February I. 2012_____________________
The portlanJ Observer
B lack H ¡Story Month
Page 23
Ethos Taps Successful Director
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 13
but until E thos, I w as never able to
m arry my background in non profit
adm inistration w ith my passion for
arts e d u catio n .” he said.
Prior to his tenure w ith the m usic
non-profit, C havez w orked as the
m arketing and m ajor gifts officer for
Equity Foundation, w here he m an
aged a portfolio o f donor advised
funds and oversaw the fo u n d atio n ’s
m edia relations departm ent.
He also co o rd in ated the Safe
S chools Initiative, a statew ide e f
fort to reduce bullying and harass
m ent in O re g o n p u blic sch o o ls
through collaboration w ith g o v ern
m ent agencies, school districts and
stak eh o ld ers.
H e said he is proud to be a part o f
the non-profit E thos, w hich o p e r
ates three facilities w ithin Portland
a n d c o n d u c ts a p le th o r a o f
afterschool program s in 32 urban
elem entary and m iddle grade public
sch o o ls.
C havez said he recognizes how
valuable the role o f m usic was in his
life, w hich has allow ed hi m to under
stand the im pact o f the program s
offered to the com m unity through
E thos from his ow n first-hand ex p e
riences.
“ I am able to see the m agic o f
m usic,” he said. "Y ou know it w hen
Alberta • Missi
“ U nfortunately w e have lim ited
resources,” he said. "T h is is really a
crisis in Portland public schools;
they ju st d o n 't have access to e n
richm ent opportunity that I think
m ost o f us grew up w ith.”
D espite challenges, w hich exist
for the non-profit organization, Pe
ter van d er M eulen. president o f
E th o s' board o f directors, said the
organization is confident in their
selection o f C havez to lead their
way into the future.
"Jedidiah possesses a w ealth o f
nonprofit experience and passion
for arts education. He brings strong,
proven leadership skills to the e x
ecutive director p o sitio n .” he said.
"W e are confident that he will help
.
PHOTO BY M A R K W ASHINGTON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
Jedidiah Chavez, the new executive director at Ethos, not only increased revenue for the non-profit by Ethos prosper and continue to be
the vibrant, dynam ic nonprofit o r
30 percent in his prior position as development director, but he also helped successfully secure
ganization that it has grow n to be
$1.5 million for capital improvements to Ethos ’ north Portland headquarters.
w ithin o u r region.”
you see it— w hen a kid is totally
T h e span o f E th o s' se rv ic e s, in m ental in the form ation o f a partner
“ It is a rem arkable privilege to
invested in the act o f learning.”
a d d itio n to p ro g ram s fo r in n e r city ship with the C orporation for N a assum e the role o f E th o s' executive
As the largest com m unity m usic y o u th , a lso re a c h e s ru ral y o u th tional and C om m unity Service to d irecto r,” said C havez, w ho said he
school w ithin O regon, the program th ro u g h q u a lity m u sic e d u c a tio n . place 10 A m eriC orps m em bers in has high hopes for the future, in
en su res th o u san d s o f kids, w ho
“ W h a t w e a r e s e e i n g a re sm all tow ns across O regon, a p ro addition to his personal goal to learn
otherw ise w ould not have access to s c h o o ls, e s p e c ia lly in ru ral O r gram he said he is especially proud how to play the ukulele.
m usic education, have the o p p o rtu e g o n , that are e x p e rie n c in g the of.
"W e exist to m eet com m unity
nity to take part in classes, w o rk b ig g e st c u ts ,” he said . “ In som e
A lthough the organization re needs," he said. "A nd it is o u r hope
shops, presentations and artist-in c a s e s , sc h o o ls are on a fo u r day ceiv es support from various co m that ev en tu ally m usic ed u catio n
residence program s. “ I n m ost cases, sch o o l w eek and e lim in a te d art, m unity partners, C havez said, fund w ould be offered in schools, and we
in m any o f the P ortland schools, m u sic an d P E .”
ing rem ains a challenge, despite the w ould not have to fill the gap .”
kids only have access to m usic after
As a m em ber o f E th o s’ m an ag e constant and grow ing com m unity
For m ore inform ation about the
sch o o l,” he said.
non-profit, visit eth o s.o rg .
m ent team . C havez was also in stru dem and.
,h Portland
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