As director of community engagement for the Regional Arts & Culture Council in Portland, Oregon, Jeff Hawthorne collaborates with community partners to increase funding and visibility for the local arts community. He is responsible for securing public and private funding that makes up RACC’s annual budget, which has grown from $3.8 million in 2003 to $10.2 million in 2015. RACC’s united arts fund, Work for Art, has raised $6.2 million over the last nine years, mostly through workplace giving campaigns. Hawthorne also oversees the organization’s outreach and communications efforts, and manages research projects that help quantify the value of the local arts community. Hawthorne graduated cum laude from the University of Portland with a B.A. in theater management, and currently serves on the board for the Northwest Regional Re-Entry Center and Oregon’s Cultural Advocacy Coalition.