Education
Reed College
B.S., German Literature
Podcasts
22:5773: What It’s Like in Philanthropy & How to Cultivate An Attitude of Gratitude w/ Johanna Thoeresz [Main T4C episode]
Johanna Thoeresz combines her love of philanthropists and philanthropy in her role as Oregon Community Foundation’s Chief Development Officer. She brings 30 years of development experience to lead a statewide team of highly qualified philanthropic advisors who help individuals and families create legacies of giving through donor advised funds, scholarship..
Career Path
Interview Highlights
“I do think that following your passion and your heart will lead you along a path that will make sense at some point in time, and the early days are the choppiest and the hardest.”
Best Career Advice
“Make sure you’re pursuing organizations or fields of interest that really speak to your heart. It makes the work so much more enjoyable and doable during the rough times. And look for organizations where you have great mentors and people to learn from.”
Career Challenge
“I think the hardest times for me in my work are when there’s discord or there’s not synergy with the team that I’m working with. It just makes the work harder. And I think when you’re in a work situation that is really killing your spirit, it’s just important to figure out whether you need to make a change, because it really makes a difference.”
Skills
Fundraising, Annual Giving, Stewardship, Industry Knowledge, Nonprofits, Grant Writing, Program Development, Philanthropy, Community Outreach, Editing, Leadership, Volunteer Management, Research
Professional Interests
Jim Yong Kim, Deepak Chopra MD, Reed College, Mercy Corps, The Oregon Community Foundation, Portland Professionals Group – Mac’s List
