We are excited to welcome Frank So as Oregon Humane’s next CEO.
Frank brings a remarkable breadth of leadership experience and a deep commitment to uniting people around a shared vision for a better future. His career has taken him from Beaverton, where he grew up, to international humanitarian work and diplomacy, and on to the White House. Most recently, Frank served as Executive Director of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, a statewide organization whose programs support vulnerable populations, including refugees, immigrants, and survivors of domestic violence. A proud Oregonian, Frank is half Peruvian and half Thai, fluent in Spanish, and also has a background in the private sector.
Frank is a thoughtful, values-driven, and deeply experienced leader who knows how to navigate complexity, build trust, and create meaningful partnerships. He brings the perspective and leadership we need to build on Oregon Humane’s strong foundation and expand our impact for animals and the communities we serve.
As Frank says, he plans to approach animal welfare with a great deal of humility and curiosity. “I recognize there are people within Oregon Humane and across the animal welfare field who have devoted their careers to understanding this work, and it’s my first responsibility to listen and learn from them.”
This decision is the culmination of a comprehensive search process. Community input through surveys and focus groups helped the Board and CEO Search Committee identify the leadership qualities Oregon Humane needs as we enter this next chapter. We are grateful to everyone who shared their thoughts and voices throughout the process.
We want to recognize Dr. Robert Mack, who led the CEO Search Committee, along with committee members David Angeli, Tracy Crandall, Steve Gish, Patti Miles, and Diane Rosenbaum for their time and dedication throughout this process. “Throughout this process, we never lost sight of our core purpose—to honor Oregon Humane’s mission and hard work by selecting the best leader to take our organization into the future,” says Dr. Mack. “We are confident that Frank has the skills and experience to navigate complexity and bring diverse stakeholders together around a common purpose.”
Frank’s official start date is September 28. He has enthusiastically participated in Doggie Dashes and is the proud adopter of two beloved dogs, Hoku and Bruna. While he may be new to leading Oregon Humane, he is already a part of our community.
“I am deeply honored to serve as Oregon Humane’s next CEO and am eager to listen, learn, and lead,” says Frank. “Together, we will embrace the challenges ahead, celebrate our accomplishments, and write this exciting new chapter in Oregon Humane’s history.”
As we welcome Frank, we also want to express our deep gratitude to Dr. Steve Kochis and Jessica Carl, who have shared CEO responsibilities over the past year and a half while continuing to lead their respective areas of the organization. Their leadership, expertise, and professionalism have enabled Oregon Humane to operate at the highest level throughout this transition. We are incredibly grateful for all they have done, and continue to do, for this organization.
Finally, we want to thank our community for your unwavering support of the animals and people we serve. You have continued to show up for our mission throughout this transition, and we are deeply grateful. We look forward to welcoming Frank to Oregon Humane and to all that we will accomplish together.
