Zach Winston

TPN Board Member

I was formerly incarcerated out on the east coast, but I ended up going to law school at Lewis and Clark in Portland. About two years after I graduated law school, I decided that I didn’t want to continue practicing law, and really wanted an experience in direct service work in the Portland community. I started at TPN as a family advocate, and stayed in that position for about a year. When I got offered a director position at another organization, it was bittersweet. I wanted to find a way to still provide as much help and support as I can to TPN, which is why I joined the board.

It’s been a great experience to watch the growth; seeing new programs start up, offices opening, and everything we’ve been doing to serve the community is just incredible. Even during the pandemic, in a really unprecedented and difficult time, our staff were working together, trying to find ways to continue interacting with clients and supporting them. I think that’s what’s really special about TPN; just the commitment that our staff and leadership have to the work. It’s not just going in and doing a job, right? It’s an actual commitment to the direct service and willingness to continue improving.