Senator Betsy Johnson, 2006 Distinguished Business Law Graduate

Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) is serving her first term in the Oregon Senate after being appointed to fill the District 16 position formerly held by Senator Joan Dukes. The appointment came as Betsy began her 3rd term in the Oregon House of Representatives. Her father, the late Sam Johnson, was a member of the House of Representatives from Redmond. Her mother, Becky Johnson, has 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.

The helicopter division of the firm was sold in 1993 and the company, now known as Transwestern Aviation, Inc., is managed by her husband, John Helm.

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, the High Desert Museum and is a former Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. 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 Vice-President of the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation.

Betsy was elected to the Board of Commissioners of the Port of St. Helens in 1992 and was re-elected in 1996. Other elective positions she had held include Director of the Columbia County Health District in 1990.

In the 2005 Legislative Session, Betsy was, once again, been appointed to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means where she has served since her first session. Betsy's subcommittee responsibilities include chairing the General Government Subcommittee and membership on the Transportation and Economic Development Subcommittee. Her assignments make good use of her business, government and public sector experience.

Betsy’s Interim Committee assignments include Senate Rules & Executive Appointments, Senate Interim Committee on Economic Development Oversight, Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Oregon Law Commission Government Ethics Work Group. Current Legislative appointments include the "Brand Oregon" Development Committee, Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Organization (Chair), the Rural Policy Advisory Committee and the Coastal Caucus.