Lacey Beaty

{{Short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Lacey Beaty

| office = Mayor of Beaverton, Oregon

| preceded = Denny Doyle

| party = Democratic

| termstart = January 2021

| branch = United States Army

| serviceyears = 2002–2008

| spouse = Ian Beaty

| battles = Iraq War

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984-06-06}}

| education = {{plainlist| * Oregon State University (BA) Warner Pacific University (MA) }}

| image = Lacey Beaty 2-22-24 Portrait.jpg

}}

File:Lacey Beaty - Forty Under 40.jpg

Lacey Beaty is an American politician, combat veteran, and the current mayor of Beaverton, Oregon. She took office in 2021 as the first female and youngest mayor in Beaverton history, after serving six years as city councilor.{{Cite web |title=Beaver Leaders: Lacey Beaty |url=https://www.fororegonstate.org/stay-informed/impact-stories/detail/beaver-leaders-lacey-beaty |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=Oregon State Foundation |language=en}} Before entering politics, Beaty served five years of active duty in the 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army as a radiology specialist and combat medic during the Iraq War.{{Cite news |date=2023-04-12 |title=We asked 50 mayors: What keeps you up at night? |work=Politico |url=https://www.politico.com/interactives/2023/50-mayors-us-cities/issues/ |access-date=2023-07-11}} She has also worked in public health, overseeing school-based health centers. Beaty has identified the homelessness crisis and the welfare of veterans as priority issues for her administration.

In 2015, Beaty served on the National League of Cities human development steering committee.{{Cite news |last=Owen |first=Wendy |date=February 27, 2015 |title=Beaverton's Mark Fagin and Lacey Beaty appointed to National League of Cities |work=The Oregonian |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2015/02/beavertons_mark_fagin_and_lace.html |access-date=2023-07-11}} In 2016, she was named Outstanding Woman Veteran of the Year by the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs (ODVA).{{Cite news |date=March 18, 2016 |title=Councilor Lacey Beaty named Outstanding Woman Veteran |work=Beaverton Valley Times |url=https://www.portlandtribune.com/bvt/15-news/298387-175910-councilor-lacey-beaty-named-oustanding-woman-veteran/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321220746/https://www.portlandtribune.com/bvt/15-news/298387-175910-councilor-lacey-beaty-named-oustanding-woman-veteran/ |archive-date=2016-03-21}} Portland Business Journal named her to its "40 Under 40" list for 2022.{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2022 |title=Forty Under 40 2022: Mayor Lacey Beaty of Beaverton |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/05/11/forty-under-40-2022-mayor-lacey-beaty-of-beaverton.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230710005343/https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/05/11/forty-under-40-2022-mayor-lacey-beaty-of-beaverton.html |archive-date=2023-07-10 |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=Portland Business Journal}} In 2023, Beaty became a member of Politico's inaugural Fifty Mayors Club.{{Cite news |last=Lizza |first=Ryan |last2=Daniels |first2=Eugene |last3=Bade |first3=Rachael |date=January 20, 2023 |title=POLITICO Playbook: How Democrats betrayed New Hampshire |work=Politico |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2767062558/fulltext/34B6D6E9386467CPQ/2 |access-date=2023-07-11 |via=ProQuest}}

Early life and education

Beaty was raised by a single mother in San Diego, California.{{Cite web |last= |date=January 9, 2015 |title=Congratulations Warner Pacific Alum Lacey Beaty |url=https://www.warnerpacific.edu/alum-lacey-beaty/ |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=Warner Pacific University |language=en-US}} She was the goalie of her women's lacrosse team at Poway High School and won the state championship.{{Cite web |title=Lacey Beaty - NIKE Sports Camps - USSC |url=https://www.ussportscamps.com/coaches/lacey-beaty |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=www.ussportscamps.com}} Upon graduating, and just before the 9/11 attacks, Beaty enlisted in the United States Army.{{Cite web |last= |date=June 29, 2023 |title=Episode 4 - The Complexity of being a Woman in the Military |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZBWmriAXZM |website=Youtube}} In 2004, she was deployed as a combat medic to the Iraq War following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Siobhan |date=February 3, 2023 |title=First female and youngest-ever mayor of Beaverton, Oregon earned her OSU degree online |url=https://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/news/2023/lacey-beaty-beaverton-mayor/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=Oregon State Ecampus News |language=en}} She also served for three years in Germany.{{Cite news |last=Bray |first=Karl |date=May 21, 2014 |title=Lacey Beaty's city council win is bittersweet as husband leaves for Afghanistan |work=The Oregonian |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/05/lacey_beatys_city_council_win.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710010117/https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/05/lacey_beatys_city_council_win.html |archive-date=2023-07-10}}

After five years of active duty in the United States Army, Beaty enrolled at Oregon State University using the G.I. Bill. In 2012, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science. In 2013, Beaty earned a Master of Arts in organizational leadership from Warner Pacific University.

Beginning in 2008, Beaty coached women's lacrosse. She coached at Beaverton High School from 2008 to 2014, and later at George Fox University until 2021, when she was sworn in as mayor. She also served as the president of the Oregon Girls Lacrosse Association.{{Cite web |title=Lacey Beaty |url=https://or.emergeamerica.org/alumna/lacey-beaty/ |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=Emerge Oregon |language=en}}

In 2022, Beaty joined the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative's year-long professional development program, as part of its sixth class of 40 mayors from around the world.{{Cite web |date=July 18, 2022 |title=Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative Announces Sixth Class of Mayors |url=https://www.cityleadership.harvard.edu/news-collection/bloomberg-harvard-city-leadership-initiative-announces-sixth-class-of-mayors |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative}}

Political career

Prior to running for elected office, Beaty served as vice chair of Beaverton's Visioning Advisory Committee.{{Cite web |last=Alteir |first=Nuran |date=January 1, 2015 |title=Incoming Beaverton City Councilor Lacey Beaty wants a defined downtown, warming shelter |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/12/incoming_beaverton_city_counci.html |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}

= Beaverton City Council =

In 2014, Beaty ran for the city council of Beaverton, Oregon. She defeated incumbent Ian King in a three-way primary with 55 percent of the vote and went on to win the general election uncontested.{{Cite web |last=Frazier |first=Laura |date=May 11, 2014 |title=Beaverton City Council seats finalized: Oregon elections results 2014 |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/11/beaverton_city_council_seats_f.html |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=Oregonlive |language=en}}

In January 2015, at age 30, she assumed office as the youngest-ever elected official in Beaverton's history, and went on to serve on the city council for six years. As city councilor, she was an advocate for veterans, supporting Beaverton's designation as a Purple Heart City and recognition of service-disabled veterans in the city's Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Business Policy. While in office, she also worked as director for Virginia Garcial Memorial Health Center's school-based health clinics across Washington and Yamhill counties.

= Mayor of Beaverton =

In 2020, Beaty ran for mayor of Beaverton, a position that Denny Doyle had held for 11 years. She won 34% of the vote in the May primary, against Doyle's 45%. The two advanced to a runoff election.{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2020 |title=Beaverton mayoral race a runoff; city charter will change |url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/politics/elections/results-beaverton-mayor-race-city-charter/283-d2e50fe0-6a10-4bc6-9315-7fe1745ed599 |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=kgw.com |language=en-US}} Beaty was elected mayor of Beaverton with 53.3% of the vote in the November 2020 runoff.{{Cite web |last1=Urenda |first1=Gabby |last2=Valdez |first2=Jamie |last3=Miller |first3=Mark |date=November 4, 2020 |title=Lacey Beaty wins Beaverton mayoral race |url=https://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/lacey-beaty-wins-beaverton-mayoral-race/article_eb550a0b-1144-56cf-b4ea-e687023252dd.html |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=BeavertonValleyTimes.com |language=en}} She took office in January 2021 as the role of mayor was transitioning by charter to a "city manager" form of government, away from the commission manager system that had been in place previously.{{Cite news |date=May 11, 2022 |title=Forty Under 40 2022: Mayor Lacey Beaty of Beaverton |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/05/11/forty-under-40-2022-mayor-lacey-beaty-of-beaverton.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230710005343/https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/05/11/forty-under-40-2022-mayor-lacey-beaty-of-beaverton.html |archive-date=2023-07-10 |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=Portland Business Journal}}{{Cite news |last=Notarianni |first=John |date=November 8, 2020 |title=Beaverton’s new mayor, Lacey Beaty, will have a very different role |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/08/beaverton-charter-new-role-for-mayor/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710003733/https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/08/beaverton-charter-new-role-for-mayor/ |archive-date=2023-07-10 |work=OPB}}

As the first female and youngest mayor of Beaverton, Beaty has focused on affordable housing.{{Cite web |last=Bishop |first=Lauren |date=March 14, 2023 |title=Beaty touts accomplishments, work ahead in Beaverton's 2023 State of the City |url=https://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/local/beaty-touts-accomplishments-work-ahead-in-beavertons-2023-state-of-the-city/article_a7b5b46a-c295-11ed-b86c-bb7e6b57daba.html |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=BeavertonValleyTimes.com |language=en}} In 2022, she joined a task force of 25 mayors from the Oregon Mayors Association in requesting state funds to address homelessness.{{Cite news |last=Parafiniuk-Talesnick |first=Tatiana |date=November 3, 2022 |title='A CRISIS ON OUR STREETS': Mayor Vinis explains how leaders united to seek homelessness funding |url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/crisis-on-our-streets/docview/2731318066/se-2 |access-date=2023-07-11 |work=The Register-Guard |via=ProQuest}} In her 2023 State of the City address, she called housing a "fundamental human right", noting the development of new shelters, including the first-ever year-round shelter in Beaverton.{{Cite web |last=Bishop |first=Lauren |date=2023-01-04 |title=$3M from federal spending bill headed to Beaverton's future year-round shelter |url=https://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/local/3m-from-federal-spending-bill-headed-to-beavertons-future-year-round-shelter/article_3335e68e-8c6a-11ed-9b9a-77e979cb18fb.html |access-date=2023-06-15 |website=BeavertonValleyTimes.com |language=en}}

In January 2021, Beaty helped to organize a COVID-19 Summit bringing together leaders from the public and private sectors to discuss making vaccines available to local residents.{{Cite news |date=Summer 2022 |title=Achieving Large Goals: Short Essays from Three U.S. Mayors |url=https://www.bushcenter.org/catalyst/creating-more-perfect-union/mayors-moving-communities-to-greater-goals |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas from the Bush Institute |issue=24}} Two weeks later, they piloted the first mass vaccination site in Washington County in the parking garage at Nike world headquarters in Beaverton, distributing nearly 50,000 doses of the vaccine.{{Cite web |last=Beaty |first=Lacey |last2=Haruyama |first2=Jenny |date=October–December 2021 |title=City Spotlight: Beaverton |url=https://www.oregonmayors.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/oregon_mayor039s_association/page/3946/4th_qtr_2021_nloma.pdf |access-date=2023-07-12 |website=Oregon Mayors Association Newsletter}}{{Cite news |last=Manning |first=Jeff |date=November 23, 2021 |title=Nike lobbyist Julia Brim-Edwards, who fiercely battled on behalf of sneaker giant, to call it quits |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2021/11/nike-lobbyist-julia-brim-edwards-who-fiercely-battled-on-behalf-of-sneaker-giant-to-call-it-quits.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=The Oregonian}} Another key initiative for Beaty has been the Beaverton Loop Project to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, for which she has sought federal funding.{{Cite news |last=Marine |first=Drew |date=March 16, 2022 |title='It’s a dangerous stretch of road': Second deadly hit-and-run on SW Hall Blvd. in just over a week |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/2639222457/fulltext/38435EB3854C4E2APQ/26 |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=CNN Wire Service |via=ProQuest}} In May 2023, Beaty approved Resolution No. 4838 - "The Beaverton Downtown Loop Project." This project will support climate friendly transportation by linking key destinations in Downtown Beaverton.{{Cite web |title=Beaverton Downtown Loop Project {{!}} Beaverton, OR - Official Website |url=https://www.beavertonoregon.gov/420/Beaverton-Downtown-Loop-Project |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=www.beavertonoregon.gov}}

In December 2021, Beaty filed a complaint with the League of Oregon Cities when its executive director Mike Cully sent her a slew of abusive private messages on Twitter calling her "weak".{{Cite news |last=Grega |first=Kelcie |date=December 22, 2021 |title=League of Oregon Cities leader resigns |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/corvallis-gazette-times-league-of-oregon/127961588/ |access-date=2023-07-11 |work=Corvallis Gazette-Times |via=Newspapers.com |agency=Oregon Capital Insider}} Beaty had publicly called out Cully for announcing that he refused to tip fast food workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that they should "Get an education and a better job." Cully later apologized, deleted his Twitter account, and resigned.{{Cite news |last=Davis |first=Rob |date=December 20, 2021 |title=League of Oregon Cities’ leader resigns, days after telling Beaverton mayor: ‘You have NO SOUL … You are WEAK’ |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/12/league-of-oregon-cities-leader-resigns-days-after-telling-beaverton-mayor-you-have-no-soul-you-are-weak.html |access-date=2023-07-12 |work=The Oregonian}}

In September 2022, Beaty stated that her top three priorities were: homelessness, the climate crisis and planning for the future.{{Cite web |last=Mayors |first=United States Conference of |date=2022-09-10 |title=Meet the Mayor: Lacey Beaty |url=https://medium.com/usmayors/meet-the-mayor-lacey-beaty-5ad15bc11951 |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=United States Conference of Mayors |language=en}} Beaty approved Resolution No. 2712 establishing the Beaverton Climate Action Task Force.{{Cite web |title=Climate Action Task Force {{!}} Beaverton, OR - Official Website |url=https://beavertonoregon.gov/540/Climate-Action-Task-Force |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=beavertonoregon.gov}} In August 2023, Beaty said that Beaverton is focused on growing business and investing in climate resiliency.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-07 |title=Beaverton mayor talks business growth and sustainability |url=https://www.koin.com/local/beaverton-mayor-talks-business-growth-and-sustainability/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=KOIN.com |language=en-US}} She said that while growth is important, this should be balanced with sustainability. She cited the Beaverton Purple Pipe system{{Cite web |title=Project Information {{!}} Beaverton, OR - Official Website |url=https://beavertonoregon.gov/1525/Project-Information |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=beavertonoregon.gov}} as a method for keeping the city primed for future growth. According to the Beaverton Valley Times, Beaty said, "It sometimes feels like water isn't a problem in Oregon because it comes out of the sky so much, but we have to fiercely protect our drinking water. And when we use our drinking water to irrigate lawns and stuff like that, it's not the best and greatest use..."{{Cite web |last=Segar |first=Sally |date=2022-09-09 |title=Beaverton aims to conserve water with Purple Pipe Program |url=https://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/beaverton-aims-to-conserve-water-with-purple-pipe-program/article_f1221f71-8c35-598a-ba94-fc0b368211fe.html |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=BeavertonValleyTimes.com |language=en}} This initiative is a cost-effective alternative to irrigating green spaces by recharging groundwater and stormwater rather than using precious drinking water. The pipes are purple to distinguish them from pipes that carry drinking water. Speaking of the Purple Pipe program, Ken Helm said it is, "something for the whole city to the proud of. All over the west we are in a long-term drought. It is not going to go away soon."{{Cite web |last=Fitzsimmons |first=Pamela |date=2023-08-28 |title=A Blissful Portland Summer |url=https://portlanddissent.substack.com/p/a-blissful-portland-summer |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Portland Dissent}}

Personal life

Lacey and her husband Ian Beaty have lived in Beaverton since 2008.{{Cite news |last=Bray |first=Karl |date=July 10, 2023 |title=Lacey Beaty files to run against Ian King for Beaverton City Council seat |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/02/lacey_beaty_files_to_run_again.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710010231/https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/02/lacey_beaty_files_to_run_again.html |archive-date=2023-07-10 |work=The Oregonian}} Ian is also a member of the armed services and was deployed to Afghanistan following Beaty's election to the Beaverton City Council in 2014.{{Cite web |last=Alteir |first=Nuran |date=January 1, 2015 |title=Incoming Beaverton City Councilor Lacey Beaty wants a defined downtown, warming shelter |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/2014/12/incoming_beaverton_city_counci.html |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=oregonlive |language=en}} They have a daughter.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2022 |title=Event: A Conversation with Gina Ortiz Jones, Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force |url=https://mayorsinnovation.org/2022/08/30/gina-ortiz-jones/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |website=Mayors Innovation Project |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Veronica |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Beaverton's Mayor Honored by Washington County for Her Service |url=https://www.kxl.com/beavertons-mayor-honored-by-washington-county-for-her-service/ |access-date=July 7, 2023 |website=KXL |language=en-US}} According to an interview with Medium, her favorite movie is Talladega Nights.{{Cite web |last=Mayors |first=United States Conference of |date=2022-09-10 |title=Meet the Mayor: Lacey Beaty |url=https://medium.com/usmayors/meet-the-mayor-lacey-beaty-5ad15bc11951 |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=United States Conference of Mayors |language=en}}

References

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