OEA Centennial Speaker Series

Curtis Robinhold | Executive Director, Port of Portland

You won’t want to miss this talk by Curtis Robinhold, the visionary leader who guided the Port of Portland through one of the most celebrated infrastructure projects in the country.

PDX Next — a decade-long, $2 billion renovation — doubled the airport’s passenger capacity while retaining the small-town comforts that make it so locally beloved. The results have been extraordinary: PDX earned a #2 ranking in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards and was named a Laureate of “The World’s Most Beautiful Airports” by Prix Versailles, an international architecture and design award presented at UNESCO headquarters. Fast Company recognized the project with its 2025 Best Design North America award, and Travel Oregon honored PDX Next with the 2024 Governor’s Award, calling it “the gold standard.”

On September 16, Robinhold will pull back the curtain on the Port’s full scope — three marine terminals, two general aviation airports, and PDX — and share how the Port drives regional economic growth through trade, transportation, and industry innovation. Few people have a more direct line of sight into what moves Portland’s economy forward.

Curtis Robinhold has led the Port of Portland since 2017. Before joining the Port, he served as Chief of Staff to Governor John Kitzhaber, led global operations for BP’s gas-fired power business, and served as CEO of an energy efficiency finance firm — a career spanning public service, energy innovation, and large-scale operations at every level.

This is a rare chance to hear from a leader who isn’t just participating in Portland’s next chapter — he’s building it.

Event Details

• Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
• Rose Room at the Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
• Open to the public.
• Tickets required for attendance.

Rukaiyah Adams | CEO, 1803 Fund

A fourth-generation Portlander, Rukaiyah Adams is one of Oregon’s most distinguished investors and civic leaders. As CEO of the 1803 Fund — a $400 million initiative backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight — she is working to rebuild Portland’s historically Black Albina neighborhoods through smart, community-centered investment.

Her career spans the highest levels of institutional finance: she previously served as Chief Investment Officer at Meyer Memorial Trust, one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest charitable foundations, and ran the $6.5 billion capital markets fund at The Standard. As chair of the Oregon Investment Council, she oversaw approximately $100 billion in public pension assets — and under her leadership, Oregon’s state pension fund ranked as the top-performing public pension fund in the United States.

Rukaiyah holds a JD and MBA from Stanford and a BA from Carleton College. She serves on the boards of Oregon Public Broadcasting, Albina Vision Trust, and Oregon Health and Science University Foundation, among others.

Topic to be announced.

Event Details

• Wednesday, November 11, 2026 • 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
• Rose Room at the Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
• Open to the public.
• Tickets required for attendance.

Oregon’s Sports Future Is Bright. Hear It First.

Jim Etzel  |  CEO, Sport Oregon

A Portland native and University of Portland graduate, Jim Etzel has spent more than 30 years shaping Oregon’s sports and live events landscape. Since taking the helm at Sport Oregon in 2018, he has more than doubled the organization’s revenue, secured marquee events including the 2030 NCAA Women’s Final Four and IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon, and helped transform Portland International Raceway into the only track in the world hosting NASCAR, INDYCAR, and Formula E.

Jim also launched the SHE FLIES initiative, driving meaningful impact for girls and women in sport across Oregon.

Jim’s talk kicks off the Legacy Talks series — and there is no better voice to open this conversation.

Event Details

• Wednesday, May 27, 2026  •  11:30 AM–1:00 PM
• Rose Room at the Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
• Open to the public
• Tickets required for attendance