Meet Patty SnowMy Road to Running for Congress
Small town rootsPatty’s Bio
I grew up in a small, rural town in southern Idaho. My father was an attorney and the Lay Reader in the town’s tiny Episcopal Church. My mother was a high school teacher and the church organist. My brother and I were acolytes for the church so if the Snows were on vacation, church shut down! Growing up in that small community taught me the importance of caring for the land, supporting friends and neighbors and standing up for my beliefs.
After high school, I attended the University of Idaho where I earned my degree in theatre. Yes, theatre. Although my parents were dubious about my choice of degree, the skills I learned in listening to others and responding in a way that fosters understanding have served me well in corporate America.
In 1985, I moved to Los Angeles where I began my career in hospitality. For five years I worked in the luxury hotel business, climbing my way from a reservationist into management. My daily interaction with the wealthy and influential clientele helped me build skills in standing up to people who feel their power entitles them to privileges not afforded to the less fortunate.
In 1990, I followed my partner to Chicago where we were married. During our 13 years in Chicago, we had two children and I built a successful career as the International Director of Office Services for an IT firm. The skills I had learned in hotel management aided me in overseeing the daily functions of 110 offices worldwide.
When my husband was transferred to Boise, I took 4 years off from work to care for our children. This hiatus from the corporate world also gave me a chance to publish my first novel. Our family hit the road again in 2007, moving across the country to Minnesota. With the kids occupied by school activities, I rejoined the workforce as a Marketing Coordinator for a video gaming company.
Your Health, Your Children, Your Rights,My Fight
During my time in Minnesota, my family dynamic changed. After a lifetime of struggling with a personal secret, I shared with my family that I am a lesbian. This was an incredibly challenging time for the family but through it I learned the importance of patience when dealing with change and the need to see situations from another’s point of view. I also gained new strength in standing up for the truth. Being out has allowed me the opportunity to speak openly with other members of the LGBTQ+ community about the misconceptions and bigotry faced in our daily lives, and it has given me a path to helping others understand that people are people, regardless of who they love.
By 2017 I had married the love of my life, moved to Brookings, Oregon and was managing a beachfront hotel. Life by the ocean was beautiful but, when we decided to open our own business, we were drawn to the Rogue Valley. In 2020, when the world was shutting down from COVID, we opened the doors to our new business helping people improve their bone health. Our timing might not have been great, but we quickly built an amazing community of members. Although the first few years were a struggle, with the help of our members we managed to stay open when so many other small businesses were closing. Helping people improve their health and seeing the positive effect on their lives has been one of my most fulfilling achievements.
How did all of this lead up to my decision to run for the US Congress? In every position I have held, my greatest strengths have been problem solving and helping people improve their lives. When President Trump took office and immediately began reversing our freedoms, committing acts condemned by the Supreme Court, dismantling policies that protected minority groups and pushing through a bill that will increase our national deficit by $3 trillion, I knew I couldn’t stand on the sidelines and watch our country be broken apart. I refuse to be known as the generation that let our democracy fall. I am fortunate to be in a position where I can step away from my business and dedicate my time to improving the lives of the people in my district. I might only be a ripple in Washington, but ripples can change the world. As they move outward, they grow in force and can become unstoppable.