Heather Nelson Kent Email & Phone Number

Portland, Oregon, United States

Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area

Portland, Oregon Area

Portland, Oregon Area

•Lead cross-department work group including communications, education, volunteers, partnerships, public involvement. Manage communications policy issues and strategies.•Design and manage implementation of community and stakeholder engagement initiatives for Metro Government and Public Affairs and Parks and Nature departments.•Project manager for department and agency-wide policy initiatives including 2019 $475 million bond measure referral to voters; racial equity, diversity and inclusion action plan.•Program manager for Nature Education and Volunteer Services programs serving 12,000 participants annually; redesigned programming to be more culturally responsive.•Manage $1.5 million annual program budget, work plan; supervise six professional staff.

Portland, Oregon Area

Responsible for $15 million capital grant program empowering local communities; staff support to Metro Council-appointed Grant Review Committee, Natural Areas Bond Oversight Committee; conduct due diligence, outreach, program assessment and administration.Administer Nature in Neighborhoods and Community Enhancement small-grants and community partnership programs ($1.5 million annually) including program design, outreach, administration, application review, due diligence, performance and reporting. Ensure transparency and accountability for publicly funded grant programs.Coordinate funding programs and policies to maximize impact with other funders (East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, Grey Family Foundation, OWEB, etc.).Develop and manage effective outreach and stakeholder recruitment and engagement strategies; design and implement new grant criteria to advance racial equity.Manage $4 million annual program budget, work plan; supervise four professional staff.

Portland, Oregon Area

Plan and implement marketing, strategic communications, community engagement, marketing and media strategies for regional government, elected officials, advisory committees and across multiple departments.Plan and produce special events and marketing campaigns, web content, social media, advertising, print collateral and presentations for internal and external audiences. Represent program to all audiences.Craft and implement public involvement activities reaching communities across 25 cities and three counties, providing accountability to voters. Staff Natural Areas Performance Community Oversight Committee.Cultivate relationships with local and regional news outlets to place news and feature stories in print, electronic media and across social media platforms.Supervise staff of four public affairs professionals including Metro media spokesperson.

Portland, Oregon Area

Manage Metro’s Parks and Greenspaces department education, volunteer services, special events, media, public relations and community engagement programs and staff. Engage community in park master planning, park development and capital construction projects.Design and deliver all marketing, media relations and special events for Parks and Greenspaces Department serving nearly one million visitors annually; produce quarterly department newsletter.Oversee administration of annual, competitive, federally funded Metropolitan Greenspaces Grant program including outreach, administration, review, due diligence and performance reporting.Lead department fundraising efforts including managing, writing and overseeing grant proposals and other initiatives; successfully secured more than $1 million from state and local sources for capital development and planning projects in five-year period. Prepare and monitor $3 million annual budget and division work program. Manage 12 full and part time professional staff.

Portland, Oregon Area

Research, analyze, develop and recommend policy positions and political strategies for implementation. Provide speechwriting and constituent services, and executive schedule management.

B.A., English Literature

Education record