About Colene
I didn't grow up thinking I would one day serve as a County Commissioner. I was raised in Grants Pass in a family that valued hard work, integrity, and showing up for your community. My grandparents and parents taught me that you earn trust through consistency, that your word matters, and that service isn't about recognition. It's about responsibility. Those lessons stayed with me.
My husband, Ron, and I chose to build our life here in Southern Oregon because we believe in this place: its independence, its beauty, and most of all, its people. We raised our family here, built our business here, and poured our time into local organizations because Josephine County is home. Over the years that commitment took shape in different ways. I owned Photo Den Vision & Sound, worked as a real estate broker helping families put down roots in this community, and eventually served as CEO of the Grants Pass and Josephine County Chamber of Commerce, the county's largest business organization. In each of those roles, my focus was the same: understand what this community needs and work to deliver it.
I am first a wife, a mom, and a grandmother. Time around the table, Friday night events, church, and community gatherings are what matter most to me. Those experiences shape how I lead: with steadiness, respect, and long-term perspective.
When our county entered a difficult season, I felt called to step forward. Not because I seek politics, but because I believe in stability during uncertain times. I believe in listening first. I believe in healing where there has been division. And I believe in protecting the future of this community for our children and grandchildren. In February 2026, I was appointed to serve as Josephine County Commissioner, and I began working immediately on the issues that matter most to the people I serve.
My life has taught me resilience, faith, and the importance of relationships. Those are the values I bring to this role.
Josephine County is not just where I serve. It is home. And I am committed to protecting its future for our children and grandchildren.
