Scott Kerman resigns as Blanchet House executive director
After holding the post for six years, he says he is interested in seeking projects where nonprofits band together
As Portland and Multnomah County have struggled with a continuously worsening homelessness crisis, workers on the front lines—especially at the leadership level—endure the struggle between their pride in making a difference and the weariness of not being able to do enough.
Scott Kerman, executive director of Old Town’s Blanchet House, is no stranger to this duality. On Thursday, he announced his decision to seek new levels of impact. His resignation is effective immediately. Director of Programs Emily Coleman and Director of Strategic Initiatives Steve Cook will serve as co-interim executive directors.
“I think 2026 is going to be an extremely brutal year for nonprofits,” said Kerman, reached Thursday evening. “I have to evaluate, am I in the best position to be engaged in meaningful change? I’m at a point where I want to move to the macro level. We’ve got to fix this community.”
In light of the news that Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson will not run for reelection next November, Kerman hastened to add that he would not be throwing his hat into the ring. Instead, he said he is interested in consortium projects where nonprofits band together for strength and best practices. The Claremont Colleges in Los Angeles are a model for him.
“Clearly there is space for it and the idea that I could be working on things that would help the sector overall is really appealing to me at this point in my career,” Kerman said.
Kerman, 58, lasted longer than many leaders in this field. His six years as executive director—through the pandemic and into the maw of accelerating mental illness, substance use and homelessness—has been arguably the toughest in recent history.
He got a law degree from the University of Virginia and did Teach for America before a brief criminal defense career. He returned to teaching and then served as a school administrator, shifting to nonprofit work from there.
He ran Blanchet House as the beacon of compassion, respect and service on which it was founded in 1952 by University of Portland alumni as a “House of Hospitality” in the model developed by the Catholic Worker Movement. (Read From powerless to purposeful)
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