Mary H. Jaffe

Board member since 1990 and daughter of William and Flora Hewlett. Portland, Oregon.

Mary Jaffe, a lifelong environmentalist, is the owner of a cattle ranch in Idaho and an alpaca farm in Oregon. Ms. Jaffe runs an environmentally sustainable cattle operation that is part of the Central Idaho Rangelands Network, which helps ranchers work together to protect the land and animal habitat in the region. Her ranch is also part of a leading cooperative of American ranchers who are committed to raising beef without hormones or antibiotics. Her alpaca farm breeds top-quality alpacas to produce superior cria and award winning fleece. This vocation came from a longstanding love of textile arts, including many years as an active member of various weavers’ guilds.

A dedicated mother of two, Ms. Jaffe takes pride in her time spent as a homemaker. She also has an interest in women’s economic development and reproductive rights. In 1994, she participated in the groundbreaking International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, which is widely considered a milestone in the history of addressing population and development issues, as well as women’s rights.

Ms. Jaffe served for nine years on the board of directors of Oregon Public Broadcasting. She attended Stanford University and graduated from the University of Montana, where she received a B.A. in botany.