The Ortiz-Myers family has six core values: make an impact, develop people, be intentional, exercise empathy, live generously, and play (a little.) These values help guide their movements through personal and professional worlds, their interaction with others, and the organizations they choose to support.

TFT is pleased to share that Jonathan and Kathryn have generously decided to include TFT in their estate plans, helping to ensure TFT will be able to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems long into the future.

Jonathan Ortiz-Myers has served on TFT’s Headwaters Council for two and a half years. He is the President of Zevez, an accounting automation software company based in Portland, Or. Launched in 2016, The Headwaters Council is an advisory group comprised of emerging business leaders, disrupters, decision-makers and influencers who help drive the next generation of creative and networked conservation and philanthropy.

Kathryn Ortiz-Myers is a teacher-researcher at The Opal School, a Reggio Emilia based Portland Public Charter School inside the Portland Children’s Museum focused on empathy-driven, play-based eduction. She is also a passionate artist.

Jonathan and Kathryn shared that they support TFT because, “TFT is taking folks from different agencies and organizations who are politically divergent and bringing them together to solve real problems in sustainable, practical and inclusive ways.” This aligns with their core values as a family: “Our philosophy for generosity is that it needs to make an impact, needs to invest in people we believe in and needs to be focused and intentional.”

TFT’s ability to deliver its impacts in a quantified fashion also provides the Ortiz-Myers family with confidence that their support is and will continue to be put to good use.

“In the conservation or mission driven space, it is often challenging to know what the impact truly has been,” said Jonathan. “What sets TFT apart is their commitment to be exact with those impacts. It allows us to not just think they’re going to do good but to know they’re going to do good.” 

Through diligent monitoring and use of new technology, TFT is able to definitively state how many pounds of runoff have been prevented from entering a waterway, how many river miles have been restored, and how much water has been kept instream for fish that need it. 

The Ortiz Myers family also supports several other organizations throughout Portland. 

“If I had a big dream for the future, it’s that Kathryn and I could play a part in shaping the future of the region the way Ladd or Corbett did, by leveraging their gifts in business to create jobs, infrastructure, craft policy, and preserve this place we love,” said Jonathan. “My hope is that we can make an impact like they did.” 

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If you’re considering including TFT in your estate plans, or would like to learn more about how planned gifts can have the greatest impact for rivers, we’re here to help. We have helpful documents that guide those considering creating or updating estate plans. These resources are all free: 

Estate planning guide 

Estate inventory form 

Final wishes booklet 

TFT is here to help as you look ahead to the legacy you want to leave. For more information, please contact McCailin Wunder, Associate Freshwater Fund Director, at 503-222-9091 Ext. 26 or at mccailin@thefreshwatertrust.org. 

March 27, 2019

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#estate planning    #Giving    #headwaters council    

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