Greetings! Before I begin peppering the blogosphere with new posts, I’d like to take a few moments to introduce myself. I joined the Port of Portland a few weeks ago as Environmental Outreach Manager and am pleased to serve as the new primary blogger for Port Currents.
I have a life-long interest in environmental issues and a background in environmental policy and planning. Several years ago, I completed two years of volunteer service throughout the eastern United States. Those rewarding, and sometimes trying, two years involved rebuilding projects following Hurricane Katrina and a medley of other environmental and community improvement projects. This further sparked my interest in the pairing of environmental and community issues and ultimately led to launching my career with the Pacific Northwest’s largest public involvement consulting firm. During that time, I continued to work with local communities to help people understand and evaluate important issues, policies and projects that may affect their daily lives, in their neighborhood and beyond.
There’s no denying that Portlanders and metropolitan area residents place incredible value on the high quality of life we all enjoy. It may be something a little different for each of us. For me, it’s being able to live in a vibrant urban area and still access some of the nation’s best hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing and surfing. We all care a great deal for our community and its future. The Port of Portland is a crucial component of our local economy, community and environment and I’m looking forward to helping keep each of you informed and involved.
–Lisa Timmerman
Kayaking through downtown on the Willamette River