State Representative Carolyn Tomei

Representative Carolyn Tomei is now serving her fifth term in the Oregon Legislature. Before her election in 2000, Carolyn was the Mayor of Milwaukie for three years. She served on the City Council before that and was earlier on the Planning Commission.

Prior to serving in elected office, Representative Tomei worked as a Child Development Specialist for Portland Public Schools, a School Consultant for Multnomah County Mental Health, and a Group Home Specialist for Adolescents for the Children's Services Division. She also taught at Portland Community College.

Carolyn Tomei was an original member of the NARAL Political Action Committee and has spent years fostering equal rights for women and minorities.  She served as community mediator with Resolutions Northwest and was a founding member of both the Friends of Elk Rock Island and her neighborhood association, Island Station.

Currently, Representative Tomei serves as the Chair of the Human Services Committee, as well as Co-Chair of the Oregon Women’s Health and Wellness Alliance, a voluntary alliance of legislators and advocates, seeking to enhance the physical health, safety and economic wellbeing of women.  She has been placed on several specialized workgroups, including the National Governors’ Alliance Foster Care Policy Academy and the Center for the Developing Child Symposium on Early Childhood Science and Policy.

During the 2009 legislative session, Tomei also served on the Human Services Subcommittee of the Ways & Means Committee, and on the House Consumer Protection Committee.  She was also the chief sponsor of the measure to ban handheld cell phone use while driving.

Representative Tomei has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Portland State University and a Master’s degree in Social Work from PSU as well.  She and her husband Gary Michael live in Milwaukie.