Betsy Johnson Information

Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) is serving her third term in the Oregon Senate. Her father, the late Sam Johnson, was a member of the House of Representatives from Redmond. Her mother, Becky Johnson, served on numerous State Boards, including the State Board of Higher Education and the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission. Betsy received her undergraduate degree in History from Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota) and her Law degree from the Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College. A licensed commercial pilot of both fixed and rotor-wing aircraft, she founded Transwestern Helicopters, Inc., in 1978. In September 1993, Betsy was selected as Manager of the Aeronautics Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation, a position she held until her resignation in September 1998. During the 1999 Legislative Session she was Vice President for Legislative Affairs for the Oregon Pilots Association; she successfully championed legislation that created the Oregon Department of Aviation. Betsy has served on numerous local, regional and national boards and commissions, including the Oregon Health Sciences University Foundation, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, the Oregon Public Broadcasting Foundation and the High Desert Museum. Betsy currently serves on a number of regional boards, most recently elected as a member of the Board of Visitors, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College. She also serves as the President of the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation.