I'm Mike Delman, a member of the Archimedes Movement, and I would be honored to serve on the Community Leadership Council. I currently work as the Public Affairs Director for the Portland Habilitation Center, a non-profit that trains and employs people who are physically or mentally disabled. I have also worked in various positions within Multnomah County government, including working as a strategic planning coordinator within the Aging and Disabilities Services department. I also helped establish the last public health clinic that the county opened in North Portland, and I helped lead the effort to establish the Portland Area HIV Services Planning Council (which is funded by Ryan White Title I and Title II funds). I am currently running as a candidate for the Multnomah County Commission and, if elected, my top goal will be to re-open a public health clinic in SE Portland by finding a partnership with Providence and Portland Adventist.

I believe I'm a great choice for the Community Leadership Council because I would bring a unique blend of awareness and experience to the Archimedes Movement. I've worked in grassroots politics my entire adult life -- ever since first working on Bob Straub's gubernatorial campaign in 1978. I've been a citizen lobbyist in the Oregon Legislature, so I understand both the legislative process and key ways to push public policy outside of traditional legislative efforts. And through all of my work, I've seen first-hand how easily people can fall through the cracks of our current health care system, especially people suffering mental illness. I'm committed to doing whatever I can to help address the true probluems underlying our health care crisis and come up with new ways of providing health care that offer practical solutions to those problems. I would consider it a great personal privilege to serve on the Community Leadership Council.