Designing Oregon’s Healthcare Future: Pacific University Professor Joins State Board - KXL

Designing Oregon’s Healthcare Future: Pacific University Professor Joins State Board

FOREST GROVE, OR – Pacific University Associate Professor of Public Health Rebecca Schoon has been appointed by Gov. Tina Kotek to Oregon’s Universal Health Plan Governance Board, charged with developing the state’s proposed universal healthcare system.

Following her September 2026 confirmation by the Oregon State Senate, Schoon will begin a four-year term in January 2027. She joins the nine-member board as it prepares to deliver its first draft plan to the Oregon Legislature, which could be referred to state voters in 2028.

The Governance Board was created by the Oregon Legislature after voters passed a 2022 constitutional amendment guaranteeing access to cost-effective and affordable healthcare. The board is tasked with building the plan’s framework, evaluating its economic impact, designing an administrative structure, and organizing public engagement.

Schoon, who conducted doctoral research at Oregon State University on Taiwan’s universal healthcare system and serves on the board of Health Care for All Oregon, plans to focus her efforts on developing public engagement strategies that involve residents in decision-making.

Schoon also incorporates the real-world policy debate into her classes at Pacific University, where she encourages civil discourse, evidence-based discussion, and practical understanding of the U.S. healthcare system.