Julia Hill

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Julia Hill

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

May 19, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of Oregon, 2006

Graduate

Princeton University, 2010

Personal

Birthplace

Canby, Ore.

Profession

Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Julia Hill (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent District 39. She lost in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2020.

Hill completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Julia Hill was born in Canby, Oregon. She obtained a B.A. in international studies from the University of Oregon in March 2006. Hill obtained a master of public affairs (M.P.A.) and a health and health policy certificate from Princeton University in June 2010. She expected to receive a B.S. in nursing from Oregon Health & Science University in December 2020.

Hill's professional experience includes working with Doctors Without Borders from 2013-2019 and from 2010-2012 as an operational field coordinator in Nigeria; as deputy head of mission in South Africa; as an access campaign officer in South Africa; and as a vaccines policy and advocacy advisor in Switzerland. Hill was a technical advisor to the South Sudan Guinea Worm Eradication Program at the Carter Center in 2012. From 2006 to 2008, she was a health volunteer in the U.S. Peace Corps in Morocco.

As of 2020, Hill was a School of Nursing representative with the Oregon Health & Science University All Hill Council and a member of the Doctors Without Borders Association, the National Student Nurses' Association, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Phi Beta Kappa society.

Elections

2020

See also: Oregon House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Oregon House of Representatives District 39

Incumbent Christine Drazan defeated Tessah Danel and Kenneth Sernach in the general election for Oregon House of Representatives District 39 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Drazan (R / Independent)	62.2	26,202
	Submit photo	Tessah Danel (D)	35.6	14,985
	Submit photo	Kenneth Sernach (L)	2.1	868
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	57

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 42,112
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 39

Tessah Danel defeated Julia Hill in the Democratic primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 39 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Tessah Danel	59.5	4,222
		Julia Hill	39.4	2,798
		Other/Write-in votes	1.1	80

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,100
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 39

Incumbent Christine Drazan advanced from the Republican primary for Oregon House of Representatives District 39 on May 19, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Christine Drazan	99.3	7,560
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	55

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 7,615
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for Oregon House of Representatives District 39

Kenneth Sernach advanced from the Libertarian convention for Oregon House of Representatives District 39 on July 6, 2020.

		Candidate
✔	Submit photo	Kenneth Sernach (L)

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Hill's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Julia Hill completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hill's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a fifth-generation Oregonian and grew up in District 39, attending Canby public schools. I received a BA in International Studies from the University of Oregon, and a Master of Public Affairs focused on health policy from Princeton University. I served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco, and as an intern with the U.S. State Department in the Embassy in Athens, Greece. For over a decade I worked overseas coordinating disease outbreak responses and implementing health programs for humanitarian organizations including Doctors Without Borders and The Carter Center. Managing these programs included advocating for affected communities to have easier access to quality healthcare and more affordable medicines, which are some of the key issues I want to tackle as a legislator. Inspired by the medical staff I worked with overseas, I returned to Oregon in the fall of 2019 to gain clinical experience and pursue nursing studies at Oregon Health & Science University. I am on track to become a registered nurse by the end of this year, and plan to work in primary healthcare settings inn Oregon. My background combines local roots with global experience, and I feel a strong sense of duty to put those skills to use for the well-being of my community down in Salem, to help the healthcare system and economy recover from the current crisis.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Affordable Healthcare: Expand access to community-based healthcare and tackle high medicine prices
• Financial Security: Enact policies to help workers, retirees and small businesses remain resilient in the face of economic uncertainty
• Quality Education: Reduce financial and other barriers to high-quality education and training

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My campaign is founded on working for a healthy Oregon. A significant part of that is expanding access to healthcare services for under-served communities and making prescription medicines more affordable. But so much more is involved in improving Oregonians' health and well-being. We all deserve financial security to build a stable future for our families and have the resources we need during retirement. We deserve access to education and training that helps us engage with the world around us and secure the jobs we want. We need to protect and conserve the environment in the beautiful state we live in. We need to prepare for future crises so we can initiate rapid responses to natural disasters, epidemics and other emergencies. As your representative, I will support you, consult with you, and work with you in realizing these and other goals, and champion legislation that puts people first.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Like any good nurse, I am an empathetic listener and attentive to people's needs and concerns. I am also inquisitive and curious in wanting to understand complex systems, so that I can make them work in a way that promotes equity, and protects the most vulnerable people in our communities. I am not afraid to stand up to special interests in order to address social or economic injustices. As your State Representative, I will work with you to identify what needs to change, and advocate on your behalf for your long-term health and well-being.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The key responsibilities of state representatives are to develop legislation and balance the state budget. State representatives should approach these tasks with the goal of maximizing the well-being of the people of Oregon. Legislators must have a clear understanding of complex issues facing communities and take tough decisions about how to generate revenue that provides essential services. In my experience working for international humanitarian organizations, I have managed multi-million-dollar budgets and collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to prioritize activities for implementation. I have also expanded and enhanced resources available for healthcare projects, both by securing additional funding sources, and negotiating lower prices for essential medicines that comprised a large proportion of expenditures.

State representatives have a responsibility to act ethically in their professional and personal lives. Representatives should take their duties seriously and not abandon their core obligations during legislative sessions. The people of my District and the State of Oregon can rely on my presence on the House floor and in committee to advocate on their behalf.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

One of my first jobs as an adult was to spend the summer after my freshman year of college at a fish processing plant in Naknek, Alaska. Working in the land of the midnight sun meant long hours and very physical labor, cleaning fresh fish and boxing up frozen fish for shipment. While the work wasn't glamorous, the hard work and basic living conditions did create a sense of camaraderie among staff. I formed personal connections with people from diverse backgrounds-both at work, and while hitchhiking around Alaska after the season ended- and some of the friendships I made there were pivotal in defining my future. Several of my co-workers were Turkish students, who encouraged me to visit their country, which I did as an exchange student two years later-an experience that sparked my interest in an international career and eventually led me to realize a long-time dream of working for Doctors Without Borders. My time in Alaska also showed me how much it is possible to achieve when you step outside your comfort zone to pursue new experiences, and provided me with a foundation for engaging with people from a broad array of cultures and social circumstances-skills I continue to rely on today, and will put to good use as a State Representative.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Missed Connection" by The Head and the Heart. Strangely apt tune at a time when most campaigning is by phone or online, rather than door-to-door!

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

It is not necessary to have held elected office to be successful in the state legislature-first-time officeholders bring fresh enthusiasm and new ideas for solutions to pressing policy debates. To be an effective representative, however, it is important to understand how to navigate complex bureaucracies, demonstrate fiscal responsibility, and build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders. In my previous international career, I collaborated with communities, coalitions and policymakers in locations ranging from rural South Sudan, to South African Parliament, to the halls of the World Health Organization in Geneva. By partnering with allies to identify and overcome social and legal obstacles, I realized numerous successes. These included interrupting local disease transmission, gaining access to a more affordable version of an expensive tuberculosis medicine, and improving transparency of international vaccine prices. I will bring the same perseverance and dedication as a State Representative in creating change that addresses the concerns of my constituents.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

I believe building relationships with other legislators, regardless of their political party affiliation, is an essential part of being a State Representative. Each legislator brings a unique background and skill set to the floor and represents a constituency facing distinct challenges. It is only by working together that we have enough information to create-and pass-legislation that meets the diverse needs of Oregonians. My upbringing in small-town Oregon, my international career, and my training as a nurse have provided me the opportunity to work with and learn from people representing a multitude of backgrounds. The cultural competence I have gained from these interactions will facilitate my ability to work effectively with my counterparts in Salem.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would place priority in serving on the House Health Care Committee, the House Veterans and Emergency Preparedness Committee, and the Joint Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services. My extensive experience working in healthcare and emergency contexts and fighting for access to affordable medicines gives me the necessary background to design evidence-based, robust policy and programming, and participate in debates around funding priorities for these issues. I would also have an interest in serving on the House Behavioral Health Committee if my capacity allowed, as it is important Oregon expand access to and funding for behavioral health services.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Oregon House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Julie Fahey

Majority Leader:Ben Bowman

Representatives

District 1

Court Boice (R)

District 2

Virgle Osborne (R)

District 3

Dwayne Yunker (R)

District 4

Alek Skarlatos (R)

District 5

Pam Marsh (D)

District 6

Kim Wallan (R)

District 7

John Lively (D)

District 8

Lisa Fragala (D)

District 9

Boomer Wright (R)

District 10

David Gomberg (D)

District 11

Jami Cate (R)

District 12

Darin Harbick (R)

District 13

Nancy Nathanson (D)

District 14

Julie Fahey (D)

District 15

Shelly Boshart Davis (R)

District 16

Sarah McDonald (D)

District 17

Ed Diehl (R)

District 18

Rick Lewis (R)

District 19

Tom Andersen (D)

District 20

Paul Evans (D)

District 21

Kevin Mannix (R)

District 22

Lesly Muñoz (D)

District 23

Anna Scharf (R)

District 24

Lucetta Elmer (R)

District 25

Ben Bowman (D)

District 26

Sue Rieke Smith (D)

District 27

Ken Helm (D)

District 28

Dacia Grayber (D)

District 29

Susan McLain (D)

District 30

Nathan Sosa (D)

District 31

Darcey Edwards (R)

District 32

Cyrus Javadi (D)

District 33

Shannon Isadore (D)

District 34

Mari Watanabe (D)

District 35

Farrah Chaichi (D)

District 36

Hai Pham (D)

District 37

Jules Walters (D)

District 38

Daniel Nguyen (D)

District 39

April Dobson (D)

District 40

Annessa Hartman (D)

District 41

Mark Gamba (D)

District 42

Rob Nosse (D)

District 43

Tawna Sanchez (D)

District 44

Travis Nelson (D)

District 45

Thuy Tran (D)

District 46

Willy Chotzen (D)

District 47

Andrea Valderrama (D)

District 48

Hoa Nguyen (D)

District 49

Zach Hudson (D)

District 50

Ricki Ruiz (D)

District 51

Christine Drazan (R)

District 52

Jeffrey Helfrich (R)

District 53

Emerson Levy (D)

District 54

Jason Kropf (D)

District 55

E. Reschke (R)

District 56

Emily McIntire (R)

District 57

Greg Smith (R)

District 58

Bobby Levy (R)

District 59

Vikki Breese-Iverson (R)

District 60

Mark Owens (R)

Democratic Party (37)

Republican Party (23)