Commissioner Chair Jeff Cogen
Jeff and his wife moved to Portland in 1992 when they fell in love with Multnomah County’s natural beauty and strong sense of community. Jeff and Lisa live in northeast Portland with their two children, Alex and Johanna.
Social responsibility has been a guiding ethic in Jeff’s professional life. He founded the Portland Pretzel Company and built strong relationships with local vendors. The Portland Pretzel Company was the first certified organic bakery in Portland and when the time came to hire full-time employees, Jeff made sure the company paid for their health care.
Jeff’s advocacy for the well-being of local families led him to the Multnomah Commission on Children and Families, where he served as communications director. He later joined the board of the nonprofit volunteer group Hands On Greater Portland and was elected board president. Under Jeff’s leadership, Hands On Greater Portland became a strong, thriving organization that continues to do important work in our community.
Jeff worked on then-county Chair Beverly Stein's staff before being named chief of staff to Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman in 2003. Jeff played key roles in creating the Children's Investment Fund, building the new Rosa Parks Elementary School in North Portland and positioning Portland as the international leader of the green building movement.
He was elected to the Multnomah County Board in November 2006 for a four-year term. In 2010, he won election to a four-year term as county Chair. At the county, Jeff has racked up a list of successful initiatives. These include a new library in North Portland’s Kenton neighborhood, long overdue reforms to the Business Income Tax, growing fresh food for the Oregon Food Bank on surplus county land, and crucial efforts to support returning veterans. Jeff has displayed vision and hands-on leadership in areas such as sustainability, diversity and equity, and government reform.
