We are pleased to announce the on-boarding of our new Asset and Development Coordinator, Kari Johnsen, who will lead activities to ensure optimum portfolio performance and support around new housing acquisitions and development.

Kari is originally from Lordsburg New Mexico. She is a Marylhurst University Alumni where she studied Interdisciplinary Studies, Self Designed course with a focus in Business Management and Communications. Kari’s professional background includes 15 years of combined nonprofit management. She was the co-founder of a local organization in Portland called Financial Beginnings in 2005, teaching financial literacy to teens and young adults. Her most recent position was working with Veterans as a Regional Director for Operation Homefront, connecting the American donor community to our military families through a robust array of valued life changing programs. The programs she overseen included critical financial assistance, rent free transitional housing for wounded service members, as well as permanent housing for discharged veterans and retirees by providing mortgage free homes.

Kari grew up in a Hispanic community where she experienced being the minority as a Caucasian. Lordsburg was a border town with very few jobs, little opportunities, and daily deportations. The largest opportunity for migrants was to become a farmworker picking cotton several towns away or working local farm lands that needed animal care. Karis’ passion has always been to give back to her community, she is excited to join FHDC to make a difference in Farmworking and low-income communities of Oregon.

Welcome Kari!