Welcome! I’m Aimee Kotek Wilson, and I’ve been Tina’s partner for more than 20 years — we got married in 2016 after marriage equality was finally legalized. It was a shared passion for helping low-income Oregonians that first brought us together. This may not be the stuff of most rom-coms, but it was the start of our story. A dedication to creating community and opportunity for everyone has always been the foundation of our partnership.
I was raised in a family where the value of service ran deep. My dad served in the military, built a successful business that allowed him and my mom to provide for their four children, and eventually was elected to public office later in life. He always said that if you see a problem, you should work to create a solution, and that mindset has stuck with me.
I’ve spent my adult life working with others to tackle issues, from hunger to LGBTQ+ rights to access to mental healthcare. When I was in my 20’s working in the referral office for a big city soup kitchen, helping homeless people navigate the systems designed to support them, I came to understand that people didn’t just need food – they needed dignity, transparency, and the chance at making the best decisions for their lives.
Bringing people’s stories directly into the halls of government has always energized me. I took college students to the Oregon legislature to meet directly with elected officials about bullying experienced by LGBTQ+ students in dorms. When I worked for a major labor union, I brought Oregon workers to Salem to talk about their jobs and the challenges they were facing on the frontline.
In my 40’s, I went back to school for my master’s degree in social work. When I graduated and got to work, I saw firsthand how difficult it is for social workers and other community mental health workers to do their jobs — from overwhelming caseloads and paperwork, to low pay and workplace safety issues. And, more importantly, I saw how our healthcare system struggles to meet people’s needs when I was providing case management and counseling to people living with serious mental illness.
I continue to advocate to this day for more resources and better understanding of the challenges faced by both consumers and providers of our mental health and addiction services. In my current role as First Lady, I believe it’s my role to foster connection and to demystify how people can get involved in their communities and their government. We may not agree on everything, but we can still work together and show each other respect.
At the end of the day, I believe that keeping conversations going – no matter how difficult – is one of the most important things we can do for our community. I’m committed to that, and it’s an honor to do this work.
Thank you for taking the time to get to know me.
Sincerely,
First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson