Edison Welcomes New President

Edison welcomes Mike Schwab, an accomplished leader in the Portland non-profit community, as our next President. Mike joins us from LifeWorks NW, a leading nonprofit providing mental health, addiction, and prevention services, where he has served as Director of Development for five years. 

Mike has had a long development career in education working for Jesuit High School, Notre Dame High School, Saint Xavier University, and the University of Portland. He worked closely with the president of each school, gaining an understanding of their leadership and what made them effective. His experiences coaching baseball at Jesuit, leading retreats at Notre Dame High School, and working closely with students at the University of Portland are part of why he is so excited to be stepping back into education. As a graduate, former employee, and current parent of Jesuit High School Mike has first-hand knowledge of the unique partnership between the schools and is familiar with the powerful work  Edison accomplishes.  Mike has been inspired by the incredible student stories shared at Edison’s events, witnessing the community’s passion for our mission.  

Mike understands the challenges associated with learning differences.  His oldest son Joe has a condition called hydrocephalus and has endured three brain surgeries.  Joe has been doing extremely well living with this condition. Mike’s youngest son Sam was diagnosed with epilepsy at six months and has learning differences as a result of his numerous seizures. Mike served ten-years on the Hydrocephalus Association Board of Directors helping to bring support and education to people impacted and improving research to one day find a cure. 

Mike graduated from the University of Portland with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has his MBA from Gonzaga University.  Mike’s wife Tara is also a University of Portland graduate and currently works at the Sellwood Medical Clinic as a pediatrician.  They have three children; their son Joe (18) and their daughter Anna (16) currently attend Jesuit and Sam (8) is a third-grader at St. John Fisher School. 

When not spending his free time with his family, you can find Mike on a baseball field coaching Little League, watching a Jesuit game, or attempting to play adult wood bat league baseball.