International Baccalaureate (IB) School in Portland Hires Accomplished CFO
French International School of Oregon
As Portland’s longest-established language immersion school and the only International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Portland for preschool through eighth grade, French International School of Oregon educates students from a global perspective, preparing them to engage with inclusivity, achieve with integrity, and excel with distinction. French International has always been a school that embraces change and transformation in order to provide a unique experience for its students, and school leaders have spent the last 47 years developing and delivering an exceptional educational program. French International attracts the best educators from across the globe, who combine language immersion with the IB framework to nurture a global mindset, provide foundational skills for lifelong success, and enable children to navigate the world with empathy and curiosity. The past few years have been ones of marked growth and evolution for the school, with enrollment at an historical high and an exciting $8MM capital campaign already underway to modernize the school’s campus.
Over the last several years, the business office and other operational departments had come to play an increasingly important role in budget management, plant construction and improvement, and daily logistics. French International had been hiring for a chief financial officer (CFO) who would contribute to this momentum by providing exceptional leadership in financial analysis, operational efficiency, internal workflows, and strategic planning. The CFO oversaw three functional units—finance, HR, and facilities. The point positions for the finance and HR units were both in transition, with a new role (controller) having just been created and the director of HR position having recently opened. Thus, the next CFO needed to be comfortable evaluating financial and HR processes, eager to assess and improve workflows, and skilled in staff development and team dynamics. All the while, French International required a capable C-level leader who could plan, forecast, strategize, and develop strong partnerships with external stakeholders. The CFO is a member of the senior leadership team and reports directly to the head of school. French International aimed to onboard the next CFO in the summer to ensure a smooth start to the 2025–2026 school year.
French International School of Oregon was thrilled to welcome Rebecca Brown to the position.
Meet the new leader
Rebecca Brown began her career in education as a teacher and library media specialist before moving into school operations and finance, bringing a deep understanding of school culture to her work as a CFO/COO. Ms. Brown spent seven years as Chief Financial & Operating Officer at Sonoma Academy, where she led financial strategy, HR, and operations. With expertise in budgeting, facilities, and data-driven decision-making, she is known for translating complex information into clear insights for non-financial audiences. A natural problem-solver, she has built custom financial models for each school they’ve served and has a strong track record of clean audits and operational excellence. Ms. Brown holds an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, an MEd in Educational Leadership, and a BA in English and Theater Education from the University of South Florida.
