Partner Highlight: Heidi Yewman
Heidi Yewman was an engaged philanthropist long before she became an SVP Partner. She has served as board member for a number of organizations, and is also an activist, writer, author, and director/producer of the gun violence documentary Behind The Bullet. Heidi joined SVP as a Partner in 2021 with her husband, Dave, who is also an engaged Partner. Together, they have two children that they are teaching to be the next generation of philanthropists. Her favorite spot in Portland is the Rose Garden tennis courts, where she loves playing tennis surrounded by beautiful roses (on a court that needs a little work) while tourists happily experience one of our city’s treasures.
Q: How are you engaged in the community and in philanthropy?
Finding ways to have and show empathy for those I encounter everyday is a big motivator for me and a reason I am a philanthropist. As a Board member at Women Donors Network, a national women’s philanthropy group, I’ve been able to speak at conferences around the country about how I’ve brought philanthropy into my family life, encouraging and teaching my twenty-something-year-old kids to participate in decisions about how, who, and where we as a family share our resources. My experience in trauma response – as a Board member at Brady, the oldest gun violence prevention group in the country, and my experience volunteering at Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) here in Portland – has allowed me to understand the challenges people have in times of trauma and the need they have for support and radical empathy. I’ve also enjoyed my work at ninety-nine girlfriends, an all-volunteer run women’s collective giving organization, where I process grant applications, allowing me a better understanding of the work that goes into those seeking grants.
Q: How did you hear about SVP and why did you choose to become a Partner?
I attended a philanthropy conference in Utah in 2018 where I met Mark Holloway and first learned about SVP Portland. I was looking for ways to be engaged here in Portland, so SVP was a natural fit for me. I was hoping I’d be able to use the skills I’d learned on several Boards, along with my years of advocacy work.
Q: What have you gained, learned, or enjoyed as a Partner?
Being a Partner at SVP allows me to combine my skills with those of other talented individuals, be a part of a local organization that's doing important and strategic work, and make a difference in my community. Specifically, I have learned why preschool education in Portland isn’t meeting the needs of every child. The support I see for the organizations working to improve the lives of the children whose needs are not being met is impressive.
Q: Why is your work with the Equity Team (aka E-Team) important to you?
Being on the E-Team allows me to be vulnerable while I grow, test, and try new strategies and thoughts in a supportive environment. I’m on the E-Team convening team and have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside the other Partners to create meaningful conversations, connections, and actions around equity, diversity, and inclusion at SVP. As a leader in this space, I am able to really see SVP grow as an organization because of its commitment to understand and break through systemic racism and unconscious bias. I am motivated to keep learning and I advocate for others to do so as well!