Fall 2026
Cascadia’s Board of Directors: Meet Tamia
Cascadia Health’s Board of Directors recently welcomed Tamia Deary, a new member with deep leadership experience in both public health and nonprofit settings.
She brings a broad palette of insight as a local leader in nonprofit governance, coalition building, grassroots organizing, and resource development for communities affected by systemic issues.
“I do my best to show up in these spaces and try to help people think about things a little more out-of-the-box,” Tamia explained.
Tamia has been an Oregonian for most of her life. She was born and raised in Portland, and she graduated from the University of Oregon.
Through various roles, she has advocated for structural change and better health outcomes in her home state.
“I really believe that people’s lived experience is what is needed to make strategic plans that are meaningful to create a governance model that is really considering the actual people that are impacted by the decisions being made,” Tamia said.
In 2017, she founded the nonprofit PDX Alliance for Self-Care. The organization stands for food sovereignty, climate justice, emergency preparedness, and community care for frontline communities.
Her board service includes Multnomah County Community Health Center (Board Chair), Black Men’s Wellness, NAACP Portland, and OHSU Community Health Center and several advisory bodies.
Tamia also navigates health services as a consumer—and the barriers she has faced along the way help inform the way she advocates for better access to care.
When discussing the importance of Cascadia’s services, Tamia highlighted the Urgent Walk-In Clinic. And she noted that Cascadia fulfills a unique role by providing health services and housing in a city with a great need for both.
“I feel like, especially for the last couple of years, I’ve seen Cascadia moving toward trying to be more intentional and explicit about the way that they’re creating access.”
Outside of work, Tamia is an ardent fan of English soccer, particularly the North London Arsenal football team.
Tamia is a cancer survivor. Some of her favorite pursuits include snowboarding, hiking, and horseback riding.
Please join us in welcoming Tamia to the Cascadia Board!