Roberta L. White is a former financial analyst who was employed by the City of Portland, Oregon, for 14 years. Retiring in 2011, she served in the same capacity for the City of Portland between 1991 and 1993. In between those years, she worked as a comptroller for Wordsmith Services in Portland. Ms. White also devoted time with several other organizations during her 34-year career, including nearly a decade with Multnomah County, Oregon, first as an office manager and later as an internal auditor.
Involved in local government, Ms. White was active as the treasurer for Mary Wendy Roberts for Secretary of State in Portland and for her re-election. She later served on the Elect Hank Miggins Committee, and was a member of the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus in Portland and the City Club of Portland. Outside of politics, Ms. White was a committee member for the Implementation of the American Dental Association in Portland.
Ms. White has been highlighted in approximately 50 editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Finance and Business, Who’s Who in Finance and Industry, and Who’s Who in the World. She notably earned a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Linfield College in 1976, followed by postgraduate coursework at Lewis and Clark College. She is a licensed tax preparer in the State of Oregon. Ms. White’s mentors have been senior auditors Alan Purcell and Jodie Foster, as well as advocate Brad Rafish.
Enjoying her retirement, Ms. White loves to take in the arts, especially the opera, symphony and ballet. She also enjoys reading and hiking. She is an active parishioner of the Beaverton First United Methodist Church. She believes that the key to her success is that she never stopped learning and reading. Ms. White worked very hard in a male-dominated industry, getting to the root of the problem. Her favorite parts of her job have been working with people, discovering things when the outcome was beneficial, leaving a good mark and earning respect. She advises those looking to pursue her field to listen, and be accurate and precise. She would like to be remembered as someone who was approachable and fair, and thanks her father, who was very intelligent.
