Rozalyn Mock knows a good fit when she has one. After earning her master’s degree in public policy at Harvard University, the former associate program officer has returned to The Ford Family Foundation, this time as program officer for Community Economic Development.

“After I received my degree I wanted a role where I could be as impactful as possible and partner directly with rural communities,” she says. “The Foundation was a great fit for me in that way. It’s an opportunity to work alongside people who are committed to and laser-focused on rural vitality.”

Rozalyn leads the strategic grantmaking that supports strengthening and growing rural Oregon and Siskiyou County’s economic development ecosystems with an emphasis on increasing the ability of statewide systems to support family economic success. She enjoys working alongside communities to help build capacity and develop skill sets to leverage federal dollars, as well as ensuring that economic development plans are in place.

A Ford Scholar Class of 2011, Rozalyn graduated with honors from Oregon State University in 2015 with a dual degree in environmental economics and international studies. She was a credit officer for AgWest Farm Credit for three years before joining the Foundation for the first time in 2018.

She decided to apply to the Harvard Kennedy School’s graduate program after her role at the Foundation gave her a deeper understanding of the factors needed to make systemic change. “I wanted to explore the role of state and local government in rural economic development and to learn from a global community of people with vastly different perspectives and experiences,” she says.

Rozalyn lives in her hometown of Sutherlin with her husband, two cats and a dog. She spends her off time backpacking, gardening, trying out new recipes, traveling and exploring the beauty and bounty of the Pacific Northwest.