Sara Gelser represents the 8th Senatorial District in the Oregon State Legislature. Prior to her legislative service, Sara worked for the Oregon Department of Human Services and she taught parent education courses through Linn Benton Community College. Senator Gelser began her service in the Oregon House of Representatives in 2005 and was sworn into the Oregon State Senate in 2016. In 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Sara to serve on the National Council on Disability, and the appointment was confirmed by a unanimous vote of the US Senate. She currently chairs the Senate Human Services Committee. Her legislative efforts have focused on serving vulnerable and low income populations, with a special emphasis on education, sexual and domestic violence, child abuse, and foster and incarcerated youth. Sen. Gelser’s efforts on behalf of victims include passage of legislation to expand the statute of limitations for sexual assault and sponsorship of Melissa’s Law, which established timing for processing rape kits and prioritization of processing the backlog of untested rape kits. These laws increase victims’ access to justice and decrease the likelihood of repeat sexual assault offenders.

We are honored to present Senator Gelser with the 2017 Voice For Justice Award.

Click here to read about this year’s other honoree, Gloria Needham.
Click here to join us as at the 2018 Voices for Justice Reception.