Sheriff Diana Simpson

Diana Simpson was elected to her first term as Sheriff on November 7, 2006. She has the distinction of being the first elected female sheriff in the history of the State of Oregon. Prior to her election, Simpson was the Undersheriff for nearly five years and a sergeant the previous ten years.

Diana started her career as a Parole and Probation Officer in Albany, Oregon in 1981, transferring to the Corvallis office a few months later. A short time later, the State of Oregon Corvallis Parole and Probation Office merged with the Benton County Sheriff's Office and she has been a member of the Sheriff's Office since that time.

Simpson is dual certified as a Police Officer and a Parole and Probation Officer. She also has executive certification in both disciplines from the Department of Public Safety, Standards, and Training (DPSST). Simpson has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Boise State University and she has completed various leadership programs including Oregon Executive Development Institute, the University of Oregon's Pacific Program, and Leadership Corvallis.

Simpson has served her community in a number of ways including volunteer work in the schools where her children attended, the Benton County Foundation Board of Directors, Corvallis Morning Rotary, Corvallis Zonta, and Leadership Corvallis Advisory Board. She is also involved at the Statewide level as a member of the Department of Justice Advisory Board for the Violence Against Women's Act, Department of Corrections Community Corrections Commission, Northwest Leadership Seminar Board of Directors, and Oregon State Sheriff's Association Legislative Committee.