2026 PGE Parks Champions
The Parks Champion Awards honor individuals who make outstanding contributions or provide significant service to a Portland park, community center, natural area, community garden, or park-related or recreation program through direct volunteer service.
PPF is excited to announce our two 2026 awardees: Katherine Schroeder, for her work at the Community Music Center, and Patricia Frobes, for her work with Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden, Portland Parks Coalition, and even previously on PPF’s own board of directors! These two women exemplify that parks volunteerism can take many forms - from the rose bed to the board room, from balancing budgets, to getting students and teachers needed scholarships and supplies. All helps expand access to parks and recreation programing, and creates a deeper sense of ownership for our natural spaces and community. Thank you for your service!
Katherine Schroeder
Katherine Schroeder is a behind-the-scenes star at the Community Music Center (CMC Inc.), where she has been on the board since 2011. CMC Inc. supports PP&R’s synonymous facility, which serves hundreds of students from 50 different zip codes around Portland offering affordable music lessons, classes, and ensembles. Katherine raises money for need-based scholarships and merit awards, helps acquire specialized equipment, and she stewards the non-profits’ financial resources and musical instrument collection. Kathy has helped CMC and PP&R negotiate several partnership contracts, build the non-profit’s website, maintain and insure its instrument collection, and procure professional services such as bookkeeping and legal advice. During the pandemic shutdown she helped CMC’s music lessons continue by helping the organization provide micro grants paid directly to music teachers providing remote learning. Together with the free and low-cost services CMC hosts, it provides equitable access to music making and music learning programs for thousands of Portlanders each year.
Patricia Frobes
Patricia Frobes is a consistent advocate for Portland parks and a core leader in the founding and ongoing work of the Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden (FOPPRG) since 2012. Through her service on Parks Board, the Parks Foundation Board, and the Parks Alliance, and her longtime guidance of FOPPRG, Pat has always pushed for accountability, fairness, and for what’s best for the environment and the people of Portland. During the BLM marches, many of which began at Peninsula Park, Pat realized that the historical record of the rose garden and park were flawed: it omitting the important history of people of color in and around Peninsula Park. She then worked with a group of advocates and artists to create a public project featuring a diverse collection of community members, past and present. She has been an inspiration to hundreds of volunteers over the last 14 years, and continues to help mentor new Friends groups, boards, and board members.
2026 Nominees
Bill Bannister - Forest Park, Marquam Nature Park, Ancient Forest Preserve
Catherine Clark - Roseway Parkway
Corin Wallace - Village Park
Danae Hutson - Peninsula Elementary School
Eric Mitchell - Hoyt Arboretum
Jill Gaddis - Friends of April Hill Park
Jo Durand - South Park Blocks
Kara Shane Colley - Couch Park
Karen Campbell - Trail Keepers of Oregon, Powell Butte Nature Park, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
Katherine Schroeder - Community Music Center
Lise Gervais - Mt. Tabor, Montavilla Park, Ventura Park, Forest Park, Leach Botanical Garden, Richmond Neighborhood, St. John’s Community Center, Lents
Patricia Frobes - Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden, Portland Parks Foundation Board, Parks Board, Parks Alliance
Peter Condra - Lents Neighborhood
