WHAT’S NEW • Foundation hires executive director • Federal decisions affect Arctic • Museum exhibit features polar bears • Read more.

Photo/©Amy Gulick

My business experience has taught me that ‘leveraging’ produces results, and I think that leveraging science and public opinion is the way to preserve our wilderness areas. — Tom Campion

 

A nonprofit’s ability to raise funds is an indicator that reflects its strengths in other areas — leadership, planning, communication and, more important, the group’s relationship to the community and its donors. — Sonya Campion

Trustees AND STAFF

Sonya and Tom Campion, Founders and Trustees

Sonya and Tom Campion created the Campion Foundation to organize and expand the scale of their giving and philanthropic leadership. Through the foundation, they focus on promoting social and environmental change in three key areas: wilderness protection, homelessness and strengthening nonprofits.

Tom Campion co-founded Zumiez in 1978. The company sells action-sports apparel and equipment to 12- to 24-year-old men and women in more than 25 states. Zumiez’s success is based on several strategies, such as encouraging store managers to take on responsibility and ownership, investing in its employees, taking risks, listening to trends, staying authentic and being nimble.

In 2005, after Zumiez’s successful public offering, the Campions started the Campion Foundation to leverage the success of Zumiez for social and environmental change. Tom still serves as chairman of Zumiez and is actively involved in building the culture of the company for further growth and expansion.

In addition to Zumiez, Tom dedicates his time and energy to wilderness preservation. More than 30 years ago, he joined the fight to save old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, which provide critical habitat for the spotted owl and other threatened species. This pivotal experience triggered a keen interest in leveraging resources for greater impact in other wild places, including Alaska’s vast wilderness areas.

Tom serves as the Alaska Wilderness League board chairman and is a member of the board of directors of Conservation Northwest.

Sonya Campion is a certified fundraising expert (CFRE) with more than 25 years of experience working with more than 200 nonprofit organizations in the Pacific Northwest. She recently concluded 19 years as a principal of The Collins Group, a regional fundraising consulting firm specializing in fundraising strategies and capital campaigns.

As the foundation’s co-founder, Sonya focuses on advocacy and the support needed to end homelessness in Washington state.

Through engagement and a spirit of partnership, she believes the foundation can challenge leaders in the nonprofit community to build stronger organizations with effective fundraising, informed contributors, enhanced leadership and passionate advocacy that will increase their capacity to achieve their mission.

Marlyn Twitchell, Wilderness Program Director

As wilderness program director, Marlyn draws on her extensive experience in environmental law, policy and conservation issues, as well as a solid understanding of nonprofit organizations, to guide the foundation’s wilderness program toward finding — and funding ― successful and innovative approaches to achieving wilderness protection.

Before joining the foundation, she served as the National Audubon Society’s environmental counsel, managing the organization’s environmental litigation as well as providing valuable legislative and policy advice. She has also served on nonprofit boards of directors and assisted in founding new environmental organizations. Previously, she worked with Earthjustice, focusing on pending logging and mining proposals in the Tongass National Forest, and with the Alaska Legal Services Corporation, representing Alaska Natives in hunting, fishing and land-rights litigation.

Don André, Deputy Director

Don is responsible for foundation operations and administration, and also serves as lead staff for our homelessness and capacity-building programs. Don comes to the Campion Foundation after serving for three years as executive director of Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (Northwest SEED), a nonprofit organization advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy across the Northwest. Before that, he worked for more than 20 years with the Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP), where he designed, implemented and administered a wide range of low-income housing and energy programs. While at SNAP, Don developed skills in nonprofit finances, human resources and operations, while advocating for affordable housing and clean energy. Don’s work for social justice and the environment gives him a unique background, well suited to the mission of our foundation.

Melanie Matthews, Administrative Director

Melanie has led organizations in the nonprofit community for more than eight years in both her native England and in the United States. Her past experience includes serving as managing director of The Empty Space Theatre in Seattle as well as managing Kneehigh Theatre − one of the UK’s top theatre companies − and Malvern Theatres, a three-venue arts center in the UK, as it underwent a multi-million dollar redevelopment program. In addition, Melanie has undertaken a diverse range of activities from teaching at Colorado State University to conducting a feasibility study for Arts Alive Fort Collins. Melanie holds an MBA from Colorado State University.  She sits on the board of DXM Theater, based in Yakima, Wash.