Adam Wilson is the Vice President of Merchandising for Women's Footwear at Nike Inc. He has been with the brand for 17 years, leading businesses around the globe, with a focus on building diverse, high-performing teams, and leading change with an emphasis on sustainable growth. As an Oregon native, Adam has a great appreciation for the power of nature and our green spaces to be positive forces for both physical and mental health. As a proud product of our own public education system, Adam has a passion for coaching and partners with Oregon State University to advise and mentor first-generation students and recent graduates. Adam, with his wife Kristi and son Wyatt, love getting outside to hike or paddle, play basketball and golf, and always cheering for your Portland Trail Blazers.

Why this board?

Having been privileged to visit many of the great cities of the world, I believe great parks and green spaces are what allows people to truly thrive in an urban environment, and are also vital to the long-term sustainability of humanity thriving on Earth. Portland residents have always taken pride in their parks, and I believe we can lead the way for the country on parks as a source of personal activity, renewal, mobility and a safe and welcoming place to gather as a community.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

It's really hard to choose one, as one of my favorite parts of our park system is the variety. I have to go with Willamette Park just for the number of memories I have of biking through it with my family, playing tennis, taking our dogs to the off-leash area, or picnics along the river watching the paddlers, sailboats, and wakeboarders all share the river. It's amazing how quiet it can be throughout the week.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

I believe there are four major benefits of parks for our people: a place to move our bodies for exercise and expression, a connection to nature and the land, a safer method of mobility for people looking to walk/bike/roll from one place to another, and a space to gather safely whether that is a birthday party or a cultural celebration. I want to increase access to all four of those benefits to the people of Portland with a focus on greater equity and inclusion. This can result in a Portland that is more active, more mindful, more sustainable, and more connected.

Ya’a’teeh! (Navajo Greeting) First thing you should know about me is that I am part of the Dine (Navajo) Nation, and more specifically I am part of the Red Running Into Water People Clan and born for the Cliff Dwelling People Clan. As a long-time advocate for Native American families here in Portland, what best describes me is the diversity of communities I am a part of. My day job, volunteer efforts, and play time all include raising our community conscience so that we can all see the beauty of all those around us. My friends would describe me as someone who loves a fun party or enjoys a solid conversation over a cigar. I believe in our collective community power that can create a preferred future for all communities, so most days you will see me advocating for our parks, East Portland issues, or for the local Native American families.

Why this board?

Simply put, Mother Earth needs an advocate. She takes care of us in so many ways it our responsibility to mutually care for her as well. Growing up parks where always a safe place for me and my siblings when we had some violence going on in our home. I remember being able to step away for the craziness of life to enjoy the playground, running in an open field, or just sit on the bench with my grandma. They hold such a sacred space for me to this day in such a way that it only makes sense that I do everything I can to keep them healthy. Not to mention this board shares the same values and love to have fun just like I do.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

Tough one, it would either be Cully Park or Gateway Discovery Park. Cully Park has the Native Gathering Garden where the local Native American Community has helped shape that creation of that space while design input. It a space where I go for some morning prayers to greet the sun in the morning or just for an evening walk reflect on how good life is that day. But I do have so many fun memories with my younger siblings at Gateway Discovery Park. Especially with Summer Free For All events like Movies in the Park, Bubble Soccer, and yummy summer lunch. We could play in that park all day!

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

#LandBack. Which is the stewardship of our natural areas and park spaces back to the Indigenous Knowledge and Wisdom of the local Tribal Communities. Beyond a Land Acknowledgement and listening to our elders for guidance on planting, harvesting medicine, and ceremony. There is so much we can learn from this viewpoint that will benefit our Plant Relatives, heal all our Communities, and bring us back to what my people call “Walking In Beauty”.

Deeply involved in the Portland community during her nearly four decade long career at U.S. Bank, Mary Ruble served on numerous boards including the Portland Parks Foundation, Portland Parks Board, Regional Arts and Culture Council, Nature Conservancy of Oregon, Self Enhancement, Inc, Rose Festival and Portland Center Stage. Now a full time community advocate, Mary is also an avid outdoors person spending time in many of Oregon’s natural and scenic areas.

Why this board?

The Portland Parks Foundation presents an opportunity to support natural areas and parks through public-private partnerships. I strongly believe in this model. Portland’s parks and open spaces are special and they need extra care and feeding. The Foundation helps fill gaps by enhancing the beauty, access and usability of our parks and natural areas. PPF’s work brings joy to Portlanders and those who visit here. I am proud to have been involved in Portland’s parks and recreation system for over 20 years.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

I would be the Hoyt Arboretum. I love the meandering trails filled with hikers, the blooming magnolias in spring, the majesty of the towering pines and redwoods, the simplicity of the ground cover, the views of our great city. These speak to me in all seasons and remind me how lucky we are to live in a place that has kept parks, trails and open spaces sacred so all can enjoy.

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

My goal in joining this board was to help expand our reach so we could have a more meaningful and lasting impact on our city. I think we have made great strides. We have a strong and diverse board, excellent staff, ideas and opportunities galore, and the will and donor base to achieve goals that might have once seemed out of reach. We are well on our way as we celebrate our 20th anniversary!

rich george photo edited copy.png — Rich George

Rich George works as an Associate General Counsel for Portland General Electric and has worked as an attorney there for nearly twenty years. He is responsible for providing legal advice and analyzing risk to the company for many different areas, including environmental compliance and policy, nuclear, hydroelectric and renewable energy. He often appears before state and federal regulatory agencies, including the Oregon Public Utility Commission, Department of Environmental Quality, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, etc). Rich received a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University in 1993 and attended law school at the University of Oregon, graduating in 1997. Prior to joining PGE, Rich worked as an attorney in both law firms. Rich has also worked for the Oregon Department of Justice.

Why this Board?

I love urban Portland and the outdoors. The parks are the connective tissue for me that combines these two and melds our neighborhoods together. Parks provide the destination, the fresh air and the transportation corridors for me when I’m hiking through the east side of Portland. I recognize the importance of parks to so many people in Portland and I worry about them. I worry about maintaining them, ensuring access and equitable use and distribution. So that’s why I joined the PPF Board.

If you could be a Portland park, which one would you be and why?

Springwater Corridor. This is a park and also a connection of many different parks. A huge number of people use this for recreation, transportation, etc. I like to see myself similarly to this park, as I often act as a facilitator, bringing people together or providing them a direction to go and solutions. Much like this park (also, I’m skinny too) : )

What do you hope to accomplish while serving?

My time is coming to an end after two terms, but I love where PPF is going. I’m leaving it as a solid organization, with an incredibly strong board and staff that has a vision for bringing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the forefront and making parks more accessible to the underserved parts of Portland. We’ve helped pass the Parks Levy, which will ensure a return to programming and vibrant parks for years to come. I’ve only had a small role, but I am so proud of what this organization has accomplished.