About Us

Dr. Jeff Luke

Professor of Public Policy at the University of Oregon, founded the Pacific Program in 1989 to nurture catalytic leadership among state and local officials and leaders of non-profit organizations in the Pacific Northwest. After his death in 1997, the need to continue the Program and build upon its success remains.

Alumni of the Pacific Program have created the Luke Center as a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering Dr. Luke's vision of catalytic leadership.

 

Our Goals

  • Create and nurture a critical mass of collaborative leaders with commitment, vision and skill to effect positive socioeconomic and environmental change.
  • Expand the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities to succeed in a rapidly changing and interdependent world.
  • Promote experiments and develop effective models of catalytic leadership, conflict resolution and participatory democracy.
  • Serve as a catalyst to bring talent and resources to bear on crosscutting public issues.

 

Our Mission

We are very serious about our mission because we are serious about making the world a better place. Our mission is: Creating and supporting transformational leadership for the public good.  Since 1989 our primary work, the Pacific Program, has provided one of the best opportunities for growth of leaders in the public sector. It not only teaches new skills, it opens minds to new ways and paths of leadership. These are based on what we call catalytic leadership.

 

Catalytic Leadership

Catalytic leadership is a style based on vision, building partnerships, collaboration, and passion. The term comes from the work of Dr. Jeff Luke of the University of Oregon who researched why some communities were able to solve difficult problems while others were not. He found that much of the success came from a style of leadership placing the good of the community and the accomplishment of an agreed upon outcome over personal gain or recognition.

The Luke Center teaches, advises, and builds upon the catalytic leadership model offering a variety of services to the leadership structures of communities and organizations throughout northwestern North America. The Luke Center is a 501c(3) not-for-profit corporation. Its Board and Staff are all Pacific Program alumni.

 

Luke Center By Laws

The Luke Center By Laws provide the basis for governance of the Luke Center and are updated when needed.

 

Board of Directors

Contact Information