The Portland Japanese Garden Selects Lisa Christy as New Executive Director

Christy, who has been with the Japanese Garden since 2014, previously worked for Wieden + Kennedy.

Lisa Christy (Photo by Jonathan Ley, courtesy of Portland Japanese Garden)
By Bennett Campbell Ferguson

The Portland Japanese Garden today announced that Lisa Christy, its chief external affairs officer of five years, will be elevated to the position of executive director.

“Lisa has greatly improved our guest experience and outreach and has fostered deep and meaningful ties to our community,” Steve Bloom, CEO of Portland Japanese Garden and Japan Institute, said in a statement. “With her keen insight and remarkable empathy, Lisa is an instrumental and necessary figure in ensuring the garden will be able to continue pursuing its mission of inspiring harmony and peace.”

“I am honored to take on the role of executive director of Portland Japanese Garden,” Christy added. “I am excited to continue working with our incredible staff, volunteers, and board members to both maintain and expand upon Portland Japanese Garden’s standard of excellence.”

Christy, who is a volunteer member of Japan-America Society of Oregon’s board of directors, has worked at the Japanese Garden since 2014. She was first hired as the garden’s director of marketing and communications, after a decade of overseeing advertising campaigns at Wieden + Kennedy.

As executive director, Christy will oversee the Japanese Garden’s day-to-day operations, including admissions, retail, cafe, facilities and security.

“During my 10 years with the organization, I have personally witnessed how much the garden means to our community,” Christy said. “I am grateful to work for an organization that, for more than 60 years, has fostered peace both within and among people and provided a place of serenity, beauty and comfort for all those who walk through its gates.”

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