Matt Morton named Equitable Education Portfolio Director

It's a pleasure to share the good news that Matt Morton has joined Meyer as Director of our new Equitable Education portfolio.

As we began the search for someone to direct our new Equitable Education Portfolio, we knew we were looking for someone with a proven history of leadership, someone who holds a deep understanding of equity and disparities across the education continuum, someone who could effectively sit at education policy tables and someone who has earned the respect of Oregon's nonprofit and public sectors. Matt Morton (Squaxin Island Tribe) hit the mark across the board!

Many of you know Matt through his leadership in the community, including his roles with several Meyer grantee organizations. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), which enriches the lives of youth and families through education, community involvement and culturally specific programming. Among NAYA’s many services are early childhood programming (including Head Start), K-12 academic and social supports, an early college academy and college and career services. Previously, Matt served as the Deputy Director for the National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), an organization addressing issues of child abuse and neglect through training, research, public policy and grassroots community development. Meyer has long histories of supporting both of these organizations, and we have been impressed with Matt's vision and zest for change over our years of working with him.

Matt's career has centered on education. Elected to the Portland Public Schools Board in 2011, he recently completed a four-year term. He serves on the board of directors for All Hands Raised, a Meyer grantee that is a nonprofit-public-private partnership dedicated to ensuring equity and excellence in education for all children in six school districts in Multnomah County. Matt is also co-chair of both the Education Justice Committee of the Coalition of Communities of Color (another Meyer grantee) and the Eliminating Disparities in Child & Youth Success Collaborative of the Coalition and All Hands Raised.

In addition, Matt currently serves on Portland State University’s Graduate School of Education Advisory CouncilPortland Community College’s President’s Advisory Council, the Oregon Department of Education‘s American Indian/Alaska Native Oregon Education State Plan Advisory Panel, the Center for Community-Initiated Research to Advance Racial Equity Advisory Council, and the Wells Fargo Community Advisory Board, among others. He also serves on the executive committee for the Coalition of Communities of Color.

In his spare time, Matt enjoys time with his seven-year-old son, Marcus, his wife, Courtaney, and their puppy, Penny June.

We couldn’t be happier to have Matt lead our fourth portfolio!

Please join me and Doug in giving Matt a warm welcome to Meyer!

— Candy