Leadership
Executive Director
Jessica Bowersox became the Executive Director of SMART Reading in July 2022. She has been with the organization since 2010, as the Communications Director and later the Deputy Director. As a member of the organization’s executive leadership team for more than a decade, she has played an integral role in setting strategic vision for SMART and working with staff and board leadership to fulfill that vision.
Jessica has 17 years’ experience in public relations and integrated marketing communications within communications agencies and the nonprofit sector. In her role as Communications Director of SMART Reading, Jessica has provided marketing and public relations expertise to drive the organization’s communications strategies throughout Oregon.
Through her agency work, Jessica worked for numerous nonprofit and education organizations, as well as major brands such as Microsoft. In 2007, she won a MarCom Gold Award in media relations for her work with the Oregon National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Jessica has served in numerous volunteer roles throughout her career, including as a founding member of the Young Leaders Collective of I Have A Dream Oregon, where she led the Marketing Committee for four years. She is a graduate of the Leadership Portland program and Social Venture Partners Portland’s Rising Leaders program. Before moving to Portland from Eugene in 2008, she completed the Leadership Eugene/Springfield program and served on the boards of directors for the HIV Alliance and American Marketing Association’s local chapter in Eugene.
Jessica has Bachelor’s degrees in Public Relations and Magazine Journalism from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Willamette University.
Statewide Board of Directors
As a volunteer-driven organization, volunteers are critical to our success and are the very heart of SMART Reading. Our dedicated volunteer leadership is committed to helping SMART Reading achieve the vision of an Oregon where every child can read and is empowered to succeed. Our Board is comprised of individuals from across Oregon who assist SMART Reading through leadership, financial support and advocacy.
Officers:
Chair: Phil Long, Retired School Superintendent, Medford SD 549C & Butte Falls SD 91
Vice-Chair: Megan Jumago-Simpson, Broker, Keller Williams Realty
Treasurer: Eric Lukingbeal, Vice President & Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking, PNC
Secretary: Molly Ishkanian, President and Owner, Weinstein PR
Immediate Past Chair: Marito Domingo, Retired Chief Credit Officer & Chief Financial Officer
Member–At-Large:
Jason Halstead, Retired Creative Director, Gist Brands
Directors:
- Stephanie Carson, Senior Director, Category Growth, Tillamook
- Beth Daniels, Strategic Initiatives, Legacy Health Systems
- Winston Hall, 2nd Vice President, Actuarial Transformation, The Standard
- Jelani Memory, Founder and CEO, A Kids Co
- Debbi Nadell, SMART Site Coordinator
- Kirby Neumann-Rae, Editor, News-Register
- Sonja Thomas, Children’s Book Author and Accountant
- Tim Walley,* Head of Business Development and Marketing, Heisler Capital
* Member representing SMART Reading Associate Board
Emeritus:
- Mary Boyle, Portland
- Terri Browning, Banks
- Tom Costabile, Old Tappan, NJ
- Ruth Ann Dodson, Portland
- Joe Gonyea II, Springfield
- Katie Hertig, Warrenton
- Sue Hollern, Bend
- Ray Holliday, Klamath Falls
- Karin Holsinger, Portland
- Behzad Hosseini, Fox Island, WA
- Jane Teater, Bend
- Harriet Langmas, Bend
- Liz Large, Portland
- Irving J. Levin, Beaverton
- Kent Lewis, Portland
- Anna Madill, Portand
- Margaret (Peggy) Maguire, Portland
- John Morgan, Portland
- Doug Post, Portland
- Charles H. Rouse, Richland
- Hank Sigmon, Portland
- Patricia C. Smullin, Medford
- Steve Stadum, Portland
- Von Summers, Portland
- Bill Thorndike, Jr., Medford
- Andy Vobora, Eugene
- Mary Wilcox, Portland
- Angela Wilhelms, Wilsonville
- Charles Wilhoite, Portland
- DJ Wilson, Whitefish, MT
- Steve Wynne, Portland
SMART Reading Leadership Council
SMART Reading Leadership Councils are groups of individuals in local communities across the state who help raise friends and funds for SMART Reading in their local area.