Jim White joined the Nonprofit Association of Oregon as the Executive Director in October 2012. He is deeply committed to the social change through private action and has worked in the nonprofit sector both domestically and internationally for more than 25 years. Jim has a passion for affecting systemic change in the way that the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together to support and strengthen our communities and civil society. He believes that one of the purest democratic values is having private individuals identify needs and solutions, and lead change in their communities for the greater good. Through NAO, Jim is proud to help build the capacity, leadership and voice of Oregon’s vibrant nonprofit sector. Before joining NAO, Jim worked for Mercy Corps both overseas and in Oregon. He has also worked for the International Organization for Migration and the American Red Cross. He has a M.A. in Eurasian Studies from Indiana University and a B.S. in Engineering Technology from Temple University.

Phillip Kennedy-Wong is a public policy professional with over 20 years of experience lobbying at the state, local, and federal levels. He has worked for several nonprofit organizations throughout his career and served on nonprofit boards. He brings a strong understanding of nonprofit lobbying and planning advocacy programs. Phillip served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves while earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Lewis and Clark College. Upon graduating, he went to work right away as a field organizer on a political campaign during the 1992 presidential election. Getting the political bug, he proceeded to earn a Master of Science in public policy from Rutgers University and has never looked back in his public service career.