A literal trailblazer – she was the first Blazer Ball Girl! – Tiffani Penson was raised and is rooted in Northeast Portland and lives in her family home in the Concordia neighborhood. Her father had a barbershop on what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. that became a place where community gathered to share stories while waiting for the perfect haircut. Her mother worked her way up the ladder at Pacific Northwest Bell, retired early, and became a realtor at Barbara Sue Seal, now Coldwell Banker. Tiffani’s parents instilled in her both a commitment to community and a sense of problem-solving urgency to get things done.

Tiffani is focused on forging stronger, more inclusive communities, which she does as an elected Portland Community College Board Director and in her role as the City’s People + Culture Manager. Her track record of implementing meaningful change across Portland’s complex, city-wide bureau system is unmatched. Tiffani champions Portland’s Core Values of transparency, fiscal responsibility, and access to opportunity, steering pivotal programs that open doors for all. From her ground-breaking efforts supporting minority, women, veteran, and emerging small businesses to leading youth employment engagement initiatives, the impacts resonate city-wide across all bureaus and communities.