Dress for Success Oregon Celebrates Accomplishments

Platinum Sponsor, Bank of America’s guests enjoy the evening and toast DFSO’s mission.

Portland, OR. Dress for Success Oregon held its largest annual gala fundraiser, Celebrate Success, at the Portland Art Museum on April 27, 2018. The 450 guests raised over $260,000, which supports job retention programs. Platinum Sponsor, Bank of America’s guests enjoyed the evening and toasted DFSO’s mission. Several Dress for Success clients shared their journeys from hardship and discouragement to self-determination and job success. Women from the community who have written their own success stories were honored with the Athena Award. Athena Award winners are women who, “know that we are all connected and, that what we do for “one,” we do for all.” (Photo credit, Images by Brant)

DFSO Board Co-Chair Traci Ray, Board Co-Chair Cindy Larson, Athena Award Winners: Adrienne Nelson, Graciela Cowger, Janelle Bynum, Monique Barton, and DFSO Executive Director Shari Dunn.

Sarah Howard, Debbie Johnsen, DFSO Board Member Lucy Kivel, Gwyneth Gamble-Booth, and Scott Howard.

Bidders enjoy an exciting live auction and paddle raise.

2018 Athena Award Honorees are:

• Monique Barton, Senior Vice President of Bank of America, a leader in philanthropy in Oregon and SW Washington and a long-time partner and supporter of the women we serve.

• Rep. Janelle Bynum, Democrat – District 51 – Clackamas, the first African-American woman to represent District 51 in the State Legislature and a fierce advocate for women and girls.

• Graciela Gomez Cowger, CEO of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, both the first woman to lead the 125-year-old firm and one of only a handful of Latinas to lead a U.S. law firm.

• The Honorable Adrienne Nelson, the first African-American to sit on the state’s highest court in its 158-year history and on any appellate state court.

The Celebrate Success event featured a cocktail reception, Diamond Dig, aerialists, three-course-dinner, live auction, and a masquerade ball after party. Poison Waters was the emcee for the event. Longtime partner Bank of America was the Platinum sponsor of the evening.

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.