Frank Dixon

Frank Dixon is completing his second term as First Vice-Chair having been elected by the State Central Committee in 2007. He is the DPO officer liaison to all of the DPO statewide Community Caucuses and the Democratic County Party organizations of Hood River, Lincoln, Tillamook and Wasco counties. Frank is a member of the Democratic National Committee and the DNC LGBT Caucus. Frank is a member of the Association of State Democratic Party Chairs and Vice-Chairs. In 2004 Frank organized and was the first President of the DPO GLBT Caucus. He Co-chaired the State Platform Convention in 2008 and 2010. He is the current Co-chair of the DPO 2012 National Delegate Selection Plan Committee.

Frank was born at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia and lived in nine different places throughout Europe and the United States until his father retired from the Army. He attended high school in Jesse Jackson's Woodlawn neighborhood, witnessing tumultuous 1968 first hand in Chicago.

Frank graduated from Notre Dame and then served two years as an Infantry Officer before coming to Oregon in 1976 to attend Lewis and Clark Law School. Frank's active military service included time as the Chief of the Patrolling Committee at the Infantry Training Center. In the reserves Frank commanded the 104th Division Leadership Academy (Drill Sergeant School). He retired as a Major and helped organize Veterans for Human Rights in 1993, a local war veteran's organization dedicated to overturning the discriminatory ban on openly gay military service members. Frank was invited to a special White House reception for LGBT leaders in 2010.

Frank practiced consumer law for 15 years in the state and federal courts. He was the lead attorney on several of the early cases brought on behalf of consumers under the Oregon Unlawful Debt Collection Practices Act and a similar federal law. He was published and taught other lawyers on this subject.

Frank started working in community organizing as precinct person and neighborhood association leader. He eventually went on to serve as Chair of the neighborhood associations for West/ Northwest Portland. Frank was appointed by the City Council to serve on numerous citizen committees and worked for the City as the Commissioner’s liaison to the Office of Neighborhood Associations. Frank has been involved in many Democratic campaigns, including serving as campaign manager and running as a candidate.

Frank has been a Director of Basic Rights Oregon since 2002, co-chairing the Board for several years. During the 2006 election cycle he served as an interim Executive Director of BRO.

Frank lives with his partner of over 30 years, real estate broker, Dan Volkmer in NW Portland.