The Chamber’s Leadership Portland program broadens awareness on critical issues and fosters the next generation of civic leaders
The Portland Metro Chamber is pleased to announce the participants in its 2024-2025 Leadership Portland program cohort. The cohort of 43 Portland-area professionals, is drawn from a diverse array of businesses, nonprofits and public sector organizations.
The Leadership Portland program is designed to immerse participants in the issues, challenges, and opportunities driving the future of the Rose City. The class participates in monthly program days, exploring critical topics for our region: education, healthcare, housing and homelessness, public safety, arts and culture, local and state government, and more. The goal: to understand the issues facing Portland and seek opportunities to better integrate business, government and community sectors to achieve solutions.
Each year, Leadership Portland participants are selected based on a set of criteria, including a demonstrated commitment to the community along with a wide variety of skills and interests. Since 2003, nearly 750 local professionals have participated in the Portland Metro Chamber Leadership Portland program.
Becoming a part of Leadership Portland isn’t just about civic engagement—it’s an exclusive, behind-the-scenes pass to understanding how our city and region operate, and a powerful catalyst for launching the next phase of your professional journey,” said Jessica Bryant, Chair of the Leadership Portland Alumni Association Committee and Trust Officer at Columbia Trust Company. “We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome this year’s vibrant cohort. The energy and passion they bring is truly inspiring.”
2024-2025 Leadership Portland Participants
- Kit Alderdice, Sr. Marketing & Communications Manager, Oregon Executive MBA
- Emily Adler, Director, Care Coordination, CareOregon
- Callum Auer, Vice President, Commercial Banking Officer, Bank of the Pacific
- Shar Banerjee, Employee Benefit Consultant, OneDigital
- Jacqueline Brooks, Corporate Relations Officer, OMSI
- Marina Casiano, Mortgage Loan Officer, OnPoint Community Credit Union
- Erica Clasen, Associate Attorney, Miller Nash
- Mary Anne Cooper, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations – Oregon, Cambia Health Solutions
- Amy Corliss, Community Relations Manager, Portland Community College
- John DeLaittre, Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank
- Blaine Dickason, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management and Trading, Ferguson Wellman Capital
- Rachel Dietz, Principal Technical Training Program Manager, Portland General Electric
- Michael Ecker, Commercial Real Estate Broker, Melvin Mark Companies
- Kennedy Fleming, Business Operations Manager, Black Business Association of Oregon
- Megan Fouts, Operations Manager, Amazon
- Larissa Gordon, Digital Media and Partnership Manager, Oregonian Media Group
- Will Gent, Litigation Partner, Tonkon Torp
- David Hardin, External Affairs Manager, Comcast
- Rae Hardy, Board Member, Oregon Pride in Business
- Tara Harrison, Government Affairs Director, Providence
- Meghan Herteg, Project Manager, Walsh Construction
- Lisa Hildebrandt, Vice President, A.wordsmith
- Carolyne Holcomb, Executive Director, Central Eastside Industrial Council
- Jessica Jack, Regional Operations Director, SAIF Corporation
- Jenny Kim, Executive Director, Partners in Diversity
- Preston Korst, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Home Building Association of Greater Portland
- Kathryn Lopez, Director of Virtual Programming, Adventures in Spanish
- Kelsey Machuca, Principal, Cresa
- Jen Mancke, Service Line Director, Percipio Consulting Group
- Becca McCulloch, Associate Director for Events, Portland Metro Chamber
- Sarah Molinoff, Associate, Holland & Knight
- Nailah Roque, School Partnerships Manager, Portland Public Schools
- Walt Scher, Director of Corporate Communications, Portland Trail Blazers
- Sama Shagaga, Partnerships and Government Affairs, NW Natural
- Brandon Sherman, Director, Premium Service, Portland Trail Blazers
- Maddie Stitzel, Vice President, Compensation Program Manager, Umqua Bank
- Neal Swanson, Director of Brokerage, NAI Elliott
- Sheree Temple, Intergovernmental Issues Manager, Port of Portland
- Sneha Thakkar, Senior Director, Strategic Implementation Office, Kaiser Permanente Northwest
- Tom Trevino, Branch Manager, Umpqua Bank
- Jessie Ulrich, Tax Senior Manager, Moss Adams
- Emily Vedaa, Sr. Manager, Global Customs and Trade, Columbia Sportwear Company
- Bridget White, National Sales Manager, Skamania Lodge
The Portland Metro Chamber Leadership Portland program is sponsored by the University of Oregon Executive MBA. “It is truly a privilege to sponsor Leadership Portland,” says Rachel Todd, director of the Oregon Executive MBA in Portland. “The missions of Leadership Portland and the Oregon Executive MBA are profoundly aligned. Like the engaged professionals who have earned a place in Leadership Portland, our students and alumni are committed to lifelong learning and to using their skills to help our region grow and thrive.”
For more information about Leadership Portland, contact Kat Langley-Rohklin, Director of Leadership Programming at the Portland Metro Chamber