Jeannette Pai-Espinosa

President

 

A firm believer in the power and potential of all girls and young women, Jeannette Pai-Espinosa assumed leadership of The National Crittenton Foundation in January of 2007. Jeannette brings to this 124-year-old institution more than thirty years of experience in advocacy, education, intercultural communication, public policy, strategicvcommunication, program development, and direct service delivery.

Jeannette began her career as a vocal advocate and activist for issues of importance to girls and women in the early seventies, working to open doors and address gender bias.Today, she is a nationally known as an expert on issues related to increasing ethnic and racial diversity in communities. She will weave this expertise into all her work on behalf of The Foundation.

Prior to coming to The Foundation, Jeannette was a partner for nearly ten years at Metropolitan Group, an award-winning social change agency specializing in serving social-purpose organizations and businesses. During her tenure there she worked with clients to develop inclusive brand, communication, and campaign strategies, work environments, strategic planning processes, broad-based community outreach plans, and innovative public will-building initiatives. Much of her work
focused on creating collaborative approaches to compelling social issues such as poverty, racial and gender disparities in educational outcomes, the disproportional representation of children and youth of color in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and bias crimes.

A passionate advocate for human rights, Jeannette was appointed by former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts in 1991 as state director of affirmative action and senior policy advisor on human
rights. She has served as director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission for Portland and Salem, Oregon; chair of the Oregon Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission; and president of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment.

Additionally, Jeannette has experience as the founder and executive director of a nonprofit middle- and high school-level alternative school, as a university administrator, and as a board member of numerous organizations. She is currently vice chair of the National Foster Care Coalition. Jeannette holds a master’s degree in student development and education administration.