After 30 years as a regional and national diversity and inclusion leader, Joe founded Wahl & Associates, LLC. Joe brings deep experience and expertise assisting best-in-class organizations in the areas of executive recruiting, leadership and organizational development. He is committed and passionate about helping organizations align and demonstrate the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Prior to forming Wahl and Associates, Joe was with the City of Portland, where he led the City’s national search for a new Police Chief. This search resulted in the historic hiring of Danielle Outlaw, the first African American female Police Chief in the over one-hundred-year history of the Portland Police Bureau. Joe also served as the Assistant Director for the City’s Office of Equity & Human Rights, where he helped create and lead many nationally recognized programs and efforts to address racial disparities, including the City’s ‘Workforce Demographic Dashboard’, recognized as a diversity best practice.

His broad experience and background working with diverse communities has helped create strong connections and close personal relationships with key leaders from the public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. As a result, Joe is a sought-after consultant, speaker, presenter and facilitator offering strategies and tools for developing a high-performing, diverse workforce, as well as identifying and recruiting diverse leadership talent.

Joe was one of the founders, and recently served as Chair Emeritus, of Partners in Diversity, a nationally recognized organization which assists employers in the Pacific Northwest to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce. His community involvement includes service as past President of the Portland Japanese American Citizens League, past President of the Oregon Buddhist Temple, and a founding board member of the Oregon Nikkei Endowment. He currently sits on the University of Oregon’s Alumni Association Board, as well as the U of O President’s Diversity Advisory Council.

He and his wife Lora have two grown children, Ryan and Kelsey. Joe enjoys spending time with family, sports, the outdoors, music and travel.