Dr. Camota Luebke joined Relay Resources in July 2023. She is the first woman of color and the first disabled person to serve as the organization’s president and CEO in its 74-year history.
“I am so honored to receive this award celebrating Relay Resources’ work promoting disability inclusion in the workplace,” said Dr. Camota Luebke. “As a parent of an adult son with an intellectual disability, and as someone with a recent disability diagnosis for an autoimmune disease, this work is deeply personal to me. I’m devoted to carrying the Relay founders’ legacy forward while developing workplaces and communities where all disabled people belong, and positioning Oregon as a leader in transforming workplaces for the future.”
Portland Business Journal’s 2026 Executive of the Year awards honor C-Suite and board-level leaders at for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations who “demonstrated exceptional strategic vision, operational excellence, and transformative impact during the 2024–2025 calendar year,” according to the Portland Business Journal’s website.
“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.”
Dr. Camota Luebke’s strategic leadership is revitalizing the organization and advancing its vision: All Disabled People Belong. Everywhere. Among her accomplishments since joining Relay, Dr. Camota Luebke has:
Grown the organization’s workforce by 20%, from 750 to 900 employees, creating over 100 jobs for disabled and neurodivergent people.
Increased Relay’s annual revenue by 30% to $71 million.
Attracted and hired seasoned executives and a diverse leadership team and board of directors to offer crucial insight guiding Relay’s path forward.
Secured a partnership with Melwood and the Department of Education to start abilIT in Portland, a technology and cybersecurity training program for neurodivergent people and veterans with traumatic brain injuries.
Led Relay’s Competitive Integrated Employment program, working with Oregon’s Department of Human Services to help disabled people access jobs, at the same pay, and with the same chances for advancement as anyone else.
Launched the DisabilityNext™ Summit in April 2025, an annual event that in its first year brought together 300 business leaders from around the country.
“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.”
Before joining Relay Resources, Dr. Camota Luebke 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.
“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.
About Relay Resources
Relay Resources is the leading disability social enterprise nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest, with a mission to transform workplaces and communities by championing disability inclusion. The organization employs over 900 team members in four lines of business: Building Solutions, which includes janitorial, landscaping, and floor care services; Document Solutions; Supply Chain Solutions; and Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Consulting Services. Additionally, Relay operates three programs: Competitive Integrated Employment, which places and supports disabled people in competitive jobs in the community; abilIT, a cybersecurity and technology training and job placement program; and Affordable Housing, which manages 760 units for 1,500 residents, 27% of whom have a household member with a disability. Learn more at relayresources.org.
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