Class XXXVI Biographies

Cupid Alexander

Senior Policy Advisor/Housing, Office of Mayor Ted Wheeler, Portland

Cupid Alexander is currently the Senior Policy Advisor with a  focus on housing in the office of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler. Prior to joining Mayor Wheeler’s office, Cupid worked as a Senior Housing Policy Analyst with the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) after joining the bureau in 2015. As a member of the policy team, Cupid has overseen the development and implementation of the Bureau’s North/Northeast Housing Preference Policy, lead the development of the racial equity plan, worked as the bureau’s district liaison to Northeast Portland, and worked to help develop and staff both the Stakeholder Advisory Board and the Bond Oversight Committee associated with the General Obligation Bond. Prior to joining PHB, Cupid worked for the Department of Housing Services of Washington County from 2003-2015.  Cupid earned his high school diploma from Portland’s Wilson High School, played college basketball at Western Oregon University, and graduated with his Bachelors in business from Warner Pacific College. He also earned both his Graduate degree in Real Estate Development and his Masters in Public Administration from Portland State University. In addition to his work experience, Cupid has a vested interest in volunteerism and bettering the city of Portland. He has served as a board member of  The Re-Building Center, and the Trail Blazers “Make It Better” foundation Professional Board. He currently serves as the Executive Vice President of the Pacific Northwest Regional Council of The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, and the President of the Urban League of Portland’s Young Professional’s Chapter.  In his spare time , he can be found reminding his kids that he is better than them at basketball, working on his house, traveling, reading, or enjoying one of Portland’s various local ciders.

Tim Allen

Owner, Roseburg Rental, South Umpqua Rentals, Roseburg

Since I was a child I have had a strong desire to help other. I was the guy that got along with almost everyone, a people pleaser if you will. In 1986 I met my future wife Greta, and as young adults we began our family in 1989. We’ve got two sons, Kyle is 28 years old and mildly autistic, and Ryan 26 years old who has a family of his own now and working in the family business. From 1989 through 2003 I worked as a professional mechanic, the majority of those years working for Roseburg Public Schools. In 2003 I quit that job and started a business repairing equipment for others out of a mobile work van and the garage at home. Today that business has grown to include 2 equipment rental locations and a self-serve carwash that we purchased to provide a job that gets our autistic son out of the house. Professionally my efforts also extend to the community through involvement without City Economic Development Commission, County Partnership for Economic Development and participation at a high level with the American Rental Association, a 10,000 member rental business owners organization. 

Lauren Brant

Managing Director, PFM Assets Management LLC, Bend 

Lauren has been with PFM since 1995 and currently manages the firm’s West Region asset management and investment advisory group.  For some context, PFM’s  asset management business provides independent, objective and well-informed investment advice and portfolio management for public sectors, charitable institutions and other institutional clients. Lauren’s responsibilities include assisting public agency clients with the development and implementation of long-term strategies to meet their investment objectives. Lauren provides training to clients and is a frequent speaker at association conferences around the region. She is a member of the Oregon Government  Finance Officers Association (OGFOA) and the national GFOA.

Kristen Connor

Senior Vice President, Community Impact Officer, Heritage Bank, Portland

Kristen is a Senior Vice President, Community Impact Officer at Heritage Bank. She brings high energy, sound idea and small business experience to support the needs of her  clients. She specializes in serving non-profit organizations, including some of the region’s leading organizations whose missions focus on a broad range of sustainability and social justice issues. Active in the community, Kristen also serves on the board of the Oregon Law Foundation, Business for a Better Portland and the Jessie F Richardson Foundation. She is also a member of the EarthShare OR Finance Committee, and a co-founder of the Portland Corporate Sustainability Collaborative. Kristen holds a degree  in international economics from University of Colorado Boulder with a minor in business administration. Her ideal day would be one spending time outdoors with her daughter and dog.

Diana Cruz

Vice President, Claims and Provider Operations, Cambia, Portland

Diana (Dee) Cruz is currently a Vice President of Operations at Cambia Health Solutions. She has 18+ years of leadership experience in Finance, Operations and Quality Assurance roles. Dee is a Six Sigma Black Belt and has an accomplished track record in service delivery, business process improvement, and operating expense management. Dee is from the Mission District in San Francisco where her family lived after emigrating from Mexico. Growing up, she gained a passion for social justice issues including equity and access to affordable healthcare and housing.  Dee is new to Portland and passionate about giving back to the community. Dee serves on the Board of Familas en Acción, which provides navigation and support to Latino clients in the Portland area that have chronic illnesses. Dee has a BA in International Relations from Stanford University and is on the Community Engagement Board of Stanford Alumni’s Women’s Impact Network (WIN). When not working, Dee enjoys spending time exploring Portland with her spouse and teenagers, following the SF Giants and Golden State Warriors, crafting and listening to Hamilton and a variety of podcasts

Libra Forde 

Chief Operating Officer, Self Enhancement Inc., Portland  

Libra is an Award Winning Speaker and Community Leader. Libra stands 6’5” tall (without heels). Her tall stature parallels her "heighten" perspective on circumstances, situations, and issues.  As a former pro athlete and business owner, Libra champions elite personal behavior.  She uses her education and experiences to cultivate effective goal setting that is manageable and sustainable. In addition, over 20 years corporate experiences enable her to relate to multiple levels of business professionals. Libra’s education includes a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, Masters in Business Administration, certification as a Life Coach, as well as several speaking credentials through Toastmasters International.   Libra is currently the Chief Operating Officer for the second largest minority agency in Oregon called Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI). SEI provides culturally specific services for underrepresented youth and families in the Portland area. 

Cory Misley

City Manager, City of La Pine, Oregon

I grew up with one foot in rural Clackamas County and the other in the Portland-Metro area; my parents divorced when I was four so the next fourteen years consisted of an every-other week rotation of differing geographic , cultural, and socio-economic conditions. That diversity of experience shaped me significantly, influencing for the better who I am and how I act and lead. I graduated from Oregon City High School with honors where I played football and was a district champion long and triple jumper. With an interest in towards public service but a cautious and keen approach to the cost of higher education, I took part-time classes at Clackamas Community College while enrolling full-time at Portland State University. During my first two years at PSU I had the varying experiences of being on the track and field team, working a summer in Alaska processing salmon, and interning with Senator Wyden in his Portland Office.

I was a commuter student at PSU for five years until I graduated cum laude with degrees in political science and psychology. During my last three years at PSU, I worked in Reynolds School District  as part of their implementation of the AVID Program curriculum; I coached track and field at Oregon City High School, and also worked in PSU’s University Studies Department as  a peer mentor/teaching assistant. After graduation, I served a year in an AmeriCorps position in Vancouver, Washington with nConnect-a nonprofit focused on STEM education and career opportunities. Upon many hours of contemplation, I then chose to attend Carnegie Mellon University to earn a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management- knowing I wanted to experience a different part of the United States to then come back to Oregon. During my first year in Pittsburgh, I worked with a nonprofit called Local Government Academy while also volunteering with the Heinz Journal. During my second year in Washington D.C., I worked at the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in their Center for Sustainable Communities while completing coursework in the evening. For the past three years, I have worked with the City of La Pine-Oregon’s newest city in  one of Oregon’s fastest growing counties-first as the Assistant City Manager and then as City Manager. Although a small city, as an organization we have grown significantly over the past three years and have brought planning, implementation, and capital projects to fruition. I am involved in Oregon City/County Management Committees on Communications and Next Generation. I recently was appointed to the Central Oregon Community College Budget Committee representing Zone 7 (Southern Deschutes County and Northern Lake and Klamath Counties).  Previously I served on the nonprofit board of the Upper Deschutes River Coalition. In my spare time I enjoy almost all outdoor activities, spending time with family, listening to podcasts, and learning more about history. 

Renee Moseley

Associate Director, Bridge Meadows, Portland

Renee joined Bridge Meadows in June 2010 after having moved from Los Angeles, CA. Renee obtained her MSW from UCLA in 1993, specializing in Child Welfare. Her experience with child protective services, child abuse treatment, and foster care services provided a well-rounded understanding of the child welfare system. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she provided mental health services, workshops and program management to county and community based agencies focused on child abuse and neglect.  In 2000, Renee entered the HIV/AIDS field and devoted the next 9 years to managing and providing psychosocial services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Renee’s work focused on mental health needs of women of color and youth impacted by HIV/AIDS.  In 2002, while continuing her work in the HIV/AIDS field, Renee became an entrepreneur, fulfilling her dream of developing and opening a life style boutique focused on delight and inspiration. Over the next 6 years, these experiences broaden her understanding of building a brand, managing growth and creatively exploring areas of growth. Renee’s work with Bridge Meadows allows her to blend her passion of social service and entrepreneurship.

Jagjit Nagra

Field Representative for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, United States Senate, Portland

My name is Jagjit Nagra. I was born in India, in a tiny, rural village named Attiana. My journey to America is an interesting story in and of itself, but I will share more of what happened after I arrived. I grew up in Oregon, attending Beaverton and Sunset High Schools, Portland State University for my music degree in Classical Guitar, and Lewis & Clark Law School for my Juris Doctorate. My father passed away when I was a teenager, leaving me isolated and confused.  I spent my young adulthood “living life” in that I struggled to find my place in this world. It was during this time, that I learned of my values of social justice because my personal struggles allowed me to understand how society treats you when you are the most vulnerable. Having learned some crucial life lessons, I decided I wanted to help those who were lost and/or could not help themselves, despite their best efforts because social rules, written or unwritten, did not allow them to do so.  After music school, where I learned how to improve my focus and concentration abilities, I dove into law school. From law school, I further refined my social justice lens and decided that working as a lawyer would not provide me with the satisfaction of knowing that I am working for a grand social change. Working for various social justice organizations and the US Senate, has reinvigorated me with a unique purpose to make this world a better place for my family, my future daughter, and all those I may come into contact with.

Pamela Norr

Executive Director, ACCESS, Jackson County

I was born and raised in Southern California and attended private catholic schools, including an all-girls high school. I did my undergraduate at University of Oregon in Eugene. I moved home the day I graduated. I started out my career in healthcare crisis communications. Met my husband on a blind date, had two kids, and we moved to Northern California so I could take on an administrative role opening a brand new hospital in a town of 3000, it was fun for me but a difficult transition for the rest of the family. We then moved to Bend, Oregon and spent 10 years in the snow as I ran an area agency on aging and a rural healthcare network. My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and we now take care of both my parents. My eldest is a recent grad of Western Oregon University and got their dream job of working in a museum here in Medford. My youngest is a music education major at WOU. I have a rescue dog named Wallee. I have no time for hobbies but I love to travel in Europe. 

Justin Palfreyman

Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, NW Natural, Portland

Mr. Palfreyman is NW Natural’s Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. Before joining NW Natural in 2016, he was with Lazard, Freres & Co, one of the world’s preeminent financial advisory and asset management firms, serving as a Director in Lazard’s Power, Energy & Infrastructure Group from 2009 to 2016. In that position, he provided strategic and financial advice to corporations, institutional investors, private equity funds and government clients globally. Prior to Lazard, Mr. Palfreyman was an associate in the Infrastructure Investment Banking Group at Goldman Sachs in New York. He has also held various positions in finance, strategy and business development at both Apex Learning and Accenture in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Palfreyman graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of public policy (MPP) from The University of Chicago Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy. He serves on the Board of Trustees for World Oregon and on the Board of Directors for CASA for Children of Multnomah, Washington and Columbia Counties. Mr. Palfreyman resides in Portland, OR, with his wife and two children.

James Alan Parker

Deputy Director, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Portland

Mr.  Parker is  an  enrolled  citizen  of  the  Chippewa  Cree  Nation.  He  has  lived  in  Portland,  Oregon  for  over  ten  years  after  living  in  Washington  D.C.  and  serving  in  a  management  role  for  one  of  the  oldest  native  serving  non-profits  in  the  U.S. He  currently  acts  as    the  deputy  director    for    the  Affiliated  Tribes  of  Northwest  Indians,  a  regional  policy  and    advocacy    organization    serving    over    50    tribes    across    the    northwest.    Additionally,    he    directs    the  operations  for  the  Oregon  Native  American  Chamber,  a  non-profit  dedicated  to  providing  economic  and  educational  opportunities  for  Native  Americans  in  Oregon  and  SW  Washington. Upon    moving    to    Oregon,    he    founded    and    served    as    owner    of  J.    Alan    Enterprises, LLC, an innovative  business  based    on    over    fifteen years    of    experience    within    the    information    Technology. His    clients  included tribes,  government  agencies,  tribal  organizations,  and  small  business  across  the  northwest. Mr.  Parker  is  a  husband  and  proud  father of  three  children  who  continually  motivate  him  to  support  his  community  and  provide  an  example of  honesty  and  integrity  in  his  work  and  family  life. 

Katie Pearmine

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Oregon Food Bank, Portland

I am passionate about social, environmental and food justice; I’m committed to building the Beloved Community here in Portland and across the world. I live in the Foster-Powell community in Portland with my husband and feline family. Having the privilege of growing up on a fourth generation mid-scale vegetable, cherry and seed farm in the upper Willamette Valley, I have been working in agriculture since childhood. I have served on the Board of Directors for Friends of Zenger Farm and Farmers Ending Hunger; and am currently serving on the OSU Food Innovation Center Advisory Board and Oregon’s Land Conservation and Development Commission. Professionally, I work as the Strategic Sourcing Manager for Oregon Food Bank (OFB), forging partnerships with companies across the food system-from processors, distributers, grocers, farmers, ranchers, fishers, and more. Prior to OFB, I worked for Oregon Department of Agriculture where I spent a year as a Domestic Trade Manager and three years running the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for Oregon. My previous work also includes ten years in the private sector at Celilo Group Media, a publishing and marketing firm focused on growing sustainable businesses (e.g. Chinook Book, Sustainable Industries).

Nancy Ramirez Arriaga

Building Community Program Officer, Meyer Memorial Trust, Portland 

Nancy Ramirez Arriaga is driven by hope, which is reflected in her personal and collective commitment to transform and thrive. Born and raised in Mexico and an Oregonian for more than 20 years, Nancy’s outlook, as well as her commitment to social justice, was shaped by her binational experience. For Nancy, nonprofits have been places to build community and vehicles to support social justice. Over 16 years, she contributed to the sector in various capacities, including as strategist, developer, director, adviser, consultant and board member. Her specialty: intercultural capacity building and balancing the art and science of designing tailored change strategies. Nancy joined Meyer Memorial Trust in 2016, just as the foundation was intentionally refashioning its grant making to focus on equity. As a program officer in Meyer’s Building Community portfolio, she relishes the opportunity to support leaders, risk-takers, innovators, community builders and the organizations that engage them. Nancy holds a M.A. in Leadership and Organizational Development from Saybrook University, and a B.A. in Administration of Justice from Portland State University. She also studied at Universidad Latina de América in Morelia, Mexico, and received political training at Harvard University. Nancy serves as Board President for the Nonprofit Association of Oregon.

Laurel Singer

Executive Director, National Policy Consensus Center, Portland

Thirty years ago, I  received  a  postcard  that  read,  "There  is  no  problem  that  cannot  be  improved  through  the  pooled  wisdom  of  the  people  affected  by it."  I had penned  that  message  at  a  conference  months  before  when  asked  to  record  one  of  my  deeply  held  truths.  Born  as  the  third  child  and  the  only  girl  among  my  three  brothers,  and  one  of  the  few  Jews  in  the  small,  mid-west  town  where  I  grew  up,  it  is  small  wonder  that  I  am  instinctively  drawn  to  “holding the  middle”,  and  to  using  that  role  to  deepen  connections,  heal  divides,  or  simply  build  a  critical  mass  needed  to  get  stuff  done.    My  professional  career  reveals  a  pattern  of  holding  that  middle  for  an  increasingly  broader  circle  of  community.  I  began  by  helping  individuals  as  a  volunteer  high  school  and  undergraduate  crisis  counsellor,  where  I  learned  how  skills  to  really  listen  and  help  people  find  their  own  solutions.  As  a  master’s  student  I  was  appointed  director  of  the  University  of  Oregon  Crisis  Line,  a  graduate  teaching  fellowship  position  normally  reserved  exclusively  for  Ph.D.  candidates,  I  found  my  passion  for  teaching  others  the  skills  for  helping  others.  While  treating  youth  in  a  psychiatric  hospital  after  I  graduated,  I  determined  that  sustainable  improvements  were  made  only  when  treatment  expanded  to  their  families.  This  led  me  to  study  systemic  family  therapy,  learning  to  look  beyond  the  presenting  problem  to  impact  what  was  broken  in  the  system.  I  went  on  to  become  the  supervisor  of  Harry’s  Mother,  a  24-hour  residential,  runaway  shelter  and  family  therapy  program  and  while  there  helped  pioneer  the  first  parent-adolescent  mediation  program  in  the  Northwest.  Eventually  leaving  Harry’s  Mother  after  seven  year  to  raise  my  two  sons,  now  aged  26  and  23,  I  worked  as  a  private  practice  mediator.  Over  the  next  16  years,  my  work  evolved  in  complexity  from  work  place  conflicts,  to  cross  agency  issues,  and  eventually  to  cross  sector  problems,  sometimes  including  hundreds  of  stakeholders  at  a  time.  My  work  inevitably  led  me  to  the  National  Policy  Consensus  Center.  I  was  instantly  smitten  by  this  relatively  new  Center  whose  mission  to  advance  the  concept  of “collaborative  governance”  deeply  aligned  with  my  own  calling.  Over  the  past  12  years  that  NPCC  has  been  my  home,  I  have  served  in  various  roles  and  leadership  capacities:  project  manager,  director  of  its  conflict  resolution  program,  initiator  and  director  of  the  training  and  internship  programs,  and  director  of  their  collaborative  implementation  program.    During  that  time,  I  was  honored  by  The  Oregon  Mediation  Association  with  the  Brian  Johnson  award  for  excellence  in  the  field  of  public  service.  And  two  and  a  half  years  ago,  I  was  proud  to  be  hired  as  part  of  a  national  search  to  replace  the  founder  as  NPCC’s  Executive  Director.    As  public  discourse  is  increasingly  characterized  by  polarization  and  deep  political  divides,  I  am  more  committed  than  ever  to  stand  in  the  middle  as  force  for  fostering  understanding,  community,  and  appreciation  for  the  strength  and  resiliency  that  comes  from  bringing  our  differences  and  resources  together.    If  holding  the  middle  characterizes  my  career,  it  is  balanced  by  a  need  to  move  during  my  time  off.  A  recovering  soccer  mom  (both  our  sons  went  on  to  be  recruited  to  play  at  D1  colleges),  I  am  an  avid  hiker,  enjoying  international  inn-to-inn  adventures,  a  runner,  and  a  20  year  practitioner  of  hot  yoga.  My  husband  and  I  are  looking  to  celebrate  29  years  of  marriage  and  excited  for  our  next  chapter.  A  lover  of  learning,  I’ve  taken  on  two  courses  of  study.  I  am  enrolled  in  a  PhD  program  in  Public Administration  and  Policy  as  PSU  and  a  two  year  course  culminating  in  my  bat  mitzvah  in  2020.

Austin Smith Jr.

Wildlife Biologist, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Warm Springs 

I am a Native American Indian born and raised on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation of Oregon. I am the second oldest son with three younger brothers, one older brother, and two older sisters, I graduated high school in 2004 from Madras High. I enlisted at the age of 17 into the armed forces, and served in the USMC for a four enlistment with a 6 month extension to my contract after my second deployment to Iraq. After separating from active duty in the military, I took a short break to readjust to civilian life and in the winter of 2010 I enrolled in community college part time courses with a path of general studies. After figuring out what I wanted to major in I obtained two associate degrees and transferred to Oregon State University-Cascade campus. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and Conservation Technology. During my school year I worked as a seasonal wildlife technician for the Warm Springs Tribes wildlife, parks and enforcement department. I obtained  5 years of seasonal work and eventually was hired on as a full time biologist for the tribe. My current work consists of timber sales, project assessment with an interdisciplinary team and game management for subsistence harvest on and off reservation. My goal is to eventually become manager of the Wildlife Department and incorporate what I have learned from school and research projects on and off the reservation to aid in the preservation and practice of tribal sovereignty hunting treaties.

Susan Steward

Executive Director, The Building Owners and Managers Association of Oregon, Portland

Susan  Steward has  served  as the Executive  Director  of  The  Building  Owners  and  Managers  Association  of  Oregon  (BOMA  OREGON)since  October2005.    As  the  Executive  Director  of  BOMA  Oregon, Susan actively  focuses  on  responsibly  representing  and  promoting  the  interests  of  the  commercial  real  estate  industry  through  effective  leadership,  advocacy,  and  linking real  estate  professionals  to  the  information,  accredited  education,  research,  advocacy  and  networking  opportunities  needed  to  succeed. Steward  represents  BOMA  Oregon members  in  local,  regional  and  statewide  committee  efforts  related  to  sustainability.    She  invests  countless  hours  to  sit  on  committees,  attend  hearings,  meet  with  officials  and  influencers,  and  deliver  written  comments  as  necessary  to  be  sure  the  interests  of  BOMA  Oregon members  are  considered  when  new  policy  changes  or  codes  are  under  discussion. BOMA  Oregon  is  a  sustainability  leader,  providing  educational  training  for  members  both  technical/operations  side,  as  well  as  the  business  side,  to  help members  understand  how  investing  in  sustainability  projects  will  ultimately  increase  the  value  of  their  asset.    Steward won  the  2010  Advocate  award  from  the  Northwest  Energy  Efficiency  Alliance.  Understanding  the  importance  of  being  a  reliable  resource,  Steward  has  earned her  LEED  Green  Associate  Accreditation  from  the  USGBC.BOMA  Oregon currently  advocates  for  building  owners  representing  over  50  million  square  feet  of  commercial  real  estate  throughout  Oregon  and  SW  Washington.

Lianne Thompson 

County Commissioner, Clatsop County Oregon 

I was  born  and  raised  in  Michigan  of  working-class,  upwardly-mobile  parents,  from  a  family  of  believers  in education  and  civic involvement.  I  am  a  life-long  learner:  BA,  humanities,  from  Michigan  State; MSW,  Social  Group  Work,  from  the  University  of  Michigan;  certification  as  a  professional  life  coach from  the  International  Coaching Federation;  graduate  of  the  OSU/AOC  County  College. I've  taught Psychology  as  adjunct  faculty  at  Clatsop  Community  College.    I'm  currently  an  elected  county commissioner  and  have  worked  on  dozens  of  campaigns  for  people  and  causes.  I've  volunteered  on boards  and  commissions  for  many  good  causes  and  still  do  so. I've  worked  in  both  public  and  private  sector  in  three  states  (Michigan,  Alaska,  and  Oregon).    I understand  that  the  real  work  of  everything  is  always  done  by  somebody,  and  the  real  cost  of everything  is  always  paid  by  somebody,  so  I  ask  “Whose  cost?  Whose  benefit?”  I  also  ask,  “How  can I  make  your  job  easier,  because  my  job  is  to  make  your  job  easier.”    That's  the  heart  of  teamwork,  I think. My  greatest  joy  is  in  creating  and  nourishing  positive  and  productive  human  relationships,  on  an interpersonal  and  community-wide  level  in  political,  spiritual,  and  artistic  ways.  I  look  for  the  gold  in each  person  and  speak  to  it.    I  follow  where  my  heart  leads  me,  and  it  led  me  to  ALF.  Here  I  am. Let's  do  good,  have  fun,  make  the  world  a  better  place  together.

Brian Worley

County Road Manager, Association of Oregon Counties, Salem

Brian Worley is the County Road Program Manager at the Association of Oregon Counties (AOC). Established in 1906, AOC is a statewide organization representing Oregon’s 36 counties. The County Road Program (CRP) was established in 1990 as a cooperative program with the Oregon Association of County Engineers and Surveyors (OACES). Its purpose is to enhance county transportation and public works operations through the development of management programs and shared technical assistance. Brian has been with AOC since March 2017 with over 10-years of experience in state and local government. Before coming to AOC, Brian served as the public information officer for Portland Mayor Charlie Hales. Brian has worked in numerous positions in the Oregon State Senate, including leadership staff roles in the Senate Majority Office, and providing technical support in the successful passage of Oregon’s legislatively adopted redistricting maps in 2011. Brian is a third generation Oregonian from North Portland, attending Lincoln High School and Oregon State University earning a degree in Environmental Science and Geographic Information Systems. Brian is a proud Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America) and enjoys cooking, gardening, camping, hiking, and traveling. Brian currently lives in the Lents neighborhood of Southeast Portland with his wife Heidi and two cats Merlin and Musubi.