President and CEO

Charles McGee
Named among the most influential African-Americans in Oregon, Charles has a lot to say about leadership, education and public service. With his passion as a driving force for his public service mission, Charles ran for Portland Public School Board in 2006. Charles and his close friend Johnell Bell co-founded the Black Parent Initiative in May 2006. He has spoken throughout the nation and Canada on various issues and topics.

Gary Withers, Co-Chair

Gary Withers joined Concordia University as Executive Vice President in 2005. Along with President Chuck Schlimpert, he co-leads Concordia's community engagement strategy known as the "Portland Initiative" and serves as a key member and mentor of the Concordia University development team. The Portland Initiative has significantly expanded the role of Concordia University in the community, including the development of the Concordia Teacher Corps and the University's key partnerships with The Black Parent Initiative (BPI) and many other community non-profits. This new level of civic engagement has also attracted significant philanthropic support including the university's first individual gift $1 million.

Mary Kalafatis, Co-Chair

Mary is currently employed by Children's Institute as their Operations and Finance Director. She is a key player in managing internal operations of the Institute, specifically in the areas of accounting, human resources, facilities and technology. Mary is a certified public accountant and has worked in nonprofit finance and management for more than a decade, including time at Friends of the Children, Caldera and Oregon Mentors. Mary also focused on the nonprofit sector as an auditor for Price Waterhouse from 1993-1996. She has an MBA from Arizona State University.

Travis Stovall, Tresurer

Travis Stovall is President of The Stovall Group, a consulting firm he founded to assist start-up businesses and companies looking to grow and reorganize. Active in the community, Stovall has been recognized for his leadership of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce. He holds a degree in Business Administration and Finance at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. ^top