Bordonaro, the Republican nominee for Oregon's First Congressional District in 1998, served as regional chair of the western states for the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign and chair of Oregon Victory 2000. In 1999, Bordonaro was appointed by Congress to the Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science and Technology.

Bordonaro joined Norris Beggs & Simpson to specialize in sales and leasing of office/flex space in the Sunset and 217 Corridors with emphasis on high technology and biomedical users. Prior to Norris Beggs, Bordonaro owned her own public relations and public affairs company, the Bordonaro Group, which specialized in marketing and public affairs for local and national clients.