DPO Staff

Candy Emmons is the Deputy Director of the Democratic Party of Oregon.

Candy is a 5th Generation Oregonian, raised in Salem, Oregon. Candy became interested in local politics and government at a young age when she met Governor Barbara Roberts at the Capitol in Salem on a visit with her Girl Scout Troop.

Candy has volunteered for a variety of campaigns and issues including LGBTQ+ and Reproductive Healthcare issues, working as an Organizing Fellow for President Obama’s 2012 Campaign, and serving as the Vice-Chair of the Benton County Democrats.

In 2016, after many years working in Youth and Camp program management, Candy joined the Democratic Party of Oregon Staff and is glad to put her skills to work helping to defend working families, immigrants, veterans, and other vulnerable populations through her work with the Democratic Party. Candy lives in Portland with her husband Vaughn and their dogs, Dobby & Rosie.

In his role as Data Director for the Democratic Party of Oregon, Jonathan empowers campaigns across Oregon to run more effective, data-driven programs.

Jonathan got his start in politics knocking on doors for Democratic candidates in 2004 and phone banking for Senator Merkley in 2008. His desire to give back to the community began in the Boy Scouts of America, and has continued with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program as a mentor and advisory board member. Jonathan has also volunteered to create, administer and analyze surveys in Spanish for the Mexican Consulate at community health fairs.

As a lifelong Oregonian, Jonathan has focused his career around better understanding human behaviors, attitudes and beliefs. Majoring in Social Science Research and Spanish at Portland State University, he has pursued his passion to utilize data for social and political change. After graduating, Jonathan taught English in Argentina and traveled throughout South America.

Mario Parker-Milligan is the Constituency Organizing Coordinator for the Democratic Party of Oregon. He came to the DPO after working to recruit progressive people of color, women, LGBTQ folks and people under 35 to run for local office in Oregon and Washington.

He got his start in politics at Lane Community College, where he worked with students to organize and campaign for Democrats in Lane County for then Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama to Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy. After college he worked for the Oregon Student Association – one of the nation’s last remaining student run – student-led non-partisan statewide organizations, first as Equal Rights Organizer, then Legislative Director helping secure the state’s largest reinvestment in post-secondary education since the 1980s – before becoming their Executive Director. Focusing on leadership development, legislative and campus advocacy, and building power for college students by running one of the country’s largest and most effective non-partisan voter engagement programs.

Born in Washington state, Mario has called Oregon home since the turn of the century and has resided in the Portland Metro for the last decade. Mario loves exploring the PNW with his partner and fur babies and can often be found pontificating the cultural impacts of Beyoncé and RuPaul and contemplating what Freeing Britney actually means.

Claire is the Development Director for the Democratic Party of Oregon.

Claire was raised in the Portland area, but left Oregon to attend Trinity University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Communication. Afterwards, Claire attended the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and received a Master’s of Nonprofit Organizations.

Upon graduation Claire moved back to the Portland area where she served an AmeriCorps year at Schoolhouse Supplies.

In her free time, Claire enjoys cooking, cross country skiing and spending time with her dog, Riley.

Negar is the Development Assistant for the Democratic Party of Oregon. She was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada where she graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with her Bachelor’s of Art in Art History. After moving to the Portland area, Negar is excited to be involved with DPO programs and her community.