Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics recently welcomed two community leaders to its Board of Trustees. Mark Zook and Jenn Columbus began serving three-year terms in early April.
“Jenn and Mark bring fresh perspectives and expertise to our work and have demonstrated a deep connection to our community,” said Katherine Keene, Salem Health Board of Trustees chair.
Zook grew up in Oregon and lives in West Salem. He earned his undergraduate degree from Western Oregon University, then received his master’s in business administration from Southern Oregon University. He later received a master’s in educational leadership from the University of Oregon. Zook also holds a specialized degree from Emory University Graduate School of Executive Bank Management.
In 1992 Zook joined Maps Credit Union, serving as president and CEO the past 13 years. He currently serves on credit union boards across the country — including Washington, California, Minnesota, Florida and Washington, D.C. Zook has long been involved with the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce, serving as education committee chair in the 1990s and has been on the Executive Leadership Council since 2009.
“Salem Health has been there for my family, neighbors and friends,” Zook said. “It is an honor to give back in a small way by serving on its board.” His career with Maps Credit Union has focused on serving the financial needs of the residents of Marion and Polk counties, which provided two strengths -- finance and service to local citizens. “I hope to employ both areas of knowledge in my work with Salem Health,” he added.
Jenn Columbus, born and raised in Salem, currently lives in Independence. She graduated from the University of Oregon and received a Bachelor of Arts in Family and Human Services, with a minor in special education.
In 2006, Columbus joined Family Building Blocks, a nonprofit organization in Salem. For seven years she coordinated grants and volunteers, plus supervised visitation and case management of families and children enrolled in family dependency treatment court. In 2013, Columbus became the northwest area manager for Start Making a Reader Today (SMART), Oregon’s largest volunteer-driven nonprofit devoted to children’s literacy. Since 2017, she has worked as philanthropic advisor and regional director of the Oregon Community Foundation, the state’s largest charitable foundation.
Columbus currently serves as a committee member for the City of Independence and is on the Maps Credit Union Foundation Board. She also serves on the Willamette Valley Estate Planning Council and Rotary Club of Salem, and chairs the club’s Literacy Committee.
“I am excited to join the Salem Health Board of Trustees,” Columbus said. “I have spent my career working with local nonprofit organizations, which gives me a strong connection to our community. I think those connections will help make me a good community member of the board.”