| Julia Brim-Edwards | |
| Office: | Multnomah County Commissioner from the 1st District |
| Term Start: | June 12, 2023[1] |
| Predecessor: | Jessica Vega Pederson |
| Constituency: | 3rd district |
| Birth Date: | 5 September 1961 |
| Spouse: | Randall Edwards[2] |
| Children: | 3 |
| Education: | Oregon State University (BA) |
| Birth Name: | Julia Ann Brim |
Julia Ann Brim-Edwards (born September 5, 1961) is an American businesswoman and politician. She has served as a county commissioner for Multnomah County, Oregon since June 12, 2023,[1] representing district 3. She has also served on the Portland Public Schools Board of Education since 2017, where she previously served as board chair from 2001 to 2005.[3] In 2016 she was appointed to the Oregon State University Board of Trustees.[2] Prior to 2022 Brim-Edwards worked as a senior director at Nike.[4]
Brim-Edwards grew up in Mt Tabor and attended Glencoe Elementary and Washington-Monroe High School.[3] She played six sports as a high school athlete and was inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame in 2015.[3]
On September 5, 2023, the school board unanimously passed a resolution introduced by Brim-Edwards to take control of the Grant High School field and expedite repairs to its damaged artificial turf.[5] The field, owned by the Portland parks bureau, had been abruptly closed just days before the start of the school year, prompting significant criticism from parents.[5]
In July 2023 Brim-Edwards opposed a plan by the county health department to distribute tin foil and straws to fentanyl users, stating "there is no compelling evidence that it is comparable to safe needle exchanges or that the county currently has capacity to connect individuals to treatment who want it".[6] The plan was suspended by chair Jessica Vega Pederson three days after it was first reported.[7]
In September 2023 Brim-Edwards criticized a decision to replace the county's former sobering center, which closed in 2020, with a stabilization center intended for longer-term treatment.[8] Unlike the previous center, which accepted drop offs from first responders and was often described as a "drunk tank", the replacement would provide 30–60 days of transitional housing and stabilization treatment for patients leaving other sobering programs.[8] Brim-Edwards emphasized the need for a new crisis treatment center, arguing that the original sobering center had seen over 5,000 patients during its final year in 2019.[8]
On May 21, 2024, Brim-Edwards won reelection with 76% of the vote.[9]
Brim-Edwards and her husband, Randall Edwards, raised their three children in Southeast Portland where they both volunteer in the classroom and in school athletics.[2]