Meet Tiffani
A RECORD OF SERVICE
Tiffani Penson is devoted to making Portland work for everyone. She has done this as an elected Portland Community College Board Director, as a volunteer with many community organizations, and through her work at the City.
Elected Twice by Voters to the Portland Community College Board
Elected to the PCC Board in 2019 and 2023, Tiffani has helped secure many achievements.
She worked with her fellow board members and college staff to open the new Opportunity Center on 42nd Avenue. This center includes 84 affordable housing units (28 of them Section 8) and a partnership with Home Forward, NAYA, and daycare services.
As 2022 – 2023 PCC Board Chair, Tiffani co-led a collaborative effort with community leaders to pass a $450 million bond with 61% voter support. Funds will support all students, update technology, equipment, and classrooms to provide modern higher education, job training, and more options for hybrid learning so that students can balance class schedules with transportation, jobs, and family responsibilities.
As the Board’s Vice Chair, Tiffani co-led the college through the COVID Pandemic, approving COVID resources and clinics at PCC sites to educate, inform, and provide access to vaccines for students and community members. Tiffani co-led the board approval of one-time stipends for staff to transfer to remote teaching. Stipends were allocated to pay for Wi-Fi and home office equipment.
As Board Chair, Tiffani oversaw the executive search and hired Dr. Adrien Bennings as the first woman President of the College.
Community Leadership
Tiffani has served on several community organization boards, achieving milestones that improve the lives of children and families in North and Northeast Portland.
As Board Chair of KairosPDX, a nonprofit designed to eliminate education achievement gaps for children and provide support services for their families, Tiffani co-led and approved the organizational redesign that created new positions and reporting structures, improving accountability and results. She has also served on the Boards of Oregon Humanities (2019 – Present), Architecture Foundation of Oregon (2019 -2021), Northwest Native American Chamber (2015 – Present), Black United Fund (2015 – 2017), Business Diversity Institute (2014 – 2018), and Black Male Achievement Initiative (2013).
Making Portland Work for Everyone
In her work at the City, Tiffani has consistently identified new ways to work across bureaus and improve communication. She has focused on creating policies and programs that address our City’s operational needs and align with its core values. Over the years, Tiffani has focused on:
Expanding and managing the internship and service-learning opportunities for underserved youth ages 16-24
Creating the role and serving as the City’s first Supplier Diversity Officer where she spearheaded a city-wide effort to provide business technical assistance and access to city contracts to Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned small businesses
Investing in and supporting community-based organizations through the We Are Better Together program, where she built partnerships with bureaus to model a fiscally responsible way to provide sponsorships and enhance the city’s presence across Portland’s community
Collaborating with the Problem Solvers Network to deliver expedited services related to cleaning unsafe and unsanitary conditions and increasing safety across the city, addressing the acute needs of community members
As the People + Culture Manager, Tiffani is focused on living the City’s core values of transparency and fiscal responsibility by:
Establishing city-wide goals and metrics to hold ourselves accountable
Improving the employee experience by providing training and resources required to improve service levels to our constituents
Preparing bureaus citywide through leadership and change management training to build a culture that effectively aligns the City’s core values with all budget allocations
Developing the Transition Ambassadors program that will support employees through the change as the city moves to a “One City” model to better provide services under the new charter transition recently passed by voters.
Tiffani’s work has been acknowledged through many awards, including:
Daily Journal of Commerce Women of Vision Circle of Excellence Award
Daily Journal of Commerce 25 Women of Vision Award
Oregon Association of Minority Enterprises (OAME) Chief Award
City of Portland Shining Star Award
Oregon Native American Chamber Warrior Award
Unsung Shero Award, Sistas Empowerment Corp
Now Tiffani wants to bring her experience and results to work for North and Northeast Portland on the City Council!