I first met Jeff Allen in 2012 when he’d recently been hired to be Drive Oregon’s first Executive Director. He asked me casually if I knew anyone who would be a good candidate for the Board, little did I know he was going to recruit me. I joined the Board a few months later and we were tasked with growing the “EV sector in Oregon” by finding state money for businesses creating jobs in the fledgling industry. 

Now, almost ten years later, the name has changed to Forth, Jeff is still at the helm, the staff has multiplied exponentially and the organization is poised for continued growth.  

During this time, Forth has had the opportunity to work on many significant projects with a variety of partners. Projects like Electric Avenue, the Electric Showcase, and arranging for the International EVS conference to take place in Portland have been particularly noteworthy. Additionally, I have greatly enjoyed being part of our strategic planning, Forth's first and ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion charter, and a major rebranding exercise that demonstrates our grand vision to expand nationally. 

Forth was established with the mission of advancing electric, smart and shared transportation in a manner that is efficient and equitable. Moving forward, there is still more work to do. Understanding the high barrier for equitable solutions in this advanced technology industry, we have only begun the process of integrating equity into all of Forth’s work, both internally and externally. It is imperative for Forth to continue embracing this while championing EV adoption.  

As I wind down this part of my journey, I feel very fortunate to have been part of such an amazing organization. The Forth Board and team are diverse in background and experience; they are brilliant, committed and fun.  Now, I am excited to see what this smart and savvy team is going to accomplish. 

When I joined this organization, I was among the handful of women working in this sector. Now we see thousands of brilliant women globally diligently advancing the shared vision of a cleaner future.   

It has been an honor to serve on the Forth Board. I am thankful to the Forth team for helping to further my knowledge of electric cars, batteries, charging, urban planning, and more. I thank the Board for exemplifying how dialogue can yield better strategy and direction while strengthening relationships. I have learned and enjoyed my time at Forth immensely.  

As I continue my stint in the EV realm, I will be eagerly waiting to witness how this organization continues its growth trajectory at this crucial juncture for the industry.   

Good luck, Team Forth!

After serving on the Forth Board for eight years, Amy Hillman's term has expired.  She currently serves as Chief Revenue Officer at OpConnect, a minority-owned leader in EV charging station technology, specializing in EV charging solutions for fleets, multi-family dwelling, workplace, and private labels. She can be reached at ahillman@opconnect.com