Jonathan Graham, July 10, 2006
Sara Gelser ’94, like so many moms, will go to extraordinary lengths to get the best for her children. What sets her apart, however, is that she is ready to fight for everyone else’s children, too. Gelser, who was appointed last December to fill a vacant seat in the Oregon state legislature, puts the welfare of children at the top of her list of priorities.
A mother of four, Gelser first got involved in local politics after she and her husband, Peter Gelser ’94, waded through the bureaucracy on behalf of her oldest child, Sam (11), who has a developmental disability.
“We have been able to get Sam the medical care and educational resources he needs, but Peter and I are fortunate to have wonderful educational backgrounds, family support, great insurance and financial resources. As I went through the process with Sam, I kept running into families who did not have those advantages, and things were much more difficult for them,” says Gelser, a Democrat. “My goal is to help families and professionals help kids be independent and successful when they grow up. This is not a new idea, but there has not been a lot of money and power behind it in the past.”