Candace Avalos
Candace Avalos, also known as Candis Ávalos en español, is a first-generation “Blacktina” whose pronouns are she/her/ella. She is the daughter of Black Americans from southern Virginia and Guatemalan immigrants who relocated to Washington, D.C. in the 1970s.
Candace’s upbringing in a multiracial family with a rich cultural history has profoundly shaped her commitment to justice. These early experiences sparked her interest in government and politics, which ultimately led to her passion for government accountability. She became involved in student government and leadership from a young age, which inspired her first career as an educator. After earning a Masters of Education from James Madison University, Candace moved to the West Coast and chose Portland as her home.
Candace spent many years working at Portland State University and has served on several boards and commissions. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Verde, a nonprofit organization focused on bringing environmental investments to Portland’s neighborhoods.
For over a decade, Candace has been dedicated to Portland, serving as a solutions-oriented leader who brings people together to address the city’s many challenges. As the District 1 Councilor, she continues her advocacy for Portlanders, striving for a more equitable and prosperous future.
When not serving as a city councilor, Candace enjoys painting on canvas, experimenting with new makeup and fashion trends, playing Pokémon on her Nintendo Switch, dancing and singing karaoke with friends, playing fast-pitch kickball, and exploring every park Portland has to offer.
Meet Councilor Avalos’ Team
Jamey Evenstar, Chief of Staff
Jamey Evenstar (she/her) has worked for the City of Portland for eight years. She started as Policy Director for former Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, where she led the development of innovative tenant protection policies, many of which are now being replicated in other cities. In 2021, Jamey transitioned to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), where she continued her work and developed PBOT’s anti-displacement framework, Building Belonging, which aims to minimize gentrification risks in investment projects. She also led the bureau’s gun violence response program that focused on minimizing community violence through activating public spaces.
Most recently, Jamey worked in the City Administrator’s Office on the Charter Transition Team, leading the work of the Independent Salary Commission, supporting the City Organization Project to create the city’s new organizational chart, co-leading the Change Management Plan designed to help the City's 7500 employees navigate to the new form of government, and leading the Citywide Practices: Engagement Officer Project to help design the new roles, responsibilities, and structure of the City's first Chief Engagement Officer position.
Jamey is committed to implementing solutions that reflect the collective vision of those most impacted by the issues at hand, believing the best solutions come from people with lived experience. Outside of work, Jamey enjoys spending time with her friends and family. Nothing brings her more joy than a long happy hour with girlfriends.
Sofia Diffee, Senior Policy Advisor
Sofia Diffee (she/her/ella) has worked for the City of Portland for four years. She served as Engagement and Communications Coordinator for the Charter Commission were she co-developed and implemented equitable community engagement and education strategies, ensuring that Portlanders—particularly historically underserved communities—could participate in the once-in-a-decade Charter Review process.
Most recently, Sofia worked in the City Administrator’s Office on the Charter Transition Team, where she led the implementation of election changes, including managing the Independent District Commission and launching the City’s first nonpartisan voter education program to educate Portlanders about ranked choice voting.
As a multilingual, multicultural, immigrant woman of color, Sofia is deeply committed to advancing anti-racist and equitable outcomes for all communities. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending concerts, and doing crafts.