McKenzie is the Events Director at Venture Portland and has the privilege of working with all the business districts in Portland. McKenzie hopes to make events easier and more accessible to all of our members (and beyond!) and to revitalize districts hit hardest in the pandemic by putting on events that champion their community and economy. When asked about the direction she would like to see the Events team take, McKenzie says “Events in general are on the rise and I am very excited to see the progress of opening back up while being flexible and alert to new potential challenges that may arise in a landscape forever changed by the pandemic.” McKenzie loves seeing the social impact events make on a district. She says “My job provides me the opportunity to have an impact citywide and allows me to meet people I wouldn’t have ordinarily had the chance to. I love Portland, born and raised here and I want to see it thrive for years to come.”
When asked about her philosophy on life, McKenzie says “Kindness goes a long way. One of my favorite quotes is from Nelson Mandela, “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” McKenzie has many hobbies including riding Portland’s Biketown bikes all over town. She also likes to craft, read, go for walks, and color in coloring books. When asked to describe herself, McKenzie says she is a “Positive, caring, driven, fun, dog-lady, plant-lady, and theatre-kid at heart.”