News Release: Sport Oregon Taps Nayman to Lead External Affairs
Sport Oregon announced that Nathan Nayman, a senior professional known for his ability at taking the pulse of communities, legislative bodies and industries, will be joining the Sport Oregon team to lead its external affairs efforts.
Jim Etzel, President CEO of Sport Oregon remarked, “Nathan has had solid experiences in forging public policy, as an association executive and external affairs strategist, that have all resulted in strong, trusted relationships. He will help to build out the Sport Oregon team.” He added, “As our organization continues its rapid growth, our emphasis on external relations as well as civic strategy, community engagement and coalition building are the skills that Nathan brings to the table.”
Nayman moved to Portland in 2018 after decades in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has had an extensive career with Visa, and as an association executive with both the Committee on Jobs and the Hospital Council of Northern and Central California. He most recently served as a strategic community engagement advisor to the Portland Diamond Project, the management group seeking to bring a major league baseball team to Portland.
As a certified mediator from the Harvard School of Public Health in conflict resolution, his successes in forging diverse public-private coalitions are based upon building solid consensus around shared goals. With appointments by California Governor Gavin Newsom and former Governor Jerry Brown, he has served on the Board of Directors and Public Policy Committee of the California Workforce Development Board, Jefferson Awards Foundation Students in Action and the John Burton Advocates for Youth, a statewide non-profit organization working to improve the quality of life for foster, former foster, and homeless youth. He has also served on the board of economic development organizations and chambers of commerce.
“As a big sports fan and a believer in all the benefits sports bring, I am looking forward to working with Jim and his dynamic team to further the mission of Sport Oregon,” said Nayman. “Besides the economic and job creation engine that sports generate, its role in working with youth and in particular those in underserved communities to help develop leadership skills is a core value I share with the organization.”
Nathan lives in Southwest Portland with his wife, Carol, and their dog, Rosie. Their son, Andrew, is a singer/songwriter and performer residing in San Francisco.