Operations Director
Lily Burnett is 1000 Friend's Director of Operations, responsible for overseeing org-wide planning, financial systems, human resources, IT, and internal communications.
She also runs our grants program and serves as a member of our Leadership Team. Lily came to 1000 Friends in 2018 with a background in nonprofit operations, having worked primarily with arts organizations, including Kukatonon Children's African Dance Troupe, Cerimon House, The Vanport Mosaic, and The Color of Now. She has a BA in Theater from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MBA from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management.
As Governor Tom McCall famously said, "Oregon is an inspiration." Lily is inspired by the collective vision, generosity, and care of Oregonians — for it took all of these qualities to create our land use planning program in the first place, and they are required to continue caring for the future of our state.
Astoria is Lily’s favorite place in Oregon. From the Column to Fort Clatsop, from the Columbia River to the quaint coffee shops, Astoria has captured Lily's heart! Outside of Oregon, one of her favorite places to visit is Amsterdam—row houses as far as the eye can see!
When away from work, Lily enjoys traveling with her husband Peter and their dogs Zeke & Toby. She is also an avid reader, a casual knitter, and a steadfast pen pal.