Laura Jackson, Board Chair
Jackson began her love for boating in 3rd grade when her parents bought a cruising sailboat. That summer she learned to sail an El Toro in San Francisco Bay. Throughout junior high and high school, she sailed with her family and grew her skills in racing dinghies. In high school and college, she became a national-caliber sculler. Beyond school, she competed for a seat on the US Rowing team and took up kayak racing. Today, one of her mottoes is "any seat, any boat, any time."
Serving the community is also a theme in Ms. Jackson's life. Whether working for a government agency, serving on various citizen advisory committees, or volunteering for a cause, she seeks to give back to the communities that have given her so much. She is currently President of the Oaks Park Community Boathouse in Portland and has served as a youth rowing and paddling coach. She also volunteers at The Oregon Humane Society in their Second Chance team, where she also works in their volunteer administration group.
As a Marine Board member, she hopes to work in a collaborative environment to create ways to share our waterways and find a means to reach the group of boaters who do not realize they are boaters (e.g., SUP and kayak paddlers). As a participant in many aspects of boating, she is keenly aware of safety issues, especially those related to the conflict between user groups, and would like to find ways to resolve these challenges through education and courtesy rather than more regulation.
Term: 2023 – 2027
Steve Lambert, Vice Chair
Lambert is from southern Oregon and is a Jackson County resident. He also serves as a Jackson County Parks Manager.
Steve has worked in public park management for three decades. He began his career in parks and recreation in eastern Washington while earning a degree in Natural Resource Management from Washington State University. After college, he spent a short amount of time working for the US Army Corps of Engineers on the Snake River in Clarkston, Washington, where his duties included patrolling the river to ensure safe and responsible use. In 1999, he relocated to the Willamette Valley and managed recreation facilities on three reservoirs, including Clear Lake in the Willamette National Forest. In 2009, he and his family moved to the Rogue Valley, where he manages county park facilities on five reservoirs and the Rogue River.
Steve is passionate about providing boating access for Oregonians in a close-to-home experience. No matter where he has worked, he has seen the joy boating brings to families, both by paddle, oar, and motor. Whether building boating facilities, including boat ramps and marinas, or operating public rental businesses where those who may not own a boat can easily experience boating, he is devoted to meeting the recreational needs of his fellow Oregonians. In his spare time, you can find him paddling the waters with his wife and their two dogs.
On the Board, Steve hopes to help the agency plan for future challenges amidst environmental shifts, ensuring Oregonians always have safe, local access to the waters they cherish.
Term: 2023 - 2027