Charles Lewis (nonprofit director / entrepreneur)

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Charles Lewis is a nonprofit director and business person from Oregon. In 1998, Lewis established Ethos Music Center in Portland. With over 2,200 students a year, Ethos has become one of Oregon's largest nonprofit music centers. In 2006, Lewis started a private, for-profit business called Portland Duck Tours to highlight sites in Oregon's largest town.

Lewis attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University for his master's degree in public policy. At Harvard, Lewis was elected KSSG Student Body President in 1999. At graduation in 1999, Lewis was awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Public Service, one of Harvard's highest honors in public service. Lewis attended Harvard University as a Public Service Fellow and received a full ride scholarship.

Lewis attended the University of Portland for his undergraduate work in Political Science. He graduated magna cum laude in 1994 and then went directly in the the Peace Corps. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Lewis served two and a half years as a water and sanitation volunteer in the Congo and helped bring fresh drinking water to over 1,000 villagers.

After completing his service in the Peace Corps, Lewis returned to Oregon where he briefly worked in the legislature for Oregon State Representative Chuck Carpenter. Lewis left his position as Legislative Assistant for Carpenter to attend Harvard University for graduate school and a public service fellowship.

Lewis has been very active in Portland, having served as Ombudsman Associate for former Mayor Vera Katz, site supervisor for Habitat for Humanity, and board member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue Foundation. There has been speculation, on which Lewis has not commented, that he is preparing a bid for Portland City Council in 2008.