“The (other) four questions”
An Interview with Howie Bierbaum, EJC’s New Executive Director
On Wednesday, August 3, Eastside Jewish Commons board announced that, after a four-month, national search process, it selected Howie Bierbaum as Executive Director to propel its mission forward, bring to life its values of being an inspiring, inclusive and joyful Jewish community space, and build on the momentum of early successes.
Howie, an Oregonian since 1981 (by way of New Jersey), joins the EJC team following an illustrious 30-year career in both the for- and non-profit sectors where he honed administrative and management skills. Previous stints as executive director took him from building the administrative infrastructure of and managing day-to-day operations for Third Angle New Music Ensemble; to overseeing a 16-month refurbishment project and managing a staff of 30+ at the Wonder Ballroom; to leading Portland’s Saturday Market, nationally recognized as the largest continuously operating open-air arts and crafts market in the country.
Howie has extensive event planning experience producing hundreds of shows with local and national headliners and others at local venues, as well as handling daily logistics, lighting design and finances as their tour manager for Pink Martini, a Portland-based band featuring a dozen musicians that performs multilingual repertoire on concert stages and with symphony orchestras around the world. As a community organizer, Howie was a founding member of ACT UP during the AIDS crisis. More recently, he helped spearhead the S.O.S. (Save our Stop) campaign to successfully keep the Skidmore MAX stop, served as task force member for the Earthquake Ready Burnside Bridge Project, and has collaborated with various community-based groups representing people from diverse backgrounds. During the COVID crisis, he appeared on Fox’s “America’s Newsroom,” debating the state and fate of downtown Portland.
His fundraising experience runs deep, successfully receiving multi-year grants from The Meyer Memorial Trust, Collins Foundation and more, as well as serving as a grant panelist for the Oregon Arts Commission, the Regional Arts and Culture Council, Prosper Portland and the Oregon Community Foundation.
Howie has emceed numerous events and performed stand up and sketch comedy, as well as co-hosting his own program on KBOO-FM.
In this interview with EJC board co-chair Karen Blauer, Howie explains what drew him to the EJC, the challenges and opportunities he sees in the near future, and what he hopes to bring to the organization and community.
Howie, welcome to the EJC! We’re thrilled you’re joining us on this exciting journey. A lot of folks are curious - why EJC? What drew you to our organization? And why now?
As someone who has a deep commitment to community, I love developing community spaces, places where people can congregate to shop, learn, pray, create change or simply be entertained. EJC can be all of this and more. It’s a beautiful contemporary space with tons of light that holds myriad possibilities that I’m ready to explore. There’s something special, celebratory and inclusive here that I want to nurture and grow.
Why now? I’ve been an Eastside Portland resident since 1981 and have immersed myself in arts, community and activism – particularly around LGBTQIA2S, government agencies and other organizations in the Old Town community. EJC’s mission and vision speak to me as an activist and align with my values. I’ve always tended to get behind and embrace things that are important to me. I was raised as a Conservative Jew and, though unaffiliated my entire adult life, I’ve always been guided by Jewish values in all the work I do - particularly the ideals of Tikkun Olam, Tzedakah and Justice.
EJC strives to be a joyful, inclusive and inspiring Jewish community space where people can connect, learn and grow. In its first year, despite putting a lot of time and energy into adjusting and adapting to the pandemic, the Commons hosted a lot of fresh and unique programming. What are your thoughts about ways we can – collectively and/or individually - persevere in the face of lingering uncertainty? What challenges and opportunities do you foresee? Our post-Covid world has changed how people interact, but not their hunger to connect. EJC is a new venue that brings people together, something that’s very much needed now.
It’s true that a crisis creates opportunities. Covid and the ensuing economic downturn certainly allows us to use all the gadgets in our collective toolboxes! Folks are always looking to be inspired. We need to keep that in mind. There’s no excuse – including COVID - for stale, cookie-cutter programming. There’s an incredible amount of creative genius in our community; we need to tap that wellspring and invite people to be inventive. Through all my experiences, I learned that, for an organization to survive and thrive, it’s necessary to have a shared vision, quality collaborators, transparency and honest communication.
You have years of experience working in the for-profit and non-profit sectors; managing the Wonder Ballroom and its staff of more than 30; juggling daily logistics on international tours for Pink Martini’s 20 artists and crew members; and negotiating contracts, securing grant funds, overseeing payroll, permits, licensing, vendors and records for Portland Saturday Market and more. What do you hope to bring to EJC as its Executive Director?
I have a passion for making our region better for everyone. As Portland becomes more diverse, I’m conscious of the need, both personally and professionally, to continue to learn and grow from those from different backgrounds. I’m ready to listen to voices in our community so I fully address challenges that will lead EJC to success. Along with a strong work ethic and the ability to adapt, I’ve succeeded in all my endeavors and will bring these experiences and values to the EJC. I love what I’ve seen so far and I will work with Eric Stern (EJC’s Arts Ambassador) and our partners to make EJC a thriving hub in Portland’s Jewish community.
What else would you like community members and EJC’s supporters and partners to know about you?