Barbara Roberts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barbara Roberts
34th Governor of Oregon
In office January 14, 1991 – January 9, 1995
Preceded by	Neil Goldschmidt
Succeeded by	John Kitzhaber
21st Secretary of State of Oregon
In office January 7, 1985 – January 14, 1991
Governor	Victor Atiyeh Neil Goldschmidt
Preceded by	Norma Paulus
Succeeded by	Phil Keisling
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives from the 17th district
In office January 12, 1981 – January 7, 1985
Preceded by	George Starr
Succeeded by	Mike Burton
Personal details
Born	Barbara Kay Hughey (1936-12-21) December 21, 1936 (age 88) Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Neal Sanders ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1972)​ Frank L. Roberts ​ ​ (m. 1974; died 1993)​
Relations	Robert M.Sanders Kaitlin R. Sanders
Children	2
Education	Portland State University (BA)
Other office(s) 1983–1984: Majority Leader of the Oregon House of Representatives

Barbara Kay Roberts (born December 21, 1936) is an American politician from Oregon. She made history as the first woman elected to be the Governor of Oregon. She served as the 34th Governor from 1991 to 1995.

Before becoming governor, Roberts was also the first woman to lead the Oregon House of Representatives as its Majority Leader. She also served two terms as Oregon Secretary of State. She worked in local government in Portland too.

Early Life and Advocacy

Barbara Kay Hughey was born on December 21, 1936, in Corvallis, Oregon. Her father was a millworker whose family had come to Oregon on the Oregon Trail. Her family moved to Los Angeles, California, for a few years before returning to Oregon in 1945. They settled in Sheridan, Oregon.

In 1954, she married her high school sweetheart, Neal Sanders. She graduated from Sheridan High School in 1955. The couple moved to Texas and had two sons, Mike and Mark. Later, they returned to Portland, Oregon. Barbara attended Portland State University from 1961 to 1964.

In 1962, her older son, Mike, was diagnosed with a condition that meant he needed special support. This led Barbara to become a strong supporter for children with special needs. In 1971, she successfully worked with the Oregon State Legislature to make sure public schools provided education for these children. Her marriage to Neal ended in 1972.

Political Journey

Barbara Roberts began her political career in 1973. She was elected to the Parkrose School Board and later to the Mount Hood Community College board. In 1974, she married Frank L. Roberts, who was an Oregon state representative and later a state senator. He became an important guide in her political life.

In 1980, she was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives as a Democrat. She was re-elected in 1982. Her fellow Democrats chose her to be the House Majority Leader. This made her the first woman to hold that important position in Oregon.

Serving as Secretary of State

In 1984, Roberts was elected as Oregon Secretary of State. She was the first Democrat to win this job in over 100 years. She was elected again in 1988. As Secretary of State, she helped create new laws to improve elections. She also oversaw the building of a new state archives building. She also gave the Secretary of State's office more power to check how state money was being spent.

During her second term, Roberts attended a special program at the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University.

Becoming Governor

In 1990, the current Democratic Governor, Neil Goldschmidt, decided not to run for another term. Barbara Roberts, who was halfway through her second term as Secretary of State, decided to run for governor. She won the Democratic primary election without any opponents. Then, in the November general election, she won against Republican David B. Frohnmayer and Independent Al Mobley.

This victory made Barbara Roberts the first woman ever elected as Governor of Oregon.

During the same election, voters approved Ballot Measure 5. This measure set limits on how much property taxes could be.

As governor, Roberts worked with the Clinton administration to get federal support for the Oregon Health Plan. This plan helped more people get health care. She also helped more children join the Head Start Program, which helps young children from low-income families. She also worked to create more affordable housing and programs to help people move from welfare to jobs. Her administration was known for supporting equal rights and for appointing many women to important state government jobs.

Her husband, Frank L. Roberts, passed away in 1993 while she was still governor. After his death, Barbara Roberts wrote a book called Death Without Denial Grief Without Apology: A Guide for Facing Death and Loss. She decided not to run for re-election in 1994 for personal reasons.

Life After Governorship

Barbara Roberts with Terry Bean in 2014

After leaving office, Roberts took a job at the Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University. She directed a program for state and local government leaders. Later, she became a senior fellow for a program about women in public policy. In 1998, Roberts joined Portland State University's Hatfield School of Government. She helped develop leadership programs there.

Roberts has continued to serve her community. She has been on the boards of several important nonprofit groups. These include the Oregon Hospice Association and the Human Rights Campaign. She also gives speeches about topics like leadership, women in politics, and caring for the environment. Barbara Roberts has two sons, Mike and Mark Sanders, and two grandchildren, Robert M. Sanders and Kaitlin Sanders.

In 1996, Roberts High School in Salem, Oregon, was named in her honor.

Return to Public Service

In 2011, Roberts returned to government service. She became a member of the six-person Metro council. Metro is the elected regional government for the Portland metropolitan area. She was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the council in February 2011. She served the rest of the term, which ended in January 2013. She chose not to run for the position again in the 2012 election.

See also

• List of female governors in the United States
• List of female secretaries of state in the United States