Welcome to OGEC's new Investigator, Lian Gallaver! 

Tell us a little bit about your background, such as education and job experience.

I grew up in SE Michigan and as an adult lived in the City of Detroit. I went to school at Oakland University, where I played Division 1 soccer and graduated with a degree in Political Science. After Michigan, I lived in several states including Texas and Colorado, before arriving in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. At this point, I have lived in Oregon now for a total of almost 11 years. Most recently, I lived in British Columbia, Canada for the past year but am thrilled to now be back in Oregon.

My career has been entirely in the public sector working for non-profit organizations, local government, courts, and as a consultant. Recently, I worked for Multnomah County for almost 10 years, first for the Department of County Human Services with the Diversion Courts programs and then with the Health Department supporting the Addictions Unit. During this time, I was a Program Specialist Senior, Team Lead, and then Program Supervisor within the Mental Health and Addictions Services Division. I’m truly grateful for my time with Multnomah County and the inspiring work and people that I got the opportunity to engage with and learn from. Throughout my career, mission-based work that positively impacts people and communities has been a key focus and it’s what I find truly meaningful.   

 

What inspired you to apply for OGEC?

Have you ever come across a job posting that immediately inspires/intrigues you and leaves you with a feeling of wanting to learn more? This was exactly how I felt when I applied for an OGEC Investigator position. Each step of the interview process reinforced that initial passion around OGEC’s mission and the role this position plays in helping to actualize that mission. Further, I felt well equipped based on the skills and knowledge gained in previous positions to step into this role and positively contribute to the team.

 

What is your favorite part of your job here?

I am still learning, but I was initially drawn to the proactive nature of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission in the focus on educating public officials to uphold the law and prevent ethics violations before they occur. Additionally, everyone I work with is passionate about the overall mission and the specific work they do. This is a small office, yet the staff really work as an integrated team to support one another and provide the best support to the thousands of public officials across the state.

 

Dogs or Cats?

Both! I especially love cat-dogs and dog-kitties.

 

Favorite Color?

Blue. There are so many incredible shades.

 

Any hobbies or passions that you would care to share or talk about?

Spending time in nature is my reset. I’m drawn to the mountains, water, and forests. I love most board sports: snowboarding, surfing, skateboarding, wakeboarding. I find a great metaphor for how to approach navigating life in the fluidity, balance, and focus on the present flow moment required in these sports. Plus, it’s just really fun to go fast over water, surf down a mountain, and dance across concrete! I still try to compete in local snowboarding banked slalom competitions at least once a year when possible.

I also like to spend time hiking, trail running, rockhounding, climbing, camping, and just breathing under sky. “Always leave the natural spaces you enjoy better than how you found them.” This is a message I heard over and over growing up from my mom. Stewardship is a core value of mine and I enjoy volunteering with local organizations to participate in beach clean-ups, invasive species removal projects, trash clean up in urban neighborhoods, and watershed stewardship efforts. Most every dog-walk I take, I try to conduct a mini trash pick-up effort of one. Now that I am a newer parent, much of my “free” time and energy is devoted to my two-year-old. It is such an incredible and humbling experience learning to be a parent.