About Us - Staff

Jeannette Yeunyul Pai-Espinosa
President

A firm believer in the power and potential of all girls and young women, Jeannette Pai-Espinosa assumed leadership of The National Crittenton Foundation in January of 2007. Jeannette brings to this 124-year-old institution more than thirty years of experience in advocacy, education, intercultural communication, public policy, strategic communication, program development, and direct service delivery. Jeannette began her career as a vocal advocate and activist for issues of importance to girls and women in the early seventies, working to open doors and address gender bias. Today, she is a nationally known as an expert on issues related to increasing ethnic and racial diversity in communities. She will weave this expertise into all her work on behalf of The Foundation.

Prior to coming to The Foundation, Jeannette was a partner for nearly ten years at Metropolitan Group, an award-winning social change agency specializing in serving social-purpose organizations and businesses. During her tenure there she worked with clients to develop inclusive brand, communication, and campaign strategies, work environments, strategic planning processes, broad-based community outreach plans, and innovative public will-building initiatives. Much of her work focused on creating collaborative approaches to compelling social issues such as poverty, racial and gender disparities in educational outcomes, the disproportional representation of children and youth of color in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and bias crimes.

A passionate advocate for human rights, Jeannette was appointed by former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts in 1991 as state director of affirmative action and senior policy advisor on human rights. She has served as director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission for Portland and Salem, Oregon; chair of the Oregon Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission; and president of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment. Additionally, Jeannette has experience as the founder and executive director of a nonprofit middle- and high school-level alternative school, as a university administrator, and as a board member of numerous organizations. She is currently vice chair of the National Foster Care Coalition. Jeannette holds a master’s degree in student development and education administration.

"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I'm afraid." – Audre Lorde

Favorite websites:
www.HGTV.com
www.cookinglight.com
www.firstfreedomfirst.com

 

Jill Farrow-Drew
Director of Operations

Jill brings to her position as director of operations an eclectic blend of creative talents, technical and administrative skills, and a passion for children. Prior to coming to the Foundation Jill was a program associate at Metropolitan Group, an award-winning social change agency. During her seven year tenure she provided research and project coordination on strategic communication, fundraising, strategic planning, research and organizational development projects for nonprofit organizations, foundations, public agencies, and socially responsible businesses. She was also deeply involved in the new business development.

Her commitment to children was the cornerstone of her position as Art Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland. Her responsibilities included curriculum development and art direction for school-aged youth–kindergarten through high school. Curriculum included the following mediums: pottery, pastels, watercolors, oil and acrylic paints, multi-media, graphite, and mosaics. Positive youth development strategies, leadership and mentoring were infused in all program activities.

Jill blends her love of art and creativity with a keen eye for detail as reflected in her five years of experience in inventory management, sales projections, generation of profit and loss statements, new product acquisition, vendor management, and direct support to 56 locations for a major multi-merchandising retailer. In her spare time Jill has served on the boards of the Northwest Children’s Theater and School and the Make A Wish Foundation

"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
– Anais Nin

Favorite websites:
www.ebay.com
www.foodnetwork.com
www.thisoldhouse.com

 

Roberta M. Phillip, J.D.
Director of Programs and Agency Relations

Three years teaching Science to high school students crystallized Roberta’s understanding of the need for impassioned child-advocates and effective youth services.

After working hands-on with students as a classroom educator at Key West High School in Florida, Roberta decided to pursue a law degree in the hopes of affecting policy and programs effectively geared toward youth development. While in law school at Lewis & Clark Law in Portland, Oregon, Roberta volunteered with Sisters In Action for Power as an after-school tutor and mentor. She conceptualized and developed a mentor program between Rosemary Anderson Alternative High School (POIC) in Portland, and Lewis & Clark Law School students. The program is in its fourth year and Roberta continues to serve within it as a mentor. For her work in establishing the mentor program, the Black Law Student Association and the Law School honored Roberta by creating a scholarship in her name. The Roberta Phillip Scholarship will benefit graduating POIC students who will attend college during the upcoming semester.

During law school, Roberta worked in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s office in Portland, and following her graduation, as a clerk for a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge. She also has experience working with immigrants on legal issues and clerking in the Oregon Supreme Court.

Prior to teaching, Roberta’s experience as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Knoxville, Tennessee helped to solidify her belief in the need for life-long service and commitment to issues of social justice, especially those issues affecting youth. This belief continues to fuel her work today.

Roberta currently exercises her passion for youth issues by serving on the board of the Pangaea Project, a 10-month leadership program geared toward providing youth with a global perspective on social justice issues, with the hope of creating effective community leaders. She is also a board member of the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association, a group that provides support to attorneys and law students of color.

"The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any."
– Alice Walker

Favorite websites:
http://www.motherjones.com/
http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/?cc=5901

 

Connie E. Evans
Special Advisor to the President

Connie E. Evans recently joined the Foundation’s team as Advisor to the President. It’s a familiar role for Connie as she is a key advisor to individuals and institutions on community economic development, asset development and socially responsible business. She is also an activist and social entrepreneur who believes that by harnessing the marketplace, we can change the world. Connie has over 25 years experience developing and implementing programs to further economic development, health and social change in communities. Connie was the founding President of the award-winning Women's Self-Employment Project in Chicago, the largest microenterprise development organization assisting low and moderate income women, which she led for 14 years. Evans also pioneered one of the first matched-savings accounts program (Individual Development Accounts) in the U.S.

Connie is the President of CSolutions Consulting, a strategy and management consulting firm that specializes in designing and building solutions that address social change. The firm’s experience stems from being rooted in first-hand experience designing, launching and managing social enterprises and nonprofit agencies. She has worked with nonprofits and social enterprises, spanning sectors and industries in the U.S. and other countries to create powerful growth strategies, to engage board of directors and to garner new resources for organizations. She brings unique functional experience and textured understanding of the nonprofit and foundation operating environment that is critical to rendering sound professional services customized to the needs of her clients. She serves on a number of local and international boards including the Social Venture Network and recently retired from serving six years as the first African American woman on the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

"There is only one way you can command the things you want and that is by assuming the consciousness of the things desired."
– Neville

Favorite websites:
www.got2shoponline.com
www.newseum.org/newsmania
www.foodnetwork.com

 

Leslie Carlson
Media Relations Advisor

Leslie’s goal is to help social purpose organizations communicate better. She believes that good communications can make the difference between being success or failure, whether her clients are selling a product or trying to change the world (or doing both).

All of her clients are interested in success, but not at the cost of people or the planet. Many of them regard sustainability as a key value and driver for business, whether it’s producing an environmentally-friendly product, or helping people lead happier, more productive lives.

Prior to establishing her own company, company founder Leslie Carlson worked as an advisor to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber, as member of the communications staff at PacifiCorp (a Western electric utility) and as the Oregon Press Secretary on a presidential campaign. She even has experience working for two provincial governments in Canada.

Carlson's experience as a consultant includes working with the City of Portland's effort to end homelessness, creating national visibility for two “green” Hilton hotels and public relations and marketing efforts for BetterBricks, a four-state energy efficiency effort for commercial buildings.

She has worked with a variety of local, regional, national and international media throughout her career. Her writing experience includes all kinds of marketing and media materials, speechwriting, annual reports and articles for consumer and academic publications.

Carlson is the co-chair of the City of Portland-Multnomah County Sustainable Development Commission and a regular contributor to the blog BlueOregon.

"My advice to the women’s clubs of America is to raise more hell and fewer dahlias."
– James Mc Neill Whistler

Favorite websites:
www.etsy.com
www.nytimes.com
www.grist.org

 

Mary Bissell
Policy Advisor

Mary Bissell is an attorney and policy advocate for children and families at-risk. She and her business partner, Jennifer Miller, are the founders and principals of ChildFocus®, a national policy consulting firm. Mary began her career at the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia, where she began the nation’s first legal services program for relative caregivers. As a Legislative Assistant to Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and, later, as a lawyer and lobbyist for the Children’s Defense Fund, Mary developed expertise in child welfare and a variety of other children’s issues. Most recently, Mary was a Fellow at the New America Foundation, a non-partisan public policy institute, where she wrote extensively on these topics for national publications including The Washington Post, Miami Herald and the Philadelphia Enquirer. ChildFocus® brings together people, programs, and policies to improve the lives of children and families. The firm helps foundations, not-for-profit organizations and public agencies develop practical, far-reaching solutions to a variety of challenges through policy analysis, capacity-building, government and community relations, and strategic communications. Through dynamic partnerships with its clients, ChildFocus® helps translate complex ideas into messages that engage and inspire a variety of audiences.

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
– Anne Frank

Favorite websites:
www.anthropologie.com
www.votesmart.org
www.thinkexist.com