Celebrating Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke, One of Portland Business Journal's Executives of the Year!

We’re proud to share that our president, CEO and Chief Disability Inclusion Officer, Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke, Ed.D., MBA, has been named one of the 2026 Executives of the Year by the Portland Business Journal!

The Portland Business Journal hosts an annual "Executives of the Year" awards luncheon celebrating C suite leaders in Oregon, and Dr. Jennifer was named in the Executive Director/CEO position. 

As the first woman of color and the first disabled person to lead Relay Resources in our 74-year history, Dr. Jennifer is redefining what inclusive leadership looks like. In just two years, she has helped revitalize our organization - growing our workforce by 20%, increasing annual revenue by 30%, and launching innovative initiatives like the annual DisabilityNext™ Summit.

Dr. Jennifer’s strategic leadership continues to advance Relay’s vision: All Disabled People Belong. Everywhere. Under her guidance, Relay has expanded into Competitive Integrated Employment and partnered with Melwood to offer abilIT in Portland, OR - a program that prepares disabled and neurodivergent talent, including injured veterans, for careers in technology and cybersecurity.

“Dr. Jennifer Luebke truly embodies the qualities of an Executive of the Year with a clear vision, measurable results, equity-driven innovation, and profound community impact,” said Jenny Kim, executive director of Portland-based Partners in Diversity. “She has not only strengthened Relay Resources but has also inspired employers, policymakers, and business leaders to reimagine what inclusion looks like in the workplace and beyond.”

Before joining Relay Resources, Dr. Jennifer was senior vice president and chief workforce inclusion officer at PRIDE Industries, a California-based organization that helps people with disabilities find and retain jobs. She also co-founded and led Ability Revolution Inc., a disability inclusion organization that developed films and media that aimed to change the way society perceives disabled people, and to advocate for students in grades K-12 and college to access education and be included in learning environments.

“What sets Dr. Jennifer apart, and what I have personally experienced in working alongside her, is her unique ability to blend head and heart,” says Orlando Williams, CEO and chief equity officer of Motus Recruiting. “She is a strategist who drives measurable results, but she is equally a leader who creates spaces of belonging, dignity, and empowerment. She is relentless in her pursuit of equity, and yet profoundly human in how she inspires those around her.”

Dr. Jennifer’s Executive of the Year recognition from the Portland Business Journal follows additional honors that have recognized her globally and locally as a changemaker working at the intersection of business, education, and disability inclusion, including: a Jefferson Award for Public Service in 2018; the Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World Award in the Innovator and Thought Leader category in 2022; and inclusion in the Sacramento Bee’s Top 25 AAPI Change Makers list in 2022.

"When the Relay Resources board hired Dr. Jennifer in 2023, I knew we had found exactly the right leader to guide us forward," says Tom Simpson, chair of the Relay Resources board, vice president, controller at Standard Insurance Company, and the person who nominated her for the Portland Business Journal award. "I'm incredibly proud of that decision. Her bold vision and innovative thinking have positioned Relay perfectly for a bright future."

Portland Business Journal will celebrate the 2026 Executives of the Year with a luncheon event on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at The Sentinel in Portland, Ore. Information and tickets for the event are available here.