For five decades, the Murdock Trust has been shaped and guided by individuals who possess a profound understanding of the Pacific Northwest—its unique landscapes, vibrant communities, pressing issues, emerging opportunities, and diverse sectors.
Spanning five states with national reach across many sectors, we support over 8,000 nonprofits through grants and programs while engaging with countless others. This expansive work is only possible through our network of partners and advisors. At the heart of this network is our Senior Fellows program.
Today, we're excited to share more about this program and introduce our remarkable cohort of 2025-2027 Senior Fellows.
About the Senior Fellows Program
Senior Fellows have been an integral part of the Trust's work for more than a decade. Senior Fellows bring unique perspectives that help us identify emerging issues and monitor sector trends we might otherwise miss. They are part of our broader advisory ecosystem, which includes faculty and coaches for our programs, panels for scientific research grantmaking, advisory councils for programs and investments, and graduate fellows and scholars.
Senior Fellows represent a rich tapestry of expertise spanning across all of the Trust’s areas of focus, grantmaking activities, programs, sector-wide priorities, and core operations. Over the years, they have engaged in informal consultation calls, shared wisdom at programs and conferences, and provided formal input at regular gatherings that directly shape our work.
Our Senior Fellows have opportunities to:
- Collaborate directly with Murdock Trust staff on projects within their areas of expertise
- Support our programs through coaching and curriculum development
- Shape our content by providing input on conferences, webinars, and materials based on nonprofit sector needs
- Guide our priorities by identifying gaps in our work and areas we should focus on
- Represent the Trust in key convenings and events.
Meet Our 2025-2027 Senior Fellows
We're honored to introduce our outstanding cohort of leaders and changemakers who will serve as our 2025-2027 Senior Fellows. These visionaries bring decades of experience and deep commitment to strengthening communities across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
- Jay Barber, President Emeritus, Warner Pacific College
- Daniel Cardinali, Board Chair, Fetzer Institute; Senior Fellow, PolicyLink; Senior Advisor, Stand Together Foundation; Former President & CEO, Independent Sector
- Curtis Chang, Founder & CEO, Consulting Within Reach; Consulting Professor, Duke Divinity School; Senior Fellow, Fuller Theological Seminary
- Lindsay Currie, Executive Officer, Council on Undergraduate Research
- Adam Edgerly, Founder & CEO, Culture Consultants
- Steve Garber, Author and Teacher
- Katherine Gottlieb, Former President & CEO, Southcentral Foundation; Founder, Katherine Gottlieb Strategies and Edgenuity
- Donald Hamelberg, Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Distinguished University Professor, Georgia State University
- Joanne Harrell, Seattle's First Lady
- Lawrence Ho, Attorney, Lawrence J. Ho
- Shirley Hoogstra, President Emerita, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
- Ron King, Former CEO, Western Family Foods
- Cary Paine, Philanthropic Advisor, 10|10 Strategies
- Ray Rasker, Former Executive Director & Co-Founder, Headwater Economics
- Elizabeth Ripley, Former President & CEO, Mat-Su Health Foundation
- Andrea Scott, Founder and Owner, A Write Touch, LLC, a Faith-Infused Leadership, Education, and Business Consultancy
- Norm Smith, President Emeritus, Ford Family Foundation
- Richard Stearns, President Emeritus, World Vision US; Author, The Hole in Our Gospel
- Elizabeth Tamez Méndez, Founder & Executive Director, NewGeneration3.org
- Kent Thornburg, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine Emeritus, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU); Former Director, Center for Developmental Health, OHSU; Former Director, OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness
- John Van Zytveld, Former Senior Program Director, Murdock Trust
- Pia Wilson-Body, Former President, Intel Foundation
We invite you to explore our People page to learn more about these incredible leaders and their inspiring work.
Please join us in welcoming these new and returning individuals into our advisory network, and in thanking them for their invaluable contributions to our mission of fostering flourishing communities and advancing the common good throughout the Pacific Northwest.