Lisa Mensa will serve as CEO and president of the Oregon Community Foundation starting in September.

The Oregon Community Foundation announced June 28 that Lisa Mensah has been named CEO and president and will officially begin in September.

is dedicated to using philanthropy to strategically support diverse communities across the state to create lasting and transformative change to improve the lives of Oregonians.

According to the nonprofit, Mensah will be the organization’s fourth CEO in its 50-year history, succeeding Max Williams.

“I am excited to return to my roots here in Oregon, to leverage my expertise and the sum of my experiences,” Mensah said. “In this moment, I feel very fortunate to join hands with a 50-year tradition at Oregon Community Foundation, working to help this state and its people flourish.”

Mensah was born and raised in Oregon and returns after working on rural poverty with the Ford Foundation and serving as undersecretary for rural development at the USDA during the Obama administration, where she managed a $215 billion loan portfolio.

“Oregon Community Foundation catalyzes community-led solutions in support of a healthy, thriving Oregon,” said Kimberly Cooper, an OCF board chair. “We look forward to welcoming Lisa Mensah back home in this new leadership role to help advance this great work and all that will be accomplished together in the years ahead.”

Williams will remain in the role until September, according to the nonprofit.

“OCF is an amazing network of generous donors, volunteers and community members working together to make Oregon a better place for everyone,” Williams said. “I am excited about Lisa’s experience, her background and her Oregon roots. I have confidence that Lisa will expand OCF’s impact as we enter the next 50 years of OCF’s service to community.”