[5] She attended Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, on a soccer scholarship, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion in 2003.

[7] In 2011, Fagan was elected to the David Douglas School Board in eastern Portland, serving for three years before running for 51st District of the Oregon House of Representatives.

[8] In 2020, Fagan secured the Democratic nomination for Oregon Secretary of State in a close three-way race,[9] and went on to defeat Republican Kim Thatcher in the general election.

[13] On April 27, 2023, Willamette Week reported Fagan had been working as a private consultant for the owners of La Mota, a cannabis dispensary chain operating in Oregon, while the Audits Division, which reports to Fagan as Secretary of State, worked on an audit of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

[19] On August 25, 2023, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission launched an investigation into Fagan in regards to potential personal uses of state funds and campaign finances.

In 2023, on the 50th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, Fagan released a statement saying she believes that, "The right to control your own body and future is fundamental to our freedom in America.

"[21] During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, including Oregon, Fagan voted to authorize unemployment benefits for employees working less than full time.