Meet Paul Evans

For Paul Evans, public service isn't something he discovered later in life. It's been a part of his story from the very beginning. Born in Salem and raised in Monmouth, Paul graduated from Central High School in Independence in 1988. At just 18 years old, he was elected to the Monmouth City Council, making him one of the youngest elected officials in the country at the time. He continued serving on the council throughout college, beginning a lifetime of service to the communities he calls home. That commitment soon took another form. Following a family tradition of service, Paul joined Polk County Fire District #1 as a volunteer firefighter while attending Western Oregon State College, now Western Oregon University. In 1992, he earned his bachelor's degree in public policy and administration and enlisted in the United States Air Force.

A Lifetime of Service

After earning his commission, Paul served more than four years on active duty as an air battle manager and air weapons controller with the 728th Air Control Squadron. His service took him around the world, including counterdrug operations in Central and South America, NATO missions in Europe, and military operations in Southwest Asia.

When his active-duty commitment ended in 1997, Paul came home to Oregon. He pursued graduate studies at Oregon State University, earning a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies focused on American Government, Environmental Policy, and Rhetoric. He also joined the Oregon Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Squadron and returned to Polk County Fire District #1 as a senior volunteer firefighter.

And, in 1998, his neighbors once again called on him to serve, electing Paul Mayor of Monmouth.

While serving his community, Paul also found another calling: teaching. Beginning in 1999, he taught at Western Oregon University and Oregon State University, starting a career in the classroom that would eventually span decades.

Then came September 11, 2001.

Paul's National Guard unit was activated for a 24-month deployment, one of the longest National Guard call-ups in the country. He later volunteered for additional tours, serving in Iraq in 2003 and 2005 and Afghanistan in 2006–2007.

Bringing That Experience Home

After returning from Afghanistan, Paul joined Governor Ted Kulongoski's senior policy staff as Senior Advisor for Emergency Management, Military, and Veterans' Affairs.

There, he helped lead Oregon's preparation for emergencies and disasters, managed the 2007 TOPOFF-4 national homeland security exercise, led the Governor's 2008 Task Force on Veterans' Services, and helped coordinate Oregon's response to multiple federally declared natural disasters.

Paul later brought that experience into the private sector, serving as Chief of the Protection and National Security Division at High Impact Technology. His work focused on emergency resilience, infrastructure, product development, strategic planning, grant acquisition, and international business.

But he never stayed far from public service or the classroom.

By 2012, Paul was teaching again throughout the Willamette Valley. In 2013, he joined Chemeketa Community College full-time in the Speech Communication Department, where he has continued teaching while also taking on consulting and research projects.

Representing Our Communities in Salem

In 2014, voters elected Paul to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent House District 20. They have returned him to Salem in every election since, re-electing him in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Throughout his legislative career, Paul has worked across nearly every major policy area while maintaining a particular focus on:

  • Education and workforce training

  • Emergency preparedness and public safety

  • Infrastructure resilience

  • Small business development

  • Veterans' services

  • Workplace fairness

His legislative leadership has included serving as Chair of the House Committee on Veterans and Emergency Preparedness, Chair of the House Special Committee on Wildfire Recovery, Co-Chair of the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Joint Committee on Ways & Means, Co-Chair of the Oregon Veterans Caucus, and Assistant Majority Leader of the House Democratic Caucus, a position chosen by his fellow House members.

Since taking office, Paul has served on committees addressing business and labor, education, housing and human services, transportation, veterans and emergency preparedness, wildfire recovery, public safety, state budgeting, economic development, and Oregon's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He has also been appointed to serve on the Oregon Homeland Security Council, Oregon Public Defense Commission, and Oregon State Capitol Foundation.

Turning Experience Into Results

For Paul, holding office has never been the goal. Getting things done is.

During his legislative career, Paul has championed more than 20 bills that were signed into law and helped incorporate approximately 50 additional proposals into larger pieces of legislation or state budget packages.

One of his proudest accomplishments is House Joint Resolution 202B, which allowed Oregon voters to permanently dedicate 1.5% of Oregon Lottery revenues to veterans' services and outreach.

Paul has also helped lead efforts to reform Oregon's disaster response and recovery systems, improve public defense, strengthen the justice system, and better prepare Oregon for the challenges ahead.

Whether the issue is veterans' services, wildfire recovery, emergency preparedness, education, infrastructure, or government accountability, Paul brings the same approach that has guided him since his first election at 18: listen, do the work, bring people together, and find a way forward.

From Monmouth City Hall to the fire station, from classrooms to combat deployments, and now at the Oregon State Capitol, Paul's life has been defined by service.

And he's not finished yet.