The Chamber’s Leadership Portland program expands understanding of key community issues and cultivates future civic leaders.
The Portland Metro Chamber is proud to introduce the 2025-2026 cohort of its Leadership Portland program. This year’s class includes 50 professionals representing a broad spectrum of businesses, nonprofits, and public sector organizations across the Portland region.
Leadership Portland is a yearlong program that immerses participants in the key issues and opportunities shaping the future of our city. Through monthly program days, the cohort explores pressing regional topics such as education, healthcare, housing and homelessness, public safety, arts and culture, and government at both the local and state levels. The program’s mission is to deepen participants’ understanding of Portland’s challenges and foster collaboration among business, government, and community leaders to drive impactful solutions.
Each cohort is carefully selected based on a demonstrated commitment to community engagement and a diversity of skills, perspectives, and experiences. Since its inception in 2003, nearly 800 local professionals have taken part in the Leadership Portland program, helping to build a stronger, more connected Portland.
2025-2026 Leadership Portland Participants
- Jack Arriaga, Federal Relations Manager, Office of Government Relations, City of Portland
- Adam Auler, Senior Manager of Integrated Media, Tinuiti
- Joe Baker, Senior Director of Business Development & Go to Market Strategy, Percipio Consulting Group
- Katie Bennett, Associate, Miller Nash
- Brett Berry, Vice President and Senior Business Advisor, PNC Financial Services Group
- Czarina Boyce, Director of Development, Oregon Children’s Theatre
- Tiffany Carter, Chief Development Officer of the Cascades Region, American Red Cross
- Steve Cook, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Blanchet House of Hospitality
- Joe Cote, Chief Revenue Officer, Portland Timbers
- Rachel Crittenden, Senior Manager of Programs and Operations, Oregon Historical Society
- Julie Dalrymple, Director of Membership and Partnerships, Willamette Valley Wineries Association
- Eric Demmitt, Senior Strategy & Planning Program Manager, TriMet
- Keren Eichen, Director of Real Estate Services, Unico Properties
- Lindsay Ford, Director of Community & Business Relations, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon
- James Fowler, Owner & Creative Director, Devil’s Food Catering
- Lacey Garrett, Marketing Manager of Programs, NW Natural
- Adam Green, Fundraising & Partnership Director, SOLVE
- Mick Harris, Attorney, Tonkon Torp
- Marcus Hibdon, Vice President of Communications & International Tourism, Travel Portland
- Jeana Hooker, Senior Inclusion Diversity Equity & Accessibility Project Manager, TriMet
- Michelle Jalali, Senior Director of Inclusion Diversity Equity, Portland Trail Blazers
- Joseph Janda, Assistant Vice President for Innovation, Portland State University
- Chelsie Kinney, Executive Assistant, Board Liaison & Office Manager, Portland Metro Chamber
- Shayda Le, Partner, Barran Liebman
- Erik León, Grant Coordinator, Oregon City Public Schools
- Jonah Liden, Corporate & Government Affairs Manager of North America, Adidas
- Abi Lightfood, Account Executive, Oregonian
- Tanya Macedo, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lead, Cambia Health Solutions
- Kristin MacRostie, Director of The New Drug Talk Oregon, Song for Charlie
- Rena Mahajan, Development Director, Alliance for a Safe Oregon
- Haley Mangum, Employee Relations Principal, Amazon
- Amalia Mohr, Principal & Senior Interior Designer, LRS Architects
- Nicole Onder, Property Manager, CPM, & Broker, Melvin Mark Brokerage Companies
- Mara Payne, Senior Account Executive, Portland Business Journal
- Nydia Peña, Senior Program Manager, Partners in Diversity
- Dan Peterson, Senior Director of Development, Oregon State University Foundation
- Jadah Peterson, Assistant Vice President & Branch Manager, Umpqua Bank
- Brandi Pickell, Senior Vice President & Senior Relationship Manager, Bank of America
- Nathan Putnam, Vice President Portfolio Manager, Ferguson Wellman
- Alison Renz, Manager, Account Management, & Strategic Accounts, Kaiser Permanente
- Natasha Reyes, Director of Partnerships, Sport Oregon
- Ali Roos, Senior Vice President, Brown & Brown Insurance
- Kalia Savage, Principal Transmission & Market Policy Analyst, Portland General Electric Company
- Kevin Schock, Of Counsel, Stoel Rives
- Tara Spyker, National Sales Manager, Skamania
- Mikah Takashige, Co-Founder & Director of Housing Development, Our Streets
- Erica Thompson, Principal, Hennebery Eddy Architects, Inc.
- Jeanette Waddle, Public Affairs Manager, Alaska Airlines
- Jared Wiener, Director of Government Affairs, Lumen Technologies
- Raisa Yassin, Senior Operations Manager in Stretch Capacity, Amazon
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 Keaton Andreas, Senior Associate Director of Executive Admissions. “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