John Kitzhaber
John Albert Kitzhaber (born March 5, 1947) is an American politician and physician. He is the longest-serving governor in Oregon's history, as well as the only Oregon governor to resign because of a scandal. He served two terms from 1995 until 2003, another full-term from 2011 until 2015, and was sworn in for a fourth term on January 12, 2015. He resigned on February 18, 2015, with state and federal investigations into criminal allegations against him and his fiancée, Cylvia Hayes. A member of the Democratic Party, Kitzhaber previously served in the Oregon House of Representatives (1979–81) and Oregon Senate (1981–93), including as Senate President (1985–93). He was also an emergency physician and has worked as a health care administrator.
Born in Colfax, Washington, Kitzhaber is a graduate of Dartmouth College, earning his M.D. from Oregon Health & Science University. Kitzhaber began his career as an emergency physician before he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1978. He served one term in the Oregon House from 1979 to 1981 and was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 1980. He served three terms in the Oregon Senate from 1981 to 1993, and served as Oregon's Senate President from 1985 to 1993.
