Alcena Boozer

A native Portlander, the Rev. Boozer has served the local community as an educator and as a priest of the Episcopal Church. As an educator, she had a 26-year career in Portland Public Schools as a teacher, counselor, vice-principal at Grant High School, assistant director of Alternative Education and principal of Jefferson High School. She retired from Portland Public Schools in 1997.

As a priest, the Rev. Boozer has served as an associate at St. John the Baptist, St. Stephen and Grace Memorial parishes in Portland and as vicar of St. Augustine in Clatskanie and Emanuel in Birkenfield, OR. She currently works half-time as rector of St. Philip the Deacon Episcopal Church in Portland. She can be found every Saturday morning at the Deacon's Dining Room, an outreach ministry of the parish, helping to prepare and serve food to anyone in the community in need of a healthy, balanced meal. Last year the Deacon's Dining Room served more than 6,000 meals.

She is the first African American woman to serve as President of the Board of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. As a member of the Portland Workers' Rights Board, she brings a community voice to support employees who are organizing for better wages and working conditions. The Rev. Boozer volunteers at the schools where her grandchildren are in attendance. Past community service includes United Way Board of Directors, the Greater Portland Trust in Higher Education and Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District (Tri-Met).