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Communications Manager
Patrick Tran; photo credit: Emilie Chen.
This January, Ecotrust welcomed Patrick Tran as our Vice President of Development and Communications. Below, learn a bit more about Patrick’s 15-year career in philanthropy and communications!
Patrick shares what drew him to Ecotrust.
How did you get your start in philanthropy and fundraising?
I came into philanthropy work by accident. I was a biology major on a scholarship, and then through my leadership goals as a student, I got brought into this national organization where I did a lot of really cool things—but that organization was exceptionally good at fundraising. And I just fell in love with it. I fell in love with the impact.
What was the spark moment that got you hooked?
I still remember it like it was yesterday. The organization I was working for offered camp-based programming, and I was asked to grill hot dogs at a day camp. Being fresh out of college, I was uncomfortable around kids. But I could handle a hot dog grill—it wasn’t even hamburgers!
One of the kids came up to me with bright eyes and went, “Oh wow, I get this hot dog?” And I went, “Yeah, totally. Here’s another one.” I admittedly was shooing him away a bit. But he came back and said, “This is free?” I said, “Yeah!” And he said something along the lines of, “Oh wow, this is my only meal today.”
Although my family never experienced food insecurity when I was growing up, as a Vietnamese refugee family, we were by no means comfortable, especially in my earlier childhood. The services we received from nonprofits and government agencies were an important part of my family’s journey.
The way this youth became so excited about two hot dogs was a really profound moment for me, because it showed me what I was doing, working with donors and communicating the impact of the org, had direct impacts. It let me walk a bit in the shoes of the community that that organization was working with, and it showed me how much impact that anyone could have. That was the moment I decided that I would be in the nonprofit space.
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Ecotrust has a really great history of long-time partnerships. Partnering with local people who know what the problems are and who know what likely is the best solution is pivotal.
I bring more than 15 years of fundraising leadership experience working with both national nonprofits [Scouting America] and some of Portland’s most beloved local organizations [Lan Su Chinese Garden, ELSO Inc.]. My work has always centered on building strong relationships and helping connect people who care about community, environment, and opportunity with meaningful ways to make an impact.
My favorite moments are when the programs come to life. There’s something powerful about seeing how someone’s generosity can turn into real impact for our community. Whether it’s a young person experiencing something new for the first time, or programs that help restore our environment and strengthen local economies, those are the moments that remind me why this work matters. Seeing those pieces align and translate into real change in our communities is what I find most meaningful.
Ecotrust has been on my radar for a very long time. The fact that we center around economy, ecology, and equity is really important to me. The fact that Ecotrust partners throughout our region and zooms out to look at issues systemically, as opposed to point fixes, is so important.
Ecotrust has a really great history of long-time partnerships. Partnering with local people who know what the problems are and who know what likely is the best solution is pivotal. Right now, things like equity, economy, and environmental issues are largely being attacked. The more we can continue to strengthen our partners, the more we can help our bioregional community, working with real people who are feeling the impacts.
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I’m from a refugee family. My three siblings and both parents were refugees from Vietnam. I was born in the U.S. And I found myself, very queer and very extroverted. In my family, there’s a cultural norm to be dutiful and obedient, and I was not that person by any means. I had a lot of American tendencies that were different from our household culture. And we found ourselves in a different world, living in West Texas. In West Texas, if you didn’t look like anyone else, didn’t act like the [dominant culture], it puts you in a precarious place.
I have found a lot of comfort in the last 10 years with how I grew up, my family background, and how that was instilled in me by the community that I lived in, where a lot of people didn’t look like me. I’ve always felt like I was an “other.” It’s created my personality and my leadership methodology. Because of those factors growing up, I rely a lot on humor in my leadership style, to break tension or dominance. I’m very forward with my voice, but I also hope to create space for people to talk as well. I’m always rooting for non-leadership, for the person or organization you wouldn’t necessarily expect to finish the race in first place.
Something about me: I love recreational sports. But I was not the sportiest kid, you know? But as an adult, I’ve found this queer recreational culture in Portland. I’ve really leaned into it, because we’re all experiencing this childhood-like activity. Like, it’s been a long time since I’ve been hit in the face with a football. It touches on pushing ourselves with people similar to me, in a space that we’re reclaiming for ourselves. There’s not a lot of adults over 30 who are still engaging in sports. And I think there’s something really magical about that connection.
Another way I like to engage in the community is that I’m on several different boards: I’m board chair of APANO Action Fund. I volunteer with Taste for Equity. I am a VP with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and I helped start the Queer League for Dodgeball, which focuses on females in sports and the queer community in dodgeball. So, those are the ways I have found community with a lot of shared interests and who are, in my opinion, making a difference in some way. Lastly, you’ll often find me at the gym somewhere—working hard or just taking a stroll on a treadmill.
What are you looking forward to as Ecotrust celebrates its 35th anniversary this year?
Staff
I lead the organization’s fundraising and communications strategy, aligning philanthropic revenue growth, brand, and storytelling with our mission and long-term vision.
