Oregon legislative human resources director Lore Christopher.

• Position: THE FINAL WORD - Interview

Lore Christopher has been human resources director for the Oregon Legislative Administration for the last 17 years. For 14 of those years, she moonlighted as volunteer mayor of her hometown of Keizer, Ore. When she stepped down as mayor earlier this year, she took with her a "First Citizen" award from the Keizer Chamber of Commerce and loads of wisdom about what it takes to live a full--and human--life.

How did your experience as a mayor influence your view of the legislature?

I understand the role of excellent staff in providing policy alternatives and options for policymakers. A policy decision is only as good as the information it is based on.

Did you pick up any leadership skills in the legislature that you applied to your mayoral job?

As a human resource director, my business is human relations as it relates to an employment relationship. Working for the Oregon legislature has exposed me to a plethora of human relations experiences and numerous ways to work with a wide variety of individuals. Being a local mayor is also a human relations job as it relates to public policy. There is no substitute for experience, regardless of where you get it.

What was your biggest challenge as a mayor, and what has been your biggest challenge as HR director?

As a mayor, it was having confidence that I had enough information to make a solid policy decision for my hometown. I wanted all of the information available before committing resources. As an HR director, it is constant vigilance to seek positive solutions to complex human relations issues.

At one point while you were a legislative employee and mayor, you were working on a master's degree. How did you manage that?

I pursued a master's of public administration from Portland State University because of its evening and weekend classes. My work as a mayor was conducted mostly during the evenings and weekends. I could schedule meetings around my availability, so it worked. I also have a strong family and husband who supported my goals and commitment to my community...