New, Outgoing Oregon Board Members Drive Change for Diverse Communities

At our February board meeting, we’ll welcome incoming board member, Charles Wilhoite, and celebrate outgoing member, Michelle Osborne: both advocates for Native communities and communities of color in Oregon.

In addition to extensive professional expertise, Wilhoite carries valuable lived experience into his work. His parents were educators for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Navajo Nation, the largest Indian reservation in the US. Wilhoite had daily interactions with Native Americans. His upbringing helped shaped his desire to work to advance quality of life for others, especially for members of communities who have historically experienced racial, social, and economic injustice.

Wilhoite says, “I hope to bring experience and perspective that helps advance the wonderful work that has already been accomplished at the Foundation, and that moves forward the strategic plan that the Foundation has in place. I want to impact people in a positive way.”

We’re excited to welcome Charles Wilhoite as the newest Oregonian on the Foundation’s board!

We honor the heart of outgoing board member Michelle Osborne.

“As chair of the program committee and then of the nominating and governance committee, Michelle has always served with heart. Heart is one of our core values at NWAF, and Michelle exemplifies that value in leadership as much as anyone I know,” says Walker.

Retired after a long career with Nike Inc., Osborne is a community-focused leader who continues to educate, advocate, and volunteer her time to help increase economic development opportunities for Native Americans.

She’s known as a kind, outgoing, and positive person. She has an energetic personality that allows her to build relationships quickly with people and bring out the best in them.

We also have a new board chair and vice chair.

Our upcoming February board meeting, we’ll have a changing of the guard for our board leadership. We’ll be welcoming Joyce Lee as our new board chair. She has served on our board since 2019, most recently as vice chair. She’s brought considerable philanthropic financial expertise to her positions. And she has been an advocate for how justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) reshapes board culture and leads to better decision-making and personal growth (as shared in this video).

Joe Eltobgi (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa) will become our new board vice chair. He’s spent his career leading economic and community development strategies in Indian Country, and he’s served on our board since 2022.

Walker says, “We welcome Joyce Lee and Joe Eltobgi into their new roles. As board chair, Joyce will bring her own distinctive blend of skill and care to the work of NWAF. We’re very fortunate in her leadership, along with Joe’s, as we navigate the days to come.”

Duane Carter, our outgoing board chair, joined the board in 2016 and will serve an additional year as board chair emeritus. He’s brought extensive leadership experience and insight to our organization. He’s featured in several of our blogs, advocating for change in the investment industry and racial equity.

“Duane Carter chaired our board with diligence, calm, and an inclusive spirit. His warmth and insight during these past three years as chair have been a pleasure for all of us,” says Walker.

For further inquiries about our board.

For members of the media and others interested in learning more about our board, please contact Communications Director Paul Bachleitner: pbachleitner@nwaf.org or (651) 225-7704.