CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR

“As busy as he is in his new position, Rob consistently goes above and beyond to lend his support whenever possible. He is always willing to jump in and offer expertise, bringing his brilliant mind to the table to help solve challenges and drive success. His dedication and willingness to contribute make him an invaluable asset to SVP!”
- Carolina Castañeda del Río, SVP Director of Community Impact

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

“Ginny brought deep expertise in organization assessment and development to SVP, and rolled up her sleeves almost immediately to improve and deploy our Community Partner engagement process with our full pipeline of potential partner orgs. She is always full of energy and optimism, and ready to jump in and help wherever needed. Ginny is taking on a lead partner role with two of our new Community Partners, which is a significant ongoing commitment, and is already referring other prospective Investor Partners to SVP. Bringing it all!”
- Ursula Garcia, SVP Director of Resource Development

TECH GURU OF THE YEAR

“Roxanne is such a guiding light not only in helping us cross the digital divide but in art, service and social justice. Her dedication to social justice shines through in everything she does inside and outside SVP. Roxanne's heart of service, strength, and unwavering commitment make her an inspiration to all of us. It's been incredibly rewarding to witness her impact firsthand, whether it's through her beautiful murals or the time she spends advocating for our youth experiencing hardships. It has been the most rewarding experience getting to know and work with Roxanne because her positive energy is contagious.”
- Jenn Luevano-Brummett, SVP Community Impact Project Manager

SVP SPIRIT AWARD

“Larry Fox! What can you say . . . he’s been a cornerstone of Social Venture Partners Portland for over 15 years, serving as an Investor Partner, Lead Partner, Director, Board Chair, and Treasurer. He helped shape one of SVP’s most pivotal changes: a focus on universal access to preschool education for Portland-area kids, a lighthouse objective still central today. A lifelong learner, he embraces tough truths about inequity, racism, and social injustice, channeling them into heartfelt calls to action. His efforts have strengthened SVP’s impact, empowered community leaders, and stood steadfastly in solidarity with SVP Community Partners. Above all, Larry is a kind, generous, and thoughtful friend: empathetic, ready to help, and unwavering in his commitment to the community and SVP’s mission. A Superstar, indeed! Thank you, Larry.”
- Bob Tate, SVP Board Chair

TEAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR

“In addition to serving as the lead partner for Escuela Viva, Kirt has played a crucial role in supporting the coordination of two of our Scaling Cohort modules. Beyond this, he is lending his expertise to consult with and connect one of our Community Partners as they navigate the process of evaluating potential sites for their second location. Kirt’s dedication and collaborative spirit have made a meaningful impact on multiple levels of our work!”
- Carolina Castañeda del Río, SVP Director of Community Impact

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

“Erin leads with a passion for transforming philanthropy from the inside out so that it is more inclusive and diverse, and always focused on the outcomes we're achieving. She exudes SVP's spirit of curiosity, entrepreneurship, and collaboration, and enthusiastically embraces new challenges and opportunities!”
- Lauren Johnson, SVP Executive Director

BACKSTAGE STAR OF THE YEAR

“Michele is someone we can always count on to respond, figure things out, fix problems, and make sure our development data is clean and accurate. She works consistently behind the scenes with a wonderfully positive attitude, making the work of SVP staff easier and better. Thank you Michele!”
- Ursula Garcia, SVP Director of Resource Development

FINANCE WIZ AWARD“Nicole has touched most of our Community Partners in one way or the other. She has demonstrated not only deep expertise in her subject matter, but a true spirit of continuous learning as she has immersed herself in the complicated world of nonprofit finances. Thank you, Nicole!”
- Carolina Castañeda del Río, SVP Director of Community Impact

THE WEAVER AWARD

“Jerry truly embodies the spirit of the Weaver Award. His dedication to community and service is woven into everything he does. I've been consistently amazed by his ability to leverage his connections and resources to advocate for others in a way I've never seen before. He weaves community through true dedication, intention and connection. His commitment is unwavering!”
- Jenn Luevano-Brummett, SVP Community Impact Project Manager

WALK THE TALK AWARD

“Centered in her empathetic commitment to advancing social and racial equity, Melinda's hands-on capacity as a facilitator and trainer in culture transformation is intersectional with SVP's goal to shift power in philanthropy toward our community. Congratulations, Melinda, on this well-earned honor!”
- Bala Cadambi, SVP Board of Directors

THE NORTH STAR AWARD

“Elaine has recently taken on a leadership role in the PMT, implementing new tools and processes that have helped increase alignment and transparency in investment decisions-making. Prior to this, while serving on the PMT, she ensured investments aligned with SVPP's goals while prioritizing community impact. Her attention to detail and memory of past investment conditions is unrivaled on the team! She is a pleasure to work with and a joy to learn from!”
- Erin Stevanus, SVP Investor Partner

DEEP DIVE AWARD

“Tiffany did an excellent job with our Workforce Gap analysis. She leveraged her expertise in workforce development and connected with key early childhood leaders in our community, providing valuable perspectives on opportunities for SVP to address this barrier strategically. Tiffany approached the project with a blend of experience, curiosity, and humility, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration with her in this area!”
- Carolina Castañeda del Río, SVP Director of Community Impact

VENTURE PHILANTHROPY CHAMPION

“Katherine has demonstrated outstanding passion and leadership as an exceptional champion for the unique value of our engaged philanthropy model. She is a committed member of our Portfolio Team, first showing up with genuine curiosity to understand our capacity building resources and impact, and then helping the team make strategic decisions and further strengthen our partnerships. Additionally, she joined me in delivering public presentations on Venture Philanthropy in order to grow awareness of SVP Portland, and motivate more change-makers to join our partnership.” - Lauren Johnson

EQUITY INNOVATORS

“The Threads of Justice Collective, an SVP Community Partner since 2019, saw some big changes and successes this year. The founding members passed on leadership to the next generation of passionate volunteers. This year also saw the successful launch of the new website that includes a marketplace for their justice and inclusion toolkits. These downloadable materials help educators with the six core social identity categories, including economic class, skin color/race, and gender.”- Darren Davidson

AN ASSET TO OUR ASSETS

“A true partner in every sense of the word, whether working with the Finance Team, the Financial Partner Team, or with Community Partners including CAIRO, Latino Network, or Children’s Book Bank. Ron is always present, ever a mindful and thoughtful critical thinker, who is always open, listens, adapts and continuously contributes. Most of all, Ron’s sense of humor, humanity, and leadership are priceless. Thank you Ron!” - Nicole Thibodeau

EQUITY CHAMPION

“Tobias has been a patient and creative leader in SVP's equity journey. He leads with clarity and vulnerability, drawing folks into the conversation while holding them accountable. It's a powerful recipe for change and we've been lucky to collaborate alongside him!” - Leah Fox

EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVOCATE

“As a member of the Washington County Preschool for all Steering Committee and as Executive Director of Adelante Mujeres, Bridget has been a leader in the community when it comes to early childhood education. She is passionate and steadfast in forging a path for universal preschool in Washington County, energizing those she works alongside!” - Elizabeth Aguilera

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

“Brayam is the best kind of at-the-ready. He's ready to learn about people and opportunities. He's ready to jump in and make a difference wherever he can. He's a guy you want on your team for all kinds of good morale!” - Mark Holloway

SVP LEGACY AWARD

“I cannot think of a better leader, and guiding force, to successfully manage the Portfolio Management Team through the many challenges presented by the pandemic. Bill is a thoughtful, caring, articulate leader, who strives constantly to ensure an inclusive environment in which everyone’s voice can be heard. I believe I speak for all of the team members when I say how much we appreciate his strong leadership and his highly effective management and listening skills.” - Valerie Ilsley

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

“Jerry is a force of nature, and an incredible example of the spirit of volunteerism rooted so deeply in the character of SVP’s most dedicated and engaged Partners. He is currently working tirelessly on the Volunteers Initiative, with a vision of connecting retired volunteers with preschools to help fill the gaps needed to boost the capacity of educators. His entrepreneurial drive and out of the box thinking, combined with his joyous personality and vast network of friends and colleagues is truly inspiring!” - Dylan Hall

SVP SPIRIT AWARD

“I worked closely with Erin from practically my first day as an SVP partner. She was a great role model to have as I learned the ropes. She brought a lot of energy to her role as the Lead Partner for CAIRO, and after she had to step back from that role she was still involved and willing to help the interim lead partner (me) whenever I asked for advice. Especially when we made our most recent re-investment proposal. Erin is a great example of what it means to be an SVP Partner!” - Rob Aslett