As President and CEO, Lorelei drives ECONorthwest’s ongoing development as the leading policy research firm in the western United States. She has devoted her career to improving policy outcomes at the intersection of public investment, equitable community and economic development, and housing affordability. She led the State of Oregon’s first Statewide Housing Plan, which organized state resources to better meet the challenge of affordable housing production. In 2023, she led the team that drove the largest reform of Oregon’s land use planning system in its 50 years of existence. This reform began with the development of the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis, a new methodology for understanding housing needs in Oregon. The project team’s recommendations, including substantial changes to the land use system to align state and local actions and resources to meet quantitative targets for housing production, were adopted in the 2023 legislative session. Lorelei is proud to serve as a thought leader in this critical conversation about reforming state planning systems to more equitably address housing shortages. In communities large and small across the American West, Lorelei works with clients to develop economic revitalization strategies, affordable housing plans, and post-COVID recovery strategies. Lorelei is the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Oregon’s Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and serves on the Board of Bravo Youth Orchestras.
Education
- M.A. Community and Regional Planning, University of Oregon
- M.A. Public Administration, University of Oregon
- B.A. English and Global Studies, Pacific Lutheran University
Contact Lorelei Juntunen
Portland, OR
Insights
The Four Forms of Capital
