For International Women’s Day let’s welcome the Beaverton Downtown Association’s newest board member, Chanel Griffen. Griffen says she’s excited to get started serving downtown Beaverton in all its glory but her particular interest is the needs of small businesses. “I’m super passionate about community impact and supporting small businesses,” she says, “To me, they are one in the same.”
She is joining the BDA as the Org Committee Chair. That is the committee that supports the internal workings of the BDA. Their work includes everything related to funding, which is to say grant writing, sponsorship development and donation programs as well as work fundamental to policy, personnel planning and board planning. In this Griffen says “I am really here to be a servant in this position, I want to really contribute to the mission of the BDA.”
Born in Washington and a Beavertonian since 2019, Griffen says one her favorite things about Beaverton is the food. “I am a foodie. I need a bite of everything. I am always trying new restaurants,” she says, “I’m the one who, when the waiter walks by, is asking what was that.”
And food, as a representation of the diversity and cultural richness that is Beaverton, is particularly appealing . “Business brings in so many people from so many different areas,” she says, “I think downtown Beaverton is the perfect space to give them a community home, a place to be social. I’d like to see us embrace different cultures, spotlight different businesses and really build community.”
Another of Griffen’s passions is music and something she’d like to work on at the BDA. She helped produce a two day music festival at the Tacoma dome during her time in Seattle. She says she would love to see music in the common areas as a way of bringing people together.
But it isn’t just food and music that she says she’s looking forward to. “I am super excited for the wine walk and the bobo tea walk.” she says, as well as the opportunity to bring energy, enthusiasm and ideas. “ I bring some ideas and tactics, some overall workflow that has worked in the past,” she says, “if it fits the situation.”
Working in investment real estate for Westland Investors in Beaverton, Griffen says small businesses are her particular interest. “Small businesses are a part of the community and I think owners/ operators are limited in their ability to even promote themselves. That’s the main thing that drew me to the BDA. It’s the opportunity to support them, uplift them and help overall,” she says, “I’m honored to be a part of it.”