Partner Highlight: Leah Fox
In this continuing series, we are highlighting Partners and the skills they bring to the SVP Portland Partnership.
Leah Fox is originally from Chicago and only moved to Portland in 2018, to fulfill a lifelong dream to live on the West Coast. Her professional career has been driven primarily by social-impact work. Leah currently serves as the Associate Director of Foundations and Initiatives at KABOOM!, a national non-profit working to end playspace inequity. You might recognize the name from an old episode of Parks and Recreation - yes, KABOOM! is a real organization - and they've built or improved more than 17,000 playspaces since their founding in 1996. When Leah isn’t working, she loves trail running, though she hasn’t been doing much of that since she gave birth to her first kiddo, Maxine Wilder Fox, in June.
Q: Why did you choose to join SVP as a Partner?
A: Part of the joy of being in a new city is the chance to build one's community. During this time of isolation, where so many things feel upside down, I found myself really craving ways to make a meaningful local impact and build my network. SVP Portland turns out to be the perfect solution.
Q: What specifically drew you to our Partnership?
A: As someone with an extensive background in the nonprofit sector, I'm familiar with a lot of the challenges small organizations face, and it's exciting to be part of a team able to address those obstacles. The commitment to equity was also a real draw for me as I've worked to prioritize my own education in this space while continuing to explore my relationship with privilege. It's meaningful to have a place to do that with others.
Q: Can you talk a little more about your equity journey?
A: Beginning in 2017, KABOOM! embarked on a journey to apply an equity-centered approach to both our internal and external work. As part of that process, we launched the first ever staff-led Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Network. I became a member of that group and eventually a co-chair, providing learning opportunities, resources, and support to staff on topics of diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition, I was asked to spearhead the effort to write about our racial equity journey in a recently published paper. These experiences demonstrated for me that operating with equity at the center is the only way to ensure that all individuals have the tools they need to succeed. In short, operating with a diversity, equity and inclusion mindset is good for business. And while we have a long, uphill battle to dismantle the systemic racism that has led us to this point, I want to do my part to move the process forward in a way that helps level the playing field.
Q: Is there a particular area in which you want to get engaged?
A: I'm interested in supporting the Equity Team's efforts to build anti-racist policies and procedures within SVP as well as supporting community projects through my non-profit, project/program management background. Matt and Rose have a project that might be a fit for me and I’m excited to see that come to life.