The Nonprofit Association of Oregon Welcomes Four New Board Members From Across the State

From The Nonprofit Association of Oregon:

Portland, OR – The Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) is pleased to welcome four new nonprofit executives onto NAO’s board of directors – Stephen Marc Beaudoin, Executive Director of PHAME in Portland; Celeste Hill-Thomas, Executive Director of Mid-Columbia Health Foundation in The Dalles; Kendra Morgan, Director of Programs at Shangri La Corporation in Salem; and Matthew Scott, Director of Operations at National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) in Portland.

“We are very excited to have these four exemplary nonprofit leaders joining our returning directors in shaping our future. We are a stronger organization when we incorporate talented individuals with diverse perspectives across the nonprofit sector both in our membership and in the makeup of our board,” said NAO Executive Director, Jim White. “The NAO Board is a reflection of the amazing nonprofits that we serve.”

Stephen Marc Beaudoin is Executive Director of PHAME, which supports individuals with disabilities in using the arts to achieve their fullest, most creative, most independent lives, and works with organizations and businesses to create more inclusive communities. Beaudoin has been with PHAME since 2010, leading the nonprofit through a period of transformative maturation, growth, and change. In 2015, Beaudoin was publicly elected as a board member of the Multnomah Education Service District, an 80 million public education agency providing special education, school health, technology, alternative education, and Outdoor School services to eight Multnomah County school districts; he currently serves as Board Chair. Winner of the 2014 Spirit of Portland Award and the 2011 Skidmore Prize, Beaudoin is also an Advisory Board member for TEDxPortland, has published on nonprofit matters in the Portland Business Journal, Willamette Week, Sustainable Business Oregon, and Artslandia magazine, and is the proud uncle of two wonderful nieces, Mimi and Addy.

Celeste Hill-Thomas is the Executive Director of Mid-Columbia Health Foundation. Celeste was born in Everett, Washington and raised in John Day, Oregon. Celeste earned a Bachelor of Art degree in Business/Economics from Eastern Oregon University. Celeste lives in The Dalles and enjoys the small community. In the past, Celeste had worked in the Financial Services field with emphasis in Project Management, Investor Relations and Marketing.

Kendra Morgan brings with her over 14 years of executive-level leadership, and presently serves as the Director of Youth and Family Services at Shangri La, a 24 million dollar, multi-faceted nonprofit based in the Mid-Willamette Valley. Before moving to Oregon, Kendra served as Executive Director for a small nonprofit in the mid-west, and later relocated to the Pacific Northwest, where she worked as a Deputy Director of a mid-sized nonprofit on California’s Redwood Coast. She has also provided consulting support to nonprofits for the last several years.

Highlights of her experience include public policy and advocacy for The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities Initiative; board leadership with the Humboldt-Del Norte Healthcare District, with an emphasis on prevention for better health outcomes; homeless prevention and affordable housing development; forming the Continuum of Care for Del Norte County, where she also spearheaded the first point-in-time count of area homeless; food systems development, pioneering the first Food Policy Council in Del Norte County; child abuse prevention initiatives, including Differential Response; work with the Hmong refugee population; and healthy youth development. Kendra is a Sigma Beta Delta member of the International Honor Society for Business Management and Administration, as well as a Diversity Scholar for her work with the Hmong community.

Matthew Scott is the Director of Operations at NICWA. He earned his bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Oregon (UO) in 2008, focusing on business, Spanish, and ethnic studies. During his time at the UO, he was an active member in the Mortar Board Honor Society as the community service chair. Matthew also interned for two summers with the Siletz Tribe’s Education Department, helping tribal youth gain valuable work experience in their community. Matthew recently earned his graduate certificate in public and nonprofit management from Portland State University in 2016 focusing his studies on strategic, business, and financial planning for nonprofit organizations.

Other members of NAO’s board of directors include: President, Nancy Ramirez Arriaga; Kathy Collins; Marilyn Hartzog; Past President, Chris Krenk; Bob Lieberman; Treasurer, Ian Lombard; Michele Neal; Chris Otis; Mac Pritchard; Jen Rusk; Vice President Brad Russell; Claire Seguin; and Brandi Tuck.

The Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO) is the statewide membership organization providing a unique vehicle for nonprofit sector expression and support. At NAO, we believe the nonprofit sector strengthens the fabric of our democracy and our communities. Nonprofits create many public benefits such as opportunities to participate in civic affairs, enrich cultural life, provide needed services, generate significant economic impact, address inequities, and create innovative solutions to community issues. By representing and supporting charitable nonprofits of all sizes and geographic locations across Oregon, we strive to convene, build capacity, promote best practices and be a thought leader to help nonprofits build a thriving and vital Oregon.

Photos courtesy of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon