Who We Are

Board of Directors

Reiko Williams, Chair, joined the board in 2002. Ms. Williams earned her Master of Social Work from Howard University and manages Community and Family Support programs for the Portland Public School district. She has worked with youth and their families for twelve years. In addition to her work with YEI she is Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the African American Health Coalition.

Dick Ponzi, Vice Chair, has been a YEI board member since 1997. Mr. Ponzi graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a Mechanical Engineering degree and owns Ponzi Vineyards with his family. Mr. Ponzi was a founding member and first president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association and he served as a founding Director of the Oregon Wine Advisory Board. He also founded Oregon's first micro brewery, BridgePort Brewing Company.

Bennie N. Boggan is the Youth Employment Institute's Executive Director and has served on the board since 1998. Mr. Boggan has nearly 20 years experience in youth services in teaching, program management, work force development, coaching, nonprofit management, crisis management and social work. He has served as an Advisory Board member for Casey Family Programs and a Mayor's Task Force Member. Mr. Boggan earned his BA in Education from Western Michigan University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management for Portland State University and was a Kellogg Fellow.

Heidi Owens serves as a representative of the Schamp Family Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. She joined the Board in 2007 and works to support youth programming throughout the Portland Metro area.