November 29, 2010
Design Forum/PDX, formerly known as the Portland Center for Design and Innovation, has hired Pam Field as the organization’s first executive director. Field assumed her duties November 1.
“We’re excited to have a leader in place who can focus on outreach and fundraising full-time, and move Design Forum/PDX into its next phase of development,” said board president Sia Vossoughi of Ziba Design.
Field has extensive nonprofit management and community leadership experience, and most recently served as acting president and CEO of the National Psoriasis Foundation in Portland. She is currently a board member of Neighborhood House and the Hillsdale Community Foundation.
“Design Forum/PDX really demonstrates the collaboration of industry and the public sector to ignite creative solutions for job growth and business development,” said Erin Flynn, PDC urban development director. “We’re very pleased to see the organization reach these important milestones.”
Design Forum/PDX was established to drive the development of a materials resource library and serve as a catalyst for innovation for organizations of all sizes in Portland, the Pacific Northwest and beyond. It recently secured 501(c) 3 tax status and its board completed a visioning process to determine the organization’s new name and brand.
“We believe that collaboration inspires innovation and helping the creative community thrive is the key to a successful business community,” said Lani Hayward of Umpqua Bank, Design Forum/PDX board member and visioning committee chair. “With the announcement of our formal name, we look forward to soon engaging the creative community as we build a world class center for design and innovation.”
Bill Dieter, president of Terrazign and a Design Forum/PDX board member, added, “We wanted to catalyze the design community. Design Forum/PDX accomplishes that in a short, succinct manner.”
