PCC Foundation adds five new board members to its ranks
Photos and story by James Hill
The Portland Community College Foundation Board of Trustees has welcomed five new faces to its membership.
The new trustees include Abby Coppock (independent consultant), Brigid Flanigan (Tenfold Senior Living), Elaine Charpentier Philippi (M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust), Sama Shagaga (NW Natural), and Rich Truitt (retired, Indian Health Service). The 21-member PCC Foundation board is a volunteer group that leads the foundation and represents a wide range of business and community interests to support student success at the college and beyond.
“It is with great excitement that we welcome our new board members to the Portland Community College Foundation,” said Foundation Board President Kim Morgan. “Their diverse backgrounds, expertise, and passion for education will undoubtedly enhance our mission to remove barriers to education at Portland Community College through the power of partnerships and create a community where anyone can thrive through education.”
New trustees include:
Abby Coppock
She is an independent consultant specializing in organizational transformation, leadership development, team effectiveness, and change management. Prior to consulting, Coppock worked in communications for the City of Portland and in partnership development for a workforce reentry program in Chicago.
Brigid Flanigan
Flanigan has been developing and managing retirement communities in Oregon and California for 30 years. In her role as founder and principal of Tenfold Senior Living, she manages all aspects of the development process, including market analysis, public approvals, design, financing, construction and marketing. She is committed to urban redevelopment and is a strong supporter of the arts, including seven years on the board at Portland Center Stage.
Elaine Charpentier Philippi
As a senior program officer at M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, she helps facilitate grants for the Trust’s work investing in education, leadership and development across the Pacific Northwest. Having served on a number of boards and committees in Oregon and as the former Executive Director at In4All, an educational nonprofit, Charpentier Philippi said she believes in the power of education and in addressing barriers that individuals, families and communities navigate when accessing education pathways.
Sama Shagaga
He is a former PCC student, serves on the Partnerships and Government Affairs team at NW Natural where he collaborates with local nonprofits, unions and trade partners with a strategic focus on workforce development, energy education and community investment. Shagaga is an American Leadership Forum (ALF) Senior Fellow and a current board director for ALF Oregon. He also sits on several advisory groups working with local workforce boards and STEM Hubs.
Rich Truitt
A retired professional engineer, Truitt served with the Indian Health Service (IHS) for over 50 years (more than 36 years as a commissioned officer with the U.S. Public Health Service and 14 years as a civilian). During this time, he worked with Indigenous tribes throughout the American West to plan, design and construct safe water supply, waste disposal and healthcare facilities. He also served as an executive member of the governing boards of six federal healthcare facilities and is an active volunteer in the community.
For more information, call 971-722-4382 or visit pcc.edu/foundation.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »