Hi. I’m Mara.

I work at the intersection of community building, economic development, and systems change. Over the past decade+ I’ve been at the forefront of a movement of businesses and organizations building the “next economy.” You might know me as a co-founder of Switchboard (now Hearken), Business for a Better Portland, Xcelerate, Zebras Unite, or most recently, COLA Love. Or maybe just as a crazy artist wanting to re-infuse fun and beauty into social change. However you landed here…I’m glad you’re here.

What’s this all about?

2023 marks the first time in over a decade that I do not hold the title of CEO, Managing Director, or Founding Board Chair. As I embark on this new personal and professional chapter, I want to:

• Offer a window into my growth journey and ruminations about community, creativity, care, collaboration, and other C words;

• Create a space for fresh dialogue with the beautiful individuals who have influenced the arc of my career; and, maybe,

• Build an evolving time capsule of this fascinating phase of Life – mine, our society’s, our planet’s.

Not sure what all that means? I don’t know if I really do either. Subscribe and we can find out together. For now, I’m offering my newsletter free, especially since I am not guaranteeing a regular cadence of content. If this thing really takes off maybe that will shift, but for now, let’s all just enjoy the ride, shall we?

Learn more

For more about me, my background, the services I offer, where to find me in the world, and how we can connect, visit my website – marazepeda.com.