Our New Programs Manager
Cleo (second from left) posing with fellow NWHF staff members Felicita, Maritza, Kayla and Jen.
For almost three years, we’ve been lucky to count the brilliant and kind Cleo Tung among our staff at Northwest Health Foundation. And now we’re excited to announce that we’re promoting Cleo to Programs Manager!
Cleo came to Northwest Health Foundation from Partnership for Safety and Justice, and she’s brought her passion for criminal justice reform to everything she touches at NWHF. Not only did she train our staff on the fundamentals of criminal justice, she also led the creation of the Justice Reinvestment Equity Program, traveling the state and distributing millions of dollars to organizations that are reducing incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal legal system, promoting healing and advancing community safety.
Cleo says: “One of my proudest moments was launching JREP and shaping it in response to grantees’ experiences. It’s been powerful to work alongside organizations across the state to demonstrate what it can look like when funding is more responsive to organizations led by and serving the people most impacted and to help expand the conversation around safety beyond the dominant narrative.”
Cleo is an incredible spokesperson and advocate for our work. She recently spoke about JREP on KBOO radio, and she created storyboards for some powerful videos capturing JREP-funded work in action.
She also leads our Civic Health initiative and helped launch the second chapter of Civic Health. She recently organized a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area for a dozen plus Civic Health grantees and funding partners to learn about shared infrastructure.
Cleo playing the role of goth teenager during our 2024 holiday card photo shoot.
Cleo shared, “One highlight [from the last three years] has been the time I’ve gotten to spend with grantees in person from Raymond and Vancouver, WA to Klamath Falls and Pendleton, OR. There’s nothing like being in community and having the honor to learn about orgs’ work up close. On a personal note, it’s also been meaningful to watch my daughter grow up alongside this work. She even took her first steps at a Civic Health convening and has been part of so many since.”
As Cleo transitions into her new role, our Director of Programs Jen Matheson will begin medical leave starting in early July. Jen expects to return in the late fall. Jen has been thoughtfully preparing for this transition with Cleo. Thank you, Jen!
We are so lucky to have the team we do at NWHF!