Pac/West Lobby Group

Emerge Oregon’s Class of 2026 graduated this weekend, and we were proud to help sponsor the celebration.

Leadership doesn’t happen by accident. It requires people willing to step forward, learn the craft of public service, develop their skills, and commit themselves to serving something larger than themselves. Organizations like Emerge help make that possible.

For years, Emerge has been quietly building one of the most influential leadership pipelines in Oregon politics. Their alumni include members of Congress, legislators, mayors, county commissioners, judges, and community leaders serving throughout the state.

If you want a glimpse of Oregon’s political future, look closely at this photo.

The names in this year’s class may not all be familiar today, but just give it a little time. This May alone, 48 Emerge women appeared on ballots across Oregon, and 89% either won outright or advanced to the November election.

This year’s class included Salem Mayor-Elect Vanessa Nordyke. In a fitting moment, her graduation pin was presented by Salem Senator Deb Patterson—an illustration of how Emerge’s network now connects leaders across generations and across every level of government.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 and thank you to Emerge Oregon for investing in the next generation of Oregon leadership.

There’s something pretty incredible about sitting in a room listening to high school students thoughtfully discuss community history, civic engagement, nonprofit leadership, public policy, business, healthcare, volunteerism, and what it means to actually belong to a community.

Today was the graduation for and exit interview roundtable with the inaugural Youth Leadership Project cohort through the Salem Chamber and the McLaran Leadership Foundation — and honestly, the future feels bright.

These students weren’t just learning facts. They were learning how communities function, how leaders collaborate, and how their own voices can matter inside the process. Really exciting to witness.

We’re excited to announce that Brayden Sparkman has officially joined Pac/West Lobby Group full time!

What started as an internship in 2024 quickly grew into a passion for public policy, advocacy, and serving clients at the Oregon Capitol. Over the past two years, Brayden has contributed across our communications and government affairs teams.

Following his recent graduation from Corban University, he’ll continue supporting our clients in an expanded role, helping to achieve their legislative and policy goals.

Brayden has consistently demonstrated a strong work ethic, attention to detail, and a willingness to jump into new challenges, and we’re thrilled to have him continue building his career with Pac/West.

Please join us in congratulating Brayden on this exciting next chapter!

Brayden Sparkman Joins Pac/West Full Time - Pac/West Lobby Group Pac/West is pleased to announce that Brayden Sparkman has joined our team full time, where he will continue to support clients and their legislative goals in an expanded role.

A fire truck dropping golf balls onto a putting green (for cash prizes) sounds like absolute chaos…in the best possible way. 😂⛳🚒

And, this is exactly the kind of community fundraiser we can get behind.

We’re proud to support the work of Believe- In Your Community and the people behind it, who show up year-round for local kids through programs like Shop With A Cop at back-to-school time and Christmas.

Get in on the action here:
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/ZQRVX6J4UNMUC