rieke Smith is a member of the Oregon House of Representatives, serving House District 26. Her career is rooted in public service and social justice. She began with trauma and public health nursing, working closely with those most impacted by poverty and racial inequities. As a nurse, she helped lead efforts to unionize her workplace, fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions for her colleagues and patients. Over time, she came to believe that many of the challenges people face can be traced back to the opportunities, or lack of opportunities, afforded to them as children. That conviction led her to public education, where she served as a Title I teacher and later held leadership roles in high-need schools. She served as superintendent for both the Tigard-Tualatin School District and Springfield Public Schools in Oregon, where she championed strong school-community partnerships. She actively collaborated with local governments and the chambers of commerce, serving as an ex-officio board member on the Springfield, Tigard, and Tualatin chambers. During her tenure, both school districts saw gains in academic achievement.
