Meet CM

CM Hall is a proud native Oregonian and gleefully makes her home in Newport. She has long been a community activist, committed to equity and social justice as well as the belief that we are stronger together than we will ever be apart.

CM believes that it is her work experience as well as her volunteer activities that have prepared her to run and serve the Newport City Council. Professionally, CM manages dual careers in both the field of interpreting grant administration and teaching. She is a nationally-certified sign language interpreter, having earned a Bachelor's in Interpreting from Western Oregon University and a Master's in Education with an emphasis in LGBTQ and Gender Studies from Oregon State University.

CM is the Co-Director for the DeafBlind Interpreting National Training and Resource Center interpreter training grant and teaches DeafBlind Culture, Communication & Guiding as well as LGBTQ sociology courses at Western Oregon University. Among her professional accomplishments, CM co-created DiscoverInterpreting.com, to encourage those considering a career in interpreting. She also created and runs an active Facebook group of the same name. CM regularly provides training and workshops on topics related to interpreting and for several years provided ongoing professional development for the sign language interpreters on Guam and Saipan.

CM has worked as a fundraiser and political strategist for nonprofit organizations and campaigns, and also leads social justice-themed and fundraising how-to workshops.   

CM has been recognized for her advocacy work by Basic Rights Oregon, Pride Northwest, the Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest, Campus Pride, the Human Rights Campaign, the Oregon Association of the Deaf, the Oregon Deaf & Hard of Hearing Advisory Committee, the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and Western Oregon University’s Stonewall Center. CM is proud of these honors as they represent projects and collaborations with many individuals over the years. In 2015, she was invited to present at a TEDx on the topic of linguistic access as a social justice issue. CM is actively involved with Central Coast NOW, Oregon Coast PFLAG, the Central Coast UU Fellowship and The Lemonade Project at the Newport Farmers Market.

In 2017, CM began a three-year term on the Newport Budget Committee and volunteered in the 2017 Newport 2040 Visioning outreach efforts. She is currently a member of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Lincoln 2018 class and is one of the founding members of the Diversity Coalition of Lincoln County. She recently proposed a voucher for all Newport residents to visit the Newport Rec & Aquatic Center in an effort to encourage more memberships. This idea was well-received by the Parks Committee and implementation efforts are under way.

It is these experiences, along with CM's passion and vision, that have prepared her to serve as a member of the Newport City Council.