An Oregonian
John Kitzhaber moved to Oregon at the age of 11, beginning a lifelong love affair with the state. He graduated from South Eugene High School and Dartmouth College, returning to Oregon to study medicine at the University of Oregon Medical School (now OHSU). In Roseburg, Oregon he practiced as an emergency room doctor from 1974 to 1988.
John's interest in health care public policy, together with a concern about the livelihood of rural Oregonians and a deep love for Oregon’s natural heritage, is why he decided to seek public service. He ran and was elected to the Oregon Legislature in 1978.
During John's time as a legislator, his peers chose him to lead the state Senate as President. As Senate President, John is remembered most notably for bringing legislators and interest groups together to pass the ground-breaking Oregon Health Plan. Still today, the Oregon Health Plan provides tens of thousands of low and moderate-income Oregon families and their children with access to health care.
John's commitment to public service continued beyond the Oregon Legislature. In 1994 he ran and was elected by Oregon voters to lead the state as Governor.
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Doctor
Born on March 5, 1947 in Colfax, Washington, John Albert Kitzhaber moved to Oregon at the age of 11, beginning a lifelong love affair with the state. He graduated from South Eugene High School and Dartmouth College.John studied medicine at the University of Oregon Medical School (now OHSU). Upon receiving his medical degree in June 1973 he moved to Denver where he served his internship at General Rose Memorial Hospital. Returning to Roseburg, Oregon he practiced as an emergency room doctor from 1974 to 1988.
His experiences as a doctor and his public policy leadership on health care issues have established Kitzhaber as one of the nation's most respected voices on health care reform.
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Legislator
A reputation for innovation
John's interest in health care policy, his deep love for Oregon's natural heritage and his concern about the lives and jobs of rural Oregonians led him to seek an additional form of public service: serving his neighbors as an elected official. He was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives from District 45 (Douglas County) in 1978 and was elected to the Oregon Senate from District 23 in 1980, 1984, and 1988.
Kitzhaber was elected by his colleagues to serve as Senate President in 1985; 1987; 1989; and 1991. Over that time he earned a reputation for integrity, civility and public policy innovation.
His legislative career was marked by active leadership in the areas of public education, community development, environmental stewardship and a wide variety of health care issues including: long-term care, resource allocation and uncompensated care.
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Governor
John Kitzhaber was elected Governor of the State of Oregon in 1994 and reelected in 1998. As Governor, he undertook many new policy initiatives including the expansion of the Oregon Health Plan which has benefited nearly two million Oregonians since it was implemented in 1994. He broke new ground with the Oregon Option, a cooperative approach with the federal government that attempted to increase accountability and reduce bureaucracy related to the delivery of a number of government services. As one result, the State of Oregon reduced welfare caseloads by more than 50 percent, helping nearly 20,000 Oregonians find work and saving more than $200 million in the state budget.
On economic issues, Kitzhaber continued to earn his reputation as a leader who looked over the horizon. He brought to the state the first major renewable energy wind turbine manufacturer and laid the foundation for Oregon's development and reputation as an incubator of green jobs. And John kicked off the effort to create the Oregon Business Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for economic progress for the state.
Read the jobs plan.
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