An Unorthodox Path That Worked
If there’s one thing Beven Byrnes wants you to know, it’s this: her journey to educational leadership was anything but traditional—and that’s exactly what makes it work.
Growing up in Portland, Beven’s upbringing was anything but ordinary. With two trailblazing moms who both worked at OHSU—one a pharmacist, the other a pharmacy tech who was an artist at heart—Beven was immersed in a world of creativity, activism, and community service. Whether tagging along to graphic design classes or marching in Women Unite and Take Back the Night rallies, she was raised with a strong sense of identity and purpose. “That exposure absolutely instilled my drive to support mission-focused endeavors.
Alternative Roots, Alternative Future
Beven’s education mirrored her nontraditional upbringing. After a brief stint at her neighborhood high school, she returned to Metropolitan Learning Center (MLC), an alternative K-12 school in Portland that helped shape her views on education. “That’s where my love for alternative education started,” she says. School trips to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and annual “Sasquatch Hunts” at Camp Tamarack made learning feel magical and deeply personal.
Beven earned a degree in Early Childhood Development from PCC, worked as a nanny for a medically-fragile child, and taught at a private Jewish academy in Arizona before returning home to Portland. Completing Portland State University’s (PSU) Institute for Nonprofit Management program and beginning a lifelong career in the nonprofit sector at Elders in Action.
In her late 20s, as a single mother of two, she made the bold decision to stop working and return to school full time at PSU, majoring in Sociology with a minor in middle school science. During this time, she also launched a nonprofit of her own: Doctor Discovery. “I did free, unforgettably fun science programs in schools and daycares for underrepresented populations,” she says. As a young single mother, Beven quickly noticed a gap in after-school enrichment programs. “Only families that could afford to pay were getting access to these programs. I thought, ‘There has to be a way to do this as a community benefit—where sponsors fund access for kids who aren’t traditionally getting it.’” Doctor Discovery lasted for about a year and included a quarterly “fun science at home” magazine.
Though short-lived, the nonprofit laid the groundwork for Beven’s deepening passion for equity in education and for making learning joyful and inclusive. It was at this point she fully committed to the nonprofit sector, working in leadership roles for organizations like The ARC of Portland Metro, and Compassion and Choices. For nearly a decade, she led national communications and advocacy work for end-of-life rights, helping run campaigns across the country. Ultimately, the intensity of the travel and workload took its toll. “I realized I wanted to get back to my roots and be with kids again.”
Finding Bridges and Building It
In 2012, without another job lined up, Beven took a leap of faith. That leap landed her at what was then Gately Academy, an academic program housed within Providence that was in dire need of reinvention. “I didn’t apply to any other jobs. It had to be the right one,” she recalls. “Bridges was exactly that. It brought together everything I loved: the neurodivergent community, alternative education, nonprofit leadership, and a mission-driven purpose.”
In her first year, the school became an independent 501(c)(3), underwent a name change, moved buildings, and hosted a fundraising gala aboard the Portland Spirit. Since then, Beven has helped shape Bridges into the thriving, uniquely supportive school it is today—growing enrollment from a post-Providence low of 36 to an expected 70 students this fall!
In 2016, Beven became pregnant with twins. “It was so fun experiencing my pregnancy with the Bridges students. It was such a sweet experience,” she remembers.
The school community rallied around her with joy and warmth. Parents gifted her handwritten notes filled with parenting advice—gestures that left a lasting impact. It was a moment that showcased the very heart of Bridges: a place rooted in connection, compassion, and community.
Now in her 14th year as Executive Director, Beven’s vision remains clear: a sustainable, long-term home for Bridges, expanded financial aid to reduce barriers to access, and an environment that stands as the example of effective neurodiverse learning.
“It’s about safety, transformation, and seeing students grow into incredible adults. Some of our first students are now in their 20s, and you can still see those sparks of their middle school selves. It’s amazing.”
A Life in Motion
Outside of Bridges, Beven is a mom of four, an artist, a cancer warrior and advocate, and a published author of FIGHT NOT FRIGHT, which chronicles her cancer journey with honesty and hope. She meditates daily, writes, crafts, and is always game for an impromptu trip to Oceanside with her husband, Dylan, and kids.
Her unconventional path to leadership wasn’t planned—but it has become a perfect fit for the school and life she leads today.