Jonathan serves as parks and nature director for Metro, a regional government in Portland, Oregon. Metro serves more than 1.5 million people in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties to provide region-wide planning and coordination to manage growth, infrastructure and development issues that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Metro Parks and Nature protects water quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and creates opportunities to enjoy nature close to home through a connected system of parks, trails and natural areas. Prior to Metro, Jonathan spent 13 years with Playworks, a national nonprofit that believes in the power of play to bring out the best in every kid. Playworks focuses on youth development and school climate enhancement to improve the health, learning, and well-being of children through recess play and physical activity. Jonathan began his career with Playworks in 2004 as an AmeriCorps member in the California Bay Area. In 2009 he relocated to his home state of Oregon to launch the Playworks Portland operations as executive director. Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Jonathan has devoted his life to serving the needs of communities. He earned a BA from UC Santa Cruz and an Executive MBA from the University of Oregon. Jonathan is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum of Oregon, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Harper’s Playground advisory council member, All Hands Raised board member, and AmeriCorps alumni. In his leisure time, he likes to play basketball, travel, play music, fly fish, and spend time with his wife and sons.