LO resident Robin Christian heads up Children First for Oregon

While many people aspire to devote their lives to change, few leave the corporate world to pursue advocacy work full time. Yet one Lake Oswego resident, Robin Christian, did just that when she joined the staff of Children First for Oregon.

Christian, a native New Yorker, spent 25 years in the corporate world before coming to Children First. She worked in advertising and marketing, including 11 years at Fred Meyer. For the last three years of her career with the grocery chain, she ran its corporate foundation.

However, Christian’s position at the Fred Meyer Foundation was eliminated in 2001. Faced with a choice of where to go next, Christian chose to make a career change. Rather than returning to marketing, she chose to seek out jobs in advocacy.

“I knew that when I went back to work, I could teach my children who I wanted to be, but I wanted to actually show them with my actions. I decided to leave corporate and go into nonprofit,” said Christian.

She added, “I was really interested in pursuing a career that helped me leave the world a little better than I found it.”

Christian was drawn to Children First partially because of her work with Fred Meyer.

“Because I worked in the foundation part for the last three years, I became familiar with many nonprofits in the area. Children First was one of the places that applied to the foundation for a grant. During my search, I saw that they were looking for people. I applied for the job and the rest is history.”

Christian didn’t jump on board with Children First immediately after leaving Fred Meyer. Seeking out a position that was meaningful to her, she explained, “I applied for maybe 50 or 60 jobs. I ended up being un/under employed for three years.”

As the executive director for the organization, Christian is responsible for its strategic direction and growth. She also oversees the entire staff, fiscal policy and budgeting, fundraising, as well as advocacy, public relations and many more facets.

“It’s just like running a small business,” Christian said. “I’m the person responsible for raising all the money, setting the strategic direction, hiring and firing. Everything.”

Fundraising is especially important for Children First, which does not accept any government funding in an effort to remain nonpartisan.

Most well known for its data-based advocacy, Children First’s mission is “to make long-term systemic change by advocating for the adoption of policies and programs that keep children healthy and safe, and strengthen families,” according to its website.

Children First fulfills this mission first through extensive research, which Christian noted the importance of.

“We don’t just decide what’s good for kids — we make our recommendations based on what the research tells us.”

Communicating Children First’s mission to the public has been somewhat of a challenge for Christian and her staff.

“It’s very difficult to help people understand the importance of advocacy to real results on the ground,” said Christian. “When we advocate for additional dollars for substance abuse and mental disabilities, parents who get that help are able to stay home and their kids stay out of the foster system.”

The importance of advocating on behalf of children is at the core of Christian’s position at Children First.

“Kids are not Democrats and Republicans, kids are kids,” she said. “Kids don’t vote or make campaign contributions. When it comes time for policy makers to make laws that benefit low-income families and kids, there’s no one to speak up for them.

“Children First has a real role to play in bringing the voice of children into the discussion. We do that really well with the Oregon Foster Youth Connection.”

Programs like the Oregon Foster Youth Connection exemplify the change that Christian is trying to enact through her role with children first. OFYC is completely youth led, comprised of foster youth between 14 and 25 years of age. The group, according to its website, intends to educate both lawmakers and community members alike on the unique issues that face foster youth.

OFYC shares recommendations with the Oregon Department of Human Services as well as with state and federal legislators.

Chatting with a member of the OFYC in Children First’s Portland office, Christian is reminded that she hasn’t done it all completely on her own. Being a Lake Oswegan has its advantages, particularly in the form of community support.

Initially drawn to the area for its strong public school system, Christian has been an involved citizen from the start.

“I was that mom,” laughed Christian. “I was the co-president of the PTO. I was on SAC. I traveled to Salem to lobby for more funding for education. I had the time and the ability to do that. The kids we represent, they’re living in extreme poverty and have mental health and substance abuse issues. They don’t have time to stand on the steps and lobby for a rainy day fund.”

With two grown children, one a junior at Stanford and another recently graduated from American University, you won’t find Christian volunteering in elementary school classrooms any more. However, the bonds she forged through her involvement in the Lake Oswego community have continued past her children’s graduation.

“I have found a group of friends in LO who have been incredibly committed to supporting Children First,” said Christian. “There’s a constituency in Lake Oswego that sees outside and is concerned about what happens for kids.”

Two standout members of the Lake Oswego community who are supporting Christian are Alison Oliver and Beth Taylor of Hobnobbins. The two women are putting on a fundraising event in cooperation with Lori Dunham, who is graciously offering her backyard as a backdrop for the affair.

Oliver and Taylor are selling their assorted handmade or personally selected unique items this Thursday, August 16th, in Dunham’s backyard to support Children First. Ten percent of the proceeds from the evening go back to Christian and her staff to benefit Oregon’s youth population.

“This is the third time they’re doing an event where they’re donating a portion back to the organization,” said Christian. “That exemplifies the LO connection of people supporting, people who have taken an interest in the work I’m doing.”

Christian’s favorite quote by Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and political activist, is one that fully demonstrates not only herself as a person but the support she has felt from her local community.

“There may be times we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time we fail to protest.”

For more information on Thursday’s gathering as well as information on Children First, contact Development Director Laura Heiser at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit the organization’s website at http://www.cffo.org/.