Member Meetings and Calendar
Kitchen Cabinet Meetings
September through May
Hosted cocktail hour with hearty snacks
We hope you’ll come to the most of these meetings. This is where we learn together, build trust, and align strategies. The meetings are designed to be interactive and to call on your expertise, insights, and leadership roles. These meetings will be facilitated, casual, and dare-we-say fun?
Lunch Events
September through May (Most Months)
Hosted lunch
Just looking to connect? We’ll host a handful of simple lunch events throughout the year. Tasty, casual, and low-or-no agenda. Just time to connect. Expect soft facilitation prompts and maybe a little matchmaking.
Skunkworks Meetings
Skunkworks teams set their own schedule. Meetings are open to all members, but the general idea is that a smaller group of dedicated members will use this time to roll up their sleeves and move toward a goal. The is where we move from alignment to action.
Community Events
All of you are in leadership roles that convene, serve, or represent parts of the greater Portland community. You host events that are open to the public and we’re happy to share them here. Just ask!
What to Expect in Our Gatherings
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We’ll have tasty snacks and beverages. We encourage you to come early or stay afterwards to catch up with friends and colleagues or foster new relationships.
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We hope this is a private space to learn together. We appreciate the Chatham House Rule as a guide. It helps create a trusted environment to understand and resolve complex problems. Its guiding spirit is: Share the information you receive, but do not reveal the identity of who said it.
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The Public Will Building is ADA accessible for those with mobility needs. If need additional accommodation, please let us know so we can ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for you.
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If you need work space before the meeting, just let us know! There is often a comfortable place to work or meet available. Use this form with two days notice. But we can probably find a spot for you on meeting days if you just come early.
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We’re investing in building trusting relationships and problem solving dynamics among nearly 200 civic leaders who connect with the broader community through their roles in government, philanthropy, business, community advocacy, media, and the arts. You are welcome to bring a guest. Great guests are senior-level leaders who have experience with the topic and value problem solving in a civic space. Please remind your guests that this is a space for learning together — and that advocacy and rehearsed talking points are not welcome.
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Someone will be ready to let you in at 4:00 pm. You are welcome to come early and socialize, work, or get a little quiet time in the living room.
We'll offer beverages at the start of the meeting: Coffee, tea, water, beer, and wine.
Kitchen Cabinet meetings start at 4:30 p.m.. The meeting will typically include a very short presentation or speaker, followed by facilitated and interactive engagement around a topic.
We'll offer cocktail hour snacks and beverages at 5:30.
Stay for the After Meeting. Feel free to stay and socialize after the meeting!
Unity Bowl 2026
Unity Bowl 2026
Unity Bowl 2026 will celebrate democracy with lighthearted games and an election returns watch party. Win silly prizes at Election Night Bingo. Park and ride our complimentary shuttle to circulate among close-in campaign events. This is a free event, open to any guests, with a no-host buffet and bar. Members enjoy two free drink tickets.
This party will be hosted at Grand Central Bowling.
Kitchen Cabinet Session: Next
Next
No crystal ball, so we don’t know what this election will yield for Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, or the nation. But we know it will be consequential. We’ll invite a few insightful leaders to help us explore what’s next.
Kitchen Cabinet Session: Forgive
Forgive
When leaders and communities go to the mat over competing visions for how to solve problems and build a better future, we bruise and break things. And then we repair. Or we don’t, and continue on in a fractured community. What does it mean to forgive in civic life? What has it meant for you? Join us for a an intimate exploration of civic leadership in polarized times.
Vision
Vision
Join us over lunch for a dynamic, intergenerational discussion and exchange of ideas about the future of downtown, and an exploration of the visions and values underlying the next chapters for our city. In partnership with Lincoln High School and St. Mary’s Academy.
Future
Future
Metro is bringing together communities across greater Portland to create a 50-year visionary outlook for the region. The Future 50 Vision Summit is a chance to play an active role in laying the groundwork for how the region evolves in the next five decades. Bring your ideas, innovative spirit and aspirations for your community. Your voice and perspective are invaluable. This summit will be hosted at the Oregon Convention Center.
Tacos
Tacos
We’re kicking off the season with a casual lunch to deepen connections among members. We’ll bring spicy conversation prompts; you decide how spicy you want your tacos.
This hosted lunch is at the Hawthorne Street ¿Por Qué No? because we love supporting our members’ businesses!
Kitchen Cabinet Session: Yes
Yes
Can we create a “culture of yes” in Portland? Should we? For the sectors we serve or represent, what would a shift in culture look like in concrete terms — and what might it require from us? We’ll dig with Duncan Hwang, Kim Melton, Laura Gunderson, Marissa Madrigal, and Stephen Green.
Downtown for All Listening Session: Help Local Businesses Survive and Thrive
Help Local Businesses Survive and Thrive: Risk and Financial Health for Businesses and Buildings of All Sizes
Prioritizing practical solutions for storefront activation, collective risk mitigation, and dedicated navigation support.
Who is this listening session for? This session is designed for small business owners, retail advocates, economic development partners, and community business intermediaries. We are seeking your thoughts on strengthening small businesses, navigating risk, and accelerating recovery to restore everyday vitality.
Strategy Examples: Creating a comprehensive storefront activation fund and expanding tenant improvement grants. Deploying a retail navigation ombudsman to support small business owners. Mitigating risks for new entrepreneurs through a collective insurance program, exploring a master lease program, and testing mortgage-free building leasing pilots.
Downtown for All Listening Session: Put Buildings Back to Work
Put Buildings Back to Work: A More Technical Conversation
A technical conversation evaluating pathways to accelerate adaptive reuse, streamline permitting, and unlock existing building stock.
Who is this listening session for? This session is designed for property owners, commercial real estate developers, lenders, urban planners, and city permitting officials. We will be asking about strategies to reduce vacancy, prevent value destruction, and return underused buildings to productive use.
Strategy Examples: Unlocking downtown's existing building stock through office-to-residential and maker-space conversion incentives. Streamlining seismic and fire codes to reduce regulatory hurdles.Providing loan requirement modification assistance to businesses. Establishing a Central City Permitting Team and a Central City strategic investment fund.
Insider Briefing: OVBC Your City, Your Choice Survey
Insider Briefing: OVBC Your City, Your Choice Survey
The Bull Run Center has partnered with Oregon Values and Beliefs Center to survey Portlanders about their views on local governance, taxes, and economic growth in Portland. As part of that partnership, a Bull Run Skunkworks Committee convened in February 2026 to develop survey questions relevant to current policy issues. The survey went live to Portland in May 2026 and concluded in June 2026.
The group, chaired by Bull Run member and leader of the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center, Amaury Vogel, is now moving to present survey findings and data to members ahead of sharing them more broadly this fall. We’re looking for input and feedback about the narratives that you see in the survey results and what this means for the communities you convene, serve, and represent.
An enormous thanks to the committee: Amaury Vogel, Andrew Scott, Angela Martin, Jenny Lee, Nick Brodnicki, Nick Hara, Noah Siegel and Winta Yohannes.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Member Briefing: Multnomah County Charter Reform
Member Briefing: Multnomah County Charter Reform
Skunkworks Committee Research: Learn and Discuss before Voting on Member Endorsement
Phase 2 Recommendations – Briefing and Q&A
Over the past several months, this Skunkworks Committee has been hard at work developing a report that offers recommendations to inform the upcoming 2027-28 Multnomah County Charter Review process. Guided by a “North Star set of motivating values – effective governance, equitable representation, and building trust through accountability” – the Committee has conducted interviews with people knowledgeable about County government and researched comparable counties to formulate a set of recommendations designed to ensure that the County’s governance structures meet the challenges of today, and of the years ahead.
This is your chance to ask questions, offer feedback, and get any additional information you might need to cast your vote in the upcoming months.
The presentation portion of this meeting will be recorded. The Q&A will not, but it will be summarized and emailed to members.
Downtown for All Listening Session: Make Downtown More Welcoming and Active
Make Downtown More Welcoming and Active: Enhancing Safety and Public Spaces
Advancing strategies that improve everyday safety, presence, and comfort, including public realm investments and activation.
Who is this listening session for? This session is for leaders from arts and cultural organizations, public safety and crisis response partners, event producers, and placemaking advocates. We want to hear your thoughts about advancing strategies that improve everyday safety, presence, and comfort so that residents and visitors feel a shared sense of ownership and belonging.
Strategy Examples: Establishing neighborhood safety centers and expanding community safety ambassadors. Launching a downtown lighting grant program to improve the public realm. Exploring major activation strategies like seasonal campaigns, a festival and events fund, and supporting programs like "No Vacancy" and tactical "Gather PDX" activations to ensure downtown remains a vibrant cultural center.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
OMSI Field Trip with Nick Hara
Bull Run Field Trip: Climate Change Exhibit at OMSI
Join Bull Run Center Member Nick Hara, and step into OMSI's newest permanent exhibition with a tour from Creative Director, Ciera Iveson. The Nancy Stueber Natural Sciences Hall: Climate of Change / Clima de Cambio invites you to explore a powerful question: what can we cultivate together?
Through immersive, hands-on experiences, explore how people and the environment are deeply connected, and people of all ages can be empowered to take informed action on today’s climate challenges.
Created in collaboration with more than 15 regional partners, Climate of Change / Clima de Cambio amplifies local voices and real-world solutions—from Indigenous leaders to youth changemakers shaping the future of climate storytelling.
Just 20 spots are available for this free tour, so sign up early to reserve your spot!
Downtown for All Listening Session: Align Capital, Infrastructure, and Innovation
Align Capital, Infrastructure and Innovation: Coordinating Long-Term Investment
Coordinating long-term investment by aligning capital pipelines, major infrastructure development, and governance models.
Who is this listening session for? This session is intended for institutional investors, major infrastructure planners, climate and energy experts, philanthropic funders, and government policymakers. Our conversation will focus on aligning capital, infrastructure, and governance to support long-term competitiveness and an inclusive, climate-aligned downtown.
Strategy Examples: Coordinating major infrastructure pipelines like the Rose Quarter and OMSI District. Establishing an "Opportunity Portland" investment recovery initiative. Advancing a Downtown Net Zero buildings strategy. Expanding community ownership models.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Downtown for All Listening Session: Make Downtown Work for the Whole City
Make Downtown Work for the Whole City: A Conversation About Employers and Employees
Focusing on strategies that stabilize jobs, expand commuter benefits, and support workforce access region-wide.
Who is this listening session for? This session is designed for employers, workforce development advocates, childcare providers, transit partners, labor leaders, and other civic leaders. Our conversation will center around stabilizing the jobs, payrolls, and daily activity that fund public services and support citywide affordability.
Strategy Examples: Improving workforce access and amenities by scaling employer retention and recruitment efforts. Expanding commuter benefits, and providing parking access for service industry workers. Pioneering innovative downtown co-working and childcare pilots.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Waterfront Wednesdays
Wednesday mornings, June 3rd through August 12th, 8:00AM to 9:30AM
Deepen your connection with members outside the strategy sessions and skunkworks teams, and get your steps in while we’re at it! No RSVP needed. Just drop in!
We’ll meet at Simple Local Coffee (115 SW Ash St).
Arrive early if you want to buy coffee or a biscuit to go.
Choose between a 50 minute short circuit or a 90 minute long loop.
Lunch: Annual Meeting
Annual Watershed Lunch 2026
It’s our last big group gathering before the summer — turn up, y'all!
It’s time to reflect on our first year and envision our shared impact in the year ahead. This is the only meeting of the year that we ask you to focus on the Bull Run Center itself, and how we can best serve Portland.
Featuring a Por Que No Taco Bar and Jason Hill Photography
(Stellar Professional Head Shots! Take advantage of an exclusive membership perk for professional head shots with Jason Hill before or after lunch on the 27th. Spots are $100 and are limited).
Kitchen Cabinet Session: If You Designed Portland’s Waterfront
If You Designed Portland’s Waterfront
Co-created with Randy Gragg, Design Portland
Portland’s waterfront could be so much cooler. More inviting. More dynamic. More saunas? More slip and slides? How about closer to housing? More connected to Downtown?
As the City considers the future of the waterfront and many community partners invest in the future of river, we’re asking both what’s possible and what we should prioritize — and for who. This session invites members to take on that challenge directly. Through an interactive (and fun!) design exercise* members will develop visions for the waterfront—each shaped by different values, tradeoffs, and constraints. At the end of the session, we’ll share concepts and reflect on what they reveal about our collective priorities. Craft night + civic discourse? See you there.
*No design experience required—just a point of view!
Kitchen Cabinet Session: What Will it Take to Deliver Universal Preschool in Portland?
What Will it Take to Deliver Universal Preschool in Portland?
Co-created with Lauren Johnson, SVP Portland and Jon Rork, Reed College
In 2020, Multnomah County voters passed Preschool for All—a bold step toward universal, publicly funded preschool. Four years later, the vision is still powerful—but the pathway to sustainability is complex. How do we deliver on the promise of truly universal preschool in a way that’s equitable, financially sustainable, and grounded in community needs?
This month, we’re exploring what it will take to make universal preschool a reality in Portland—from infrastructure and workforce capacity to family access and long-term funding.
Whether you’re a policymaker, advocate, parent, or just care about Portland’s future, this is a conversation about how we turn bold policy into everyday systems that work for families, educators, and our region.