April 24, 2019
Page 5
Running for PCC Board
C ontinued froM f ront
build that office’s SummerWorks
program—a publicly funded paid
internship program for diverse
young adults ages 16-24—and
has been overseeing that program
in conjunction with Multnomah
County and the subsequent may-
ors offices ever since.
As part of Mayor Adams’ edu-
cation team, she helped develop
a program called Future Connect,
which provides a small schol-
arship and support for post-sec-
ondary students who identify as
first-generation or low –income,
currently housed at PCC.
As a Supplier Diversity Offi-
cer, Penson works with minori-
ty, women, and emerging small
businesses to connect them with
contracting opportunities for the
city, a skill set she said would be
valuable as a board member at
PCC, where she hopes to expand
programs for those types of busi-
nesses to help them grow.
She also wants to use those
business partnerships to help
transition youth into high pay-
ing trade jobs and for women re-
turning to the workforce. Penson
also expressed the desire to foster
businesses’ investment to the col-
lege, reckoning that it would be a
simple way for them to invest in
the replenishment of their work-
force and bolster the program-
ming at the same time.
“If you invest, you see the
fruits, and the fruits serve every-
one,” she said.
Penson has worked to under-
stand some of the issues impact-
ing PCC by attending a PCC
board meeting and has taken oc-
casional classes at PCC, though
her alma maters include Con-
cordia University and University
of Oregon. She speaks once per
quarter at PCC for a business ad-
ministration class.
Penson expressed much admi-
ration for Oregon’s largest com-
munity college, which started as
an adult education program in
1961. She said schools like PCC,
which offer a mix of academic
programs, certifications, and train-
ing in the trades is valuable for
some of the most vulnerable pop-
ulations in the community--like
those who face economic, cultur-
al, and learning challenges--who
might not otherwise get a chance
to receive further education.
“PCC provides that opportuni-
ty for them to go there, they have
supports to make sure that they’re
successful and I like that. And
those are the things that I want to
expand on because I think it’s crit-
ically important to make sure you
provide the necessary supports for
students that have facing barriers
to be successful,” Penson said.
Expanding on the college’s
wrap around services, like making
sure students are fed and can af-
ford transportation, was also listed
as a high priority for Penson.
In addition to her work at the
city, Penson currently sits on the
board of KairosPDX, a public
charter grade school that is fo-
cused on closing the achievement
gap for African American stu-
dents in north and northeast Port-
land. She also sits on the board of
Oregon Native American Cham-
ber, the Architecture Foundation
of Oregon, and Bound for a Cure.
Penson has gotten the endorse-
ments of Mayor Ted Wheeler,
City Commissioner Amanda
Fritz, former City Commission-
er Dan Saltzman, former Mayors
Sam Adams and Tom Potter--who
she also worked for, State Sen.
Lew Frederick, retired State Sen.
Avel Gordly, and KairosPDX Ex-
ecutive Director and current PCC
Board Chair Kali Thorne Ladd,
who would be Penson’s predeces-
sor for the Zone 2 chair.
Speaking as to what motivates
her to run for the PCC Board,
Penson said she feels an obliga-
tion to serve others and get more
young people enrolled in college,
having come from an upbringing
that provided her opportunities
for success, such as being able
to attend both private and public
schools as a young African Amer-
ican woman.
”I feel like it’s only important
that I do what I can to make sure
that others have that opportunity
and access. And I love this place, I
mean, I’ll die here. It’s not all per-
fect, but it’s my home,” she said.
Penson invites you to check
out her website for more infor-
mation about her background and
goals for office at tiffanipenson-
forpcc.com. She has drawn one
opponent in the election, Port-
land State University senior and
former PCC student, Leonardo
Kendall.
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