Two notable Oregon leaders from the fields of law and health care will share the podium with two top school chiefs at this year’s PWA Expo Breakfast on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at the Oregon Convention Center.

Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson and leading Kaiser Permanente health executive Ruth Williams-Brinkley are among the featured speakers at the annual event. Joining them will be Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero of Portland Public Schools, Superintendent Matt Utterback of North Clackamas School District, and several wonderful students who’ve done career exploration through PWA.

The annual breakfast attracts about 400 business leaders and educators, as well as some inspiring high school students from across the region who are developing their college-and-career aspirations.

Our speakers will draw on their personal experiences in delivering a message of support for young people trying to find their way to a rewarding career.

 

Adrienne Nelson

Adrienne Nelson was appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court in 2017. She was a longtime Circuit Court judge in Multnomah County and described by Gov. Kate Brown as a widely respected civil rights champion. She is also the first African American judge in Oregon history to serve on the state’s highest court.

"In addition to her work in the courtroom, she has made extraordinary strides to make the trial bench more receptive to the needs and experiences of diverse and underserved communities in our state,” Gov. Brown said in a news release upon her appointment.

Nelson faced obstacles along the way and developed tenacity in the face of inequity. Here’s an excerpt from a story in The Oregonian about Nelson: “While in high school, her mother sued her school district for refusing to permit an African American student to be recognized as a valedictorian, according to the governor's office. Nelson's mother prevailed, and Nelson was named valedictorian. … ”

Guadalupe Guerrero

Guadalupe Guerrero was appointed superintendent of Oregon’s largest school district in August 2017. He previously served as a deputy superintendent in the San Francisco Unified School District, overseeing instruction, innovation and social justice. He is a classically trained violinist, a former school principal and a former bilingual elementary school teacher.

Guerrero is the district’s first Latino superintendent, overseeing 49,000 students in about 80 schools and more than 8,000 employees. The district has expanded CTE programs and community-based career exploration as part of a strategic effort to raise graduation rates and prepare more students for college-and-career success. (Click here for his official bio.)

 

Matt Utterback

Matt Utterback is a longtime educator in the North Clackamas School District who has served as superintendent since 2012. His accolades include 2017 National School Superintendent of the Year.

Under Utterback’s leadership, the 17,000-student district has significantly improved its graduation rate, shrunk its opportunity gaps and become a model for teaching and learning. As his district biography notes, Utterback’s is a frequent presenter at state and regional conferences on cultivating equity in the classroom and leading with a sense of urgency. (Click here to read more.)

 

Ruth Williams-Brinkley

Ruth Williams-Brinkley is president of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of the Northwest. In this role, Williams-Brinkley oversees all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Oregon and markets in Southwest Washington.

Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente in 2017, Williams-Brinkley served as CEO of KentuckyOne Health, Kentucky’s largest integrated health system. She has consistently appeared on Modern Healthcare’s Top 25 Women in Healthcare and Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare, and was named one of Becker’s Most Admired CEOs. (Click here to read more.)

Get Involved

Tables and tickets are still available for the student-centered PWA Breakfast celebration, but they are going fast. Last year’s event sold out.