A courageous trailblazer, State Representative Janelle Bynum is serving her fourth term as the Oregon State Representative for House District 39 (Happy Valley and North Clackamas). In the Legislature, she is Chairwoman of the House Committee on Small Business/ Economic Development and serves as a senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee.
During her tenure in the Legislature, Janelle has spearheaded bipartisan initiatives encompassing Voter Engagement and Turnout; Investment in K-12 and Higher Education; Juvenile and Criminal Justice Reform; Reproductive Health Care and Targeted Support for Underrepresented Businesses. She is widely recognized for her tireless efforts to pass landmark legislation on Police Accountability along with mental health workforce investments, the CROWN Act, diversification of corporate boards, and increased access to the ballot for youth. She is a bold advocate for Oregon's children, championing their education, health, economic prospects, and joy. Next on Janelle’s ambitious agenda is shepherding the second stage of a game-changing economic development package through Clean Energy technology investments and rebuilding a foundation for Oregon to grow thousands of jobs through investments in small businesses, housing, childcare, land availability, and infrastructure. Her work in the 2023 session on semiconductors produced at $250M+ state investment that is projected to add $43B and over 6000 jobs to Oregon's economy.
Concurrent with her leadership in public service, Janelle and her husband Mark are parents to four children and own four McDonald’s Restaurants. She has served on the Board of Trustees for the Grand Central Bakery, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon, Business Oregon, the Center for Women’s Leadership, and the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs. She earned her undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Florida A&M University, and her MBA from the University of Michigan—Ross Business School. Janelle is a champion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and is a lifelong lover of American football, sports of all kinds, the arts, and good barbeque.
