Oregon Representative Ben Bowman (D)

Oregon Future Caucus, Co-Chair (D); Strengthening Democracy Innovation Fellow

Rep. Ben Bowman believes that good policy focuses on upstream solutions that address the root causes of our challenges. In 2023, he helped guide major policy and investments in early literacy and passed legislation to strengthen Oregon’s cybersecurity systems. He also led the effort to improve state-owned transportation infrastructure and helped address Oregon’s health care workforce shortages. Ben serves on committees focused on health and education, and he is passionate about improving government effectiveness and oversight. Ben is the youngest LGBTQ+ person to serve in the Oregon State Legislature.

Ben was elected Assistant Majority Leader in his freshman term and was selected for the Emerging Legislative Leaders Program through the State Legislative Leaders Foundation. He is the Co-Chair of the Oregon Future Caucus and he is a member of New DEAL Leader program. He graduated from the CSG-West Western Legislative Academy in 2023. Before serving in the legislature, Ben was the chair of the Tigard-Tualatin School Board. During his tenure, he focused on supporting students’ mental health, passed a landmark hate speech policy, and increased access to student athletic programs and extracurricular activities. In his day job, Ben works as a school district administrator and previously worked for the Oregon Department of Education. He graduated from the University of Oregon and earned a master’s degree from Stanford University. He also owns a small business and hosts a podcast.