Sam Adams

By The Office

The Portland Tribune called Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams "The council’s most vocal advocate for public arts, neighborhoods, diversity, transportation, economic development, and transparency and accountability in government."

Sam’s well-known work ethic was born from childhood experiences that included public housing and public assistance. He says that these experiences fuel his passion for making government work better for people.

He gravitated to politics as a University of Oregon intern for Congressman Peter DeFazio where he stayed on staff until 1987. Sam then went to work for the Oregon House Democratic Campaign Committee and at that time the Democratic Majority Leader Carl Hosticka. Sam turned his focus to Portland in 1991, where he successfully managed Vera Katz’s first campaign for mayor. At age 29, he began the first of 11 years as the youngest mayoral chief of staff in the city’s history.

Today, Sam continues to conquer those political first ascents serving as Portland ’s first-ever openly gay City Commissioner. He is currently Commissioner in Charge of Portland’s Office of Transportation and the Bureau of Environmental Services, and council liaison to, among others, the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the Association of Portland Neighborhood Business Districts, and Worksystems, Incorporated.

As a resident of the Kenton neighborhood, Sam is Portland's first member of city council from North Portland since 1972.

Sam Adams
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220
Portland, OR 97204

Phone: (503) 823-3008
Fax: (503) 823-3017
commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us