“I’m interested in how we can bring rural voice to the table and how we can achieve systematic change. I want us to help communities chart their own future.”

Tim Inman joined the Foundation as its first-ever Chief Policy and Public Affairs Officer to deliver on our commitment to improving the lives of rural kids across our region. In this role, he devotes his time to listening and building trust in the community to help set policy agendas we can all get behind.

Tim grew up on a sixth-generation farm in Elmira — one that continues to call him home for weekend work and serve as “an anchoring spot.” In every position held, Tim has carried his rural sensibilities with him. “Imprinted in me is this rural farm kid, so I feel urgency in giving back and supporting an organization that is working every day to tackle a lot of the big problems that rural communities face.”

Tim worked for over a decade in staff leadership positions in the Oregon House of Representatives in the Oregon Legislature and served as Chief of Staff to then Speaker of the House Tina Kotek before joining the University of Oregon in 2019. There, he held multiple roles, most recently serving as vice president for government and community relations and university secretary. A first-generation college student, Tim holds a bachelor of arts and a masters of public policy from Oregon State University.