Don Hampton, a retired teacher, has lived in the Oakridge area for 41 years. He has served on the Oakridge City Council for nineteen years, eight as the mayor. In October of 2003 Don was appointed as East Lane County Commissioner and served through December 2004. He currently serves on the LCOG (Lane Council of Governments) Board of Directors.

 

Other leadership positions which Don has held include administrative board chairperson of his church for 13 years, member of the Oregon Education Association's Board of Directors, LRAPA (Lane Regional Air Protection Agency) Board of Directors, the Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council Board of Directors, the Lane County Food Policy Council, the Oakridge/Westfir Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and president of the Three Rivers Education Council, a regional OEA group, for five years.

 

Awards which Don has received include the “Outstanding Elected Official” from the Lane Council of Governments in 2004; First Citizen of Oakridge in 2005; nominations in 1992 and 1997 for the Oregon Educational Media Teachers Association's "Media Teacher of the Year"; three presidential citations from the president of the Oregon Education Association for leadership; and a Certificate of Merit from the U.S. Forest Service for exemplary job performance.

 

In addition to his civic duties, Don has served as lay speaker and lay member to the annual conference of his church and as president of the Oakridge Kiwanis Club. 

 

Don grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, where he attended the University of Nebraska, earning both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. He then moved to Oakridge, teaching classes ranging from elementary school media skills to adult high school completion courses for Lane Community College and working for the U.S. Forest Service during the summers from 1968‑1980.

 

Don's wife Judy is the retired principal of Oakridge High School. Their grown son David, David’s wife Sage and granddaughter Sadie live in Ashland, Oregon.