About IWF Oregon

Melody Rose

Dr. Melody Rose is Principal at WittKieffer, a global executive search and leadership advisory firm, where she provides talent solutions within the higher education practice group.  After a 25-year higher education career in which she served as the statewide chancellor of two public higher education systems with billion-dollar budgets, a university president, and numerous other roles in the academy, today she is passionate about supporting universities and colleges in their search for C-suite talent. During this period of significant higher education innovation and change, supporting the leadership bench has never been more vital to the future of the education landscape.

Rose is also an expert in university and corporate governance. Throughout her years on faculty, she focused her teaching and research on issues related to American women and politics, campaigns and elections, and social policy, earning awards for several books, including Hillary Clinton'­s Race for the White House (with coauthor Regina Lawrence). Rose is the author of five books and numerous articles most recently focused on higher education governance, board governance and higher education business models, drawing from her experience in closing Marylhurst University and as a veteran in the areas of talent development, crisis management, and mergers, acquisitions, & closures.

Rose is the Founder of Portland State University'­s Center for Women'­s Leadership, which for 20 years has worked to build an equitable public service pathway for underrepresented, female-identifying leaders.

Rose earned her BA in Politics (Phi Beta Kappa) from UC Santa Cruz. She earned an M.P.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University.

Rose is also a committed member of her community, serving on multiple boards and commissions, recently including the National Association of System Heads (NASH) and the Nevada Governor'­s Office of Economic Development (GOED). She is an active member of the International Women'­s Forum, and successfully co-chaired the comprehensive campaign for Habitat for Humanity Portland, which raised $44 million in private and public dollars to triple the number of houses they build in the region.  Rose'­s work has been honored with numerous awards, including the 2018 Girl Scouts Women of Distinction Award for "courageous leadership."

Toya Fick

Toya Fick is the president and CEO of the Meyer Memorial Trust. In this role, she is responsible for executing on the foundation'­s mission to accelerate racial, social, and economic justice throughout Oregon.

After earning her BA in political science from the University of Chicago, Fick became an educator and taught middle school in Louisiana and Washington, DC. In 2005, Fick began to use her teaching experience to advise former Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on education policy. She then became an advocate for equitable outcomes in education on behalf of the Alliance for Excellence in Education, the Oregon Health and Science University, and Stand for Children.

Fick has spent much of her career working to create more equitable schools for all children in Oregon. While serving as the Oregon Executive Director of Stand for Children, she was one of the primary authors for Ballot Measure 98. To date, Measure 98 has provided over $750 million to support career-connected learning opportunities in high schools throughout Oregon. Since its implementation, the graduation rate for students in Oregon has significantly increased. She played a critical role in passing the Student Success Act, the Student Success Act, and numerous other bills in the Oregon Legislature. Fick currently serves on the board of the University of Oregon's board of trustees and Foundations for a Better Oregon. She's currently the president of IWF Oregon and recently served as the membership chair.

Fick considers her most important role of her life is being the mother of two incredible young children.

Jacqueline Seto

Jackie Seto is the Principal of Side People Consulting LLC providing leadership and business advising to non-profit and tech companies, with a strong focus on helping next generation women leaders. Prior to Side People, Jackie spent 22 years at Lam Research, a Semiconductor Capital Equipment Manufacturer where she led research, product development and marketing for multiple business units. In 2010, she founded the technical women'­s group at Lam to help women successfully navigate their careers in traditionally male roles. Jackie is a Non-Executive Director for Ultra Clean Technology (UCTT) and serves on the Board of Directors for Mastersranking.com, IWF Oregon and on the Board of Trustees for Oregon Museum of Science and Technology (OMSI). She is an Executive in Residence for the Technical Association of Oregon (TAO) and a mentor for Mentium Corporation. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.

Debbie Kitchin

Debbie Kitchin is a Principal of InterWorks, L.L.C., a general contractor specializing in commercial tenant improvement and renovation and residential remodeling since 1994. InterWorks is an award-winning contractor with expertise in sustainable building practices.

Prior to joining the family business in 1996, Debbie was a regional economist for 18 years, mostly at the Northwest Power Planning Council. Debbie serves as Past President of the Board of Directors of the Central Eastside Industrial Council and a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Portland Inc. She was appointed to the City of Portland Charter Review Commission in 2020. She is also a member of the 2021 Emerge Oregon cohort. She served as Chair and Member of the Board of Directors of the Energy Trust of Oregon (member for 16 years). She is Chair Emeritus of the Portland Business Alliance. Debbie was awarded the 2017 William S. Naito Outstanding Service Award and the 2015 DJC Women of Vision Award. Debbie has a B.A. in Economics from Reed College and the MBA from Portland State University. Debbie loves living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest and enjoys many outdoor activities including skiing, soccer, golf and hiking.

Jan Robertson

Jan Robertson is the Chief Operating Officer & Principal of Norris, Beggs & Simpson Companies, LLC (est. 1932), a diversified commercial real estate services firm serving as the holding company for five operating subsidiaries: NBS Financial Services, Morrison Street Capital, Morrison Street Research, NBS Real Estate Consulting, and The REFF Group. Jan joined NBS in 1981, and is responsible for operations/administration and strategic initiatives.   She became the first woman Partner in 1993, CFO in 2005 and CEO in 2011, leading a company reorganization in 2015 before stepping into her current role as COO. Jan also serves as an Investment Committee Member for the Morrison Street Funds.  Jan is a longtime community leader in SW Washington and Portland. She was named to the City of Vancouver's Downtown Redevelopment Authority Board in 2017 and currently serves as President, Past President (first female) of the local chapter of NAIOP, and member of the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Building Owners & Managers Association, and the Commercial Association of Brokers.  A passionate advocate for the arts and arts in education , she has worked with many non-profit s including Young Audiences Arts for Learning both locally and nationally.  She dedicated 20 years of service to the Oregon board and with service on the national board since 2000, currently as Secretary and Chair of both the Audit and National Conference Committees.  Amongst her many awards, Jan was the 2018 National Honoree at the Young Audiences Arts for Learning Gala in New York, received Portland State University's Center for Women's Leadership 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Multnomah County Volunteer of the Year Award in 2009. Other recognition includes Real Estate Forum Magazine's Woman of Influence in 2014, the Daily Journal of Commerce Woman of Vision in 2014 and as a Newsmaker of the Year in 2012, A Place With No Ceiling award from the Portland Business Alliance in 2014, from the Portland Business Journal an "Orchid" Award in 2008 and their "Exceptional Woman" list in 2002, as well as The Columbian's Clark County's Most Powerful Women List in 2007.

Su Embree

Su Embree is the Cofounder of The Script (formerly Emerging Leaders) and the former President of DHM Research, a premier opinion research firm in Oregon with offices in Portland, Seattle and Washington, DC. Su’s interest in research began early in college where she learned the power of good data to improve outcomes.

Today, she dedicates her time in highlighting the voice of our community to executive teams, elected officials, and boards of directors. Su believes strongly in board service in her community. She is a Trustee of the Oregon Community Foundation; Board Member of the Children's Institute; former President of the Entrepreneur’s Organization; former Executive Committee member and EDI Committee Chair of OMSI; and mentors entrepreneurrs of color and female founders. She was awarded the Orchid Award by the Portland Business Journal for Achievements for Women of Influence. Su is a graduate of the University of Tennessee. Su has two grown daughters and lives in Bend with her husband. 

Kathleen Kee

Kathleen is a Senior Wealth Advisor and shareholder at Buckingham Strategic Wealth an independent, fee-only wealth management company, and serves as a fiduciary in helping clients create solutions and discover the significance of their wealth. Her particular expertise is working through complex financial situations. Kathleen recently sold her company, Confluence Wealth Management to Buckingham Strategic Wealth where she served as CEO for the last ten years. She is atypical in leading a financial services company as a women of color and a women owned business, leading the company to four-fold growth during her tenure.  She is also an independent board of director and Audit Chair for the Jensen Quality Growth mutual fund.

Kathleen feels it is important to be involved in the community and presently serves as Secretary Treasurer for the Downtown Redevlopment Authority, a public board to develop, operate, expand and promote the Vancouver Convention Center and Hotel Project, Chairs the Friends of the Children Foundation- Portland, and is a founding board member of the Friends of the Children SW WA.  She is the immediate past chair of Randall Children Hospital, board of Trustees, served on the boards of the Portland Business Alliance, Marylhurst College, and Morrison Family Services. Professionally she is a past President of the Portland Estate Planning Council and has served on the CFP Board of Professional Review and mentors many women through the CFP Women’s Initiative (WIN), and lends her expertise to many investment committees such as Legacy Health Foundation, Multnomah Athletic Club and as an ex-officio member of the investment committee for the Oregon Historical Society. She was also recently selected as one of the Portland Business Journal’s Women of Influence recipients for her business and professional contributions. Kathleen attained her BS in Finance from Oregon State University and her MBA from Washington State University.

Anne Marie Levis

Anne Marie is President and Creative Director of Funk/Levis & Associates, providing a standard of excellence that sets the bar for all the agency’s work. Her passion for branding and marketing is surpassed only by her dedication to the agency’s clients. Anne Marie is proud of the company and team that she’s built. She loves knowing that her team helps people and businesses succeed, day in and day out.

In addition to leading Funk/Levis, Anne Marie is a vital member of the Eugene community. She serves on the advancement council for the School of Journalism at the University of Oregon and in a leadership role for the board of Planned Parenthood of Southern Oregon. She has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Oregon, a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from California State University at Chico and an Associate’s degree from West Valley Community College. In 2018 she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America, the highest level of certification for public relations professionals.

Vicki Nakashima

Sabrina Parsons

Angela Hult

Angela’s career combines her personal and professional commitment to service. Before joining the Kuni Foundation, Angela previously led all philanthropic and community investment efforts for Cambia Health Solutions, a $9 billion total health solutions company based in Portland, Oregon. In her role as Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Executive Director of the Cambia Health Foundation, she directed programs such as employee volunteerism and community engagement, corporate giving, regional and national grant making, sustainability, executive board placement and the employee giving campaign, which had a participation rate of more than twice the national average. Angela’s career spans investor relations, global media, strategic communications and corporate philanthropy, where she has worked for some of Oregon’s best-known companies, including Wells Fargo, PacifiCorp and Columbia Sportswear. Her nonprofit board service includes statewide and national organizations. She serves as Vice Chair of Grantmakers of Oregon and Southwest Washington and on the Board of the Regional Arts and Culture Council. She previously served as Chair of the board of The Center for Women’s Leadership at Portland State University and also served on the boards of Albertina Kerr and Children First for Oregon. In 2016, she was named a Woman of Influence by the Portland Business Journal. Angela received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Pacific Lutheran University and is a graduate of the Leadership Academy for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. She is proud to be a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest.
 

Jessica Zubach

Jessica Zubach serves as Operations Manager for IWF Oregon. Under the direction and guidance of the President and Board of Directors, she is responsible for managing day-to-day forum operations, driving committee activities, supporting forum members and facilitating their participation in forum activities.

Prior to joining IWF Oregon, Jessica led principal donor stewardship programs for Oregon Health & Science University and Doernbecher Children'­s Hospital Foundation. Prior to this, she produced award-winning advertising campaigns at Wieden Kennedy for Fortune 100 companies including Nike and Procter & Gamble.

Jessica attained her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication and Public Relations from the University of Portland. She currently lives in Anchorage, Alaska with her husband and two young children and serves as Vice President for Anchor Lutheran School's Board of Directors.