REACH Welcomes Jackie Keogh, Head of Philanthropy and Impact
We are proud to welcome a distinguished leader to our executive team: Jackie Keogh as Head of Impact and Philanthropy. Her leadership, expertise, and dedication to community development and organizational excellence will play a vital role in advancing REACH’s mission to create and preserve affordable housing while fostering thriving, inclusive communities.
About Jackie Keogh
Jackie Keogh, a seasoned professional in community development and affordable housing, joins REACH as Head of Impact and Philanthropy. With over a decade of experience in scaling grassroots nonprofit organizations, Jackie has played a pivotal role in shaping strategic and fundraising efforts. She began her career at an affordable housing nonprofit in Massachusetts, helping transform it into a nationally recognized regional community development corporation. Jackie’s Oregon experience includes leadership roles at the Portland Housing Bureau and as Deputy Director of Proud Ground, the largest Community Land Trust in the Pacific Northwest. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director for Rooted Homes in Bend, OR, where she led the organization to significant growth, building sustainable and affordable homeownership communities throughout Central Oregon. Her innovative programs, such as workforce housing and resident-led design, have been modeled across the state for their community impact. At REACH, Jackie will lead efforts to expand philanthropic partnerships and enhance community-driven initiatives.
“Ensuring access to affordable housing means investing in people, stability, and the long-term success of our communities,” said Jackie Keogh. “I am excited to help grow REACH’s impact by strengthening our partnerships and ensuring we have the resources to support residents in meaningful ways.”
Jackie joins REACH at a pivotal time as our organization continues to expand its affordable housing initiatives and deepen its commitment to equitable and sustainable community development. Their leadership will play a crucial role in fostering an inclusive work environment and strengthening REACH’s impact across the region.
Q&A with Jackie Keogh, Head of Philanthropy and Impact
What is a cause or project you’ve worked on that has been especially meaningful to you?
The rising cost of housing has caused displacement of our essential workers. These are teachers, nurses, and hospitality workers whose own pay has not risen at the same rate of the housing market. An opportunity presented itself to develop a program for major employers to invest in affordable housing to attract and retain their staff. Seizing on this opportunity, my team built the Workforce Housing Program that gives housing preference to essential employees of major employers who invest in affordable housing.
Great ideas like these get left behind when we don’t question how things have always been done. Presenting a new way of doing things can be daunting, but it is worth it, and I have seen that the results speak for themselves. The Workforce Housing Program has been modeled across the state to serve the people who make up the backbone of our economy.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received that still guides you today?
I’ve learned so much from my team, but what stays with me is that we should push each other to be our best through transparency and shared-ownership; recognizing that we give our best when we have the flexibility to be our whole selves. When we give our people the space to show up as their whole selves, teams thrive.
What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday when you’re not working?
With my own team, I recognize that they give their best when they have the flexibility to be our whole selves. So I would be remiss to not share who I am as a person. I am a mother, a gardener, a bookworm, and lover of the great outdoors. My favorite way to spend a Saturday morning is on a hike with my family with lots of snacks in my backpack.
What is a hobby or passion you have that most people wouldn’t guess?
Since I was a little girl, I’ve always found contentment in books. Now I read a book a week. My favorite genre is historical fiction because an author brings a historical event to life with their characters with the context of a modern world. One of my favorite books is a semiautobiographical novel, The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.
What excites you most about joining REACH’s mission and team?
During college, I started working as an intern at a community development corporation (CDC) north of Boston and have never left the industry. The affordable housing field hooked me because it brings together so many siloed industries – nonprofit, construction, and client services. As a leading CDC, REACH Community Development embodies the work that I based my career on. Having now worked across the continuum of affordable housing, the CDC model has always stayed with me for its wide-spread and local impact on economic and social advancement.
Anything else?
In Peter Kageyama’s community development book, For the Love of Cities, he states, “the mutual love affair between people and their place is one of the most powerful influences in our lives.” As a leader in affordable housing, this quote resonates with me because it recognizes the power of place-based community building and the inherent connection residents have to the places they call home. For me, that place is Portland. I recently moved back to Portland and I couldn’t be happier to work and live in a city that I love.
We are excited to have Jackie on board and look forward to the positive impact she will have on our organization and the communities we serve. Welcome, Jackie!
