Working-Class Roots
Tammy grew up in an Air Force family, moving to a new home every 18 months. Sometimes just one step away from homelessness, her family lived in a mobile home, a handful of apartments, and sometimes with relatives until they wore out their welcome.
Public programs were integral to her family finding stability. The GI Bill allowed her father to become the first in his family to attend college, and the VA Home Loan program allowed her family to purchase their first home when she was in 5th grade. Food stamps helped when money got especially tight.
Tammy recalls:
“As a child you don’t always see your own poverty. But I did feel the shame of the stained, hand-me-down clothes. I knew the paper sack that held my lunch needed to be folded up neatly to be used again the next day. I had to decide if it was worse to tell my teacher that I forgot to do my homework, or that my homework was in the car that was repossessed. My public school teachers saw my situation, but they also saw my curious mind and showed me that I could count on school to be my safe place.”
Serving the People
Tammy studied engineering at Washington University in St. Louis and then took a position at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, working in the Space Department. It was there that she realized she needed to follow her true calling to pursue a career in medicine. While studying at the University of Chicago, she became a mother to two sons and fell in love with the field of anesthesia. The excellent training program at OHSU drew her out to the pacific northwest, and she has lived here ever since.
In her 20 years of practice as a physician, Tammy has seen patients faced with agonizing choices. People would ask if each drug was really necessary — could they have their surgery without anesthesia? Often patients had insurance but couldn’t afford the deductible. Before Obamacare, many patients had no insurance at all. Tammy remembers caring for a patient who lost their health insurance just before discovering they had cancer. Tammy never submitted the anesthesia bill for their cancer surgery. Unfortunately the system continues to drown patients in endless debt.
Joining the Movement
Inspired by the presidential runs of democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, Tammy started getting involved in local politics. She joined the Democratic Socialists of America in 2016 and has made deep friendships with dozens of smart, kind organizers who are dedicated to the struggle for a world beyond capitalism. She is proud to call DSA her political home.
Tammy’s deep appreciation for public schools and admiration for public school teachers continued throughout her life. In 2023, Tammy was elected to the Beaverton School Board. As a mom, she knows how under-resourced Oregon schools are compared to the rest of the country. She understands that many school leaders exist to uphold systems of oppression despite stated values of equity and belonging. She knows it’s time to take the fight to the next level and serve in the Oregon House as a champion for fully-funded public education.