Vera Katz (née Pistrak; August 3, 1933 – December 11, 2017) was an American Democratic politician in the state of Oregon.

[1] Her parents, Elizar ("Lazar Michael Pistrak"; 1896–1985) and Raissa (1896–1986), fled Moscow, Russia, after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, settling in Germany.

[1] Once World War II began and Hitler invaded France, the family of four fled over the Pyrenees Mountains to Spain on foot.

[4] She worked as a camp counselor in upstate New York where she met her future husband, Mel Katz, a waiter and artist.

[1] Jesse went on to graduate from Lincoln High School in 1981 and became a journalist in Los Angeles; his memoir, The Opposite Field, was published in October 2009.

[4] Kennedy had antagonized many in Portland through his aggressive pursuit of local corruption as United States Attorney General.

[7] She also helped pass measures on gun control[1] as well as legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender in places of public accommodation and credit.

[12] During her first term, Mayor Katz endorsed the Yellow Bike Project, which drew national attention to Portland's artistic and bike-friendly civic engagement culture.

[12] Katz was subsequently diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer called adenosarcoma in June 2004, following a hysterectomy.

During her three terms as mayor from 1992 to 2004, Katz altered the shape, look and dynamism of the city, helping to put it right up there with Brooklyn as a magnet for young people.