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: Beth Daniels, Strategic Initiatives, Legacy Health Systems
Vice-Chair: Marito Domingo, Chief Credit Officer & Chief Financial Officer,First Tech Federal Credit Union
Treasurer: Phil Long, Superintendent, Butte Falls School District 91
Secretary: Krista Tappan, Advertising Director, Portland Business Journal
Immediate Past Chair: Doug Post, Partner/Lead Advisor, Vista Capital Partners
At-Large Member: Jason Halstead, Creative Director, Gist Brands
Directors:
- Katherine Backus*, Talent Development Specialist, Vista Capital Partners
- Dennis Baker, Vice President, Enterprise Applications and Architecture, KinderCare Education
- Stephanie Carson, Senior Director, Category Growth, Tillamook
- Ron Eisman, Retired Financial Officer, Wells Fargo and Umpqua Bank
- Winston Hall, 2nd Vice President, Actuarial Transformation, The Standard
- Molly Ishkanian, President and Owner, Weinstein PR
- Megan Jumago-Simpson, Broker, Keller Williams Realty
- Eric Lukingbeal, Vice President & Relationship Manager, Commercial Banking, PNC
- 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
* Member representing SMART Reading Associate Board
Emeritus:
- Mary Boyle, Portland
- Terri Browning, Portland
- Tom Costabile, Old Tappan, NJ
- Ruth Ann Dodson, Portland
- Bill Early, Portland
- Joe Gonyea II, Springfield
- Katie Hertig, Warrenton
- Sue Hollern, Bend
- Karin Holsinger, Portland
- Behzad Hosseini, Portland
- 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
- 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
- Charles Wilhoite, Portland
- DJ Wilson, Portland
- Linda Wright, Portland
- 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.