Longtime Nike Executive Julia Brim Edwards Steps Down

In recent years, Brim Edwards worked closely with public employee unions to help lawmakers pass the 2019 Student Success Act.

Julia Brim Edwards.
By Nigel Jaquiss

Julia Brim Edwards, who parlayed a first career in Oregon politics into a high-level position at Nike and has been involved in nearly every significant state and local political issue for the past 17 years, is hanging up her spikes, according to multiple sources.

In recent years, Brim Edwards worked closely with public employee unions to help lawmakers pass the 2019 Student Success Act, which will pump more than $1 billion a year into K-12 education. That hard-fought victory came after years of preparation and followed a decisive defeat of a similar concept, Measure 97, at the ballot box in 2016.

Brim Edwards also played a central role in defeating Metro’s massive transportation tax in 2020.

A member of the Portland Public Schools Board, Brim Edwards declined to comment about what she’ll do next, although friends say she plans to remain active on a variety of public issues.

Nike did not respond by press deadlines.

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