ALF Oregon Class 48

Kris Anderson (she/her) — Portland
Executive Director, Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation

Kris Anderson is the founding Executive Director of the Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation (RWNF), which has disbursed over $26 million in mostly unrestricted, systems-focused grants to organizations working to reduce health disparities, mitigate the climate crisis, build just and sustainable communities, and support arts and culture. Prior to RWNF, she served as the founding director of The Portland Clinic Foundation and as a strategic nonprofit and philanthropic consultant. She is also the co-author, with Greg Chaillé, of State of Giving: Stories of Oregon Volunteers, Donors, and Nonprofits (OSU Press, 2015).

Earlier in her career, Kris spent nearly a decade teaching English literature at Oxford University and the humanities at London’s Open University. Her students’ paths into higher education inspired her to start volunteering and led to her first nonprofit role as a campaigns coordinator for Dignity in Dying, the UK's end-of-life rights organization. Volunteering remains important to her: she serves on the Executive Committee of the Oregon Historical Society, is former vice-chair of the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts (CTUIR), and co-chaired the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition during its distribution of $13 million in pandemic relief funds.

Born in Salem and raised in Portland, Kris’ first job was weighing log trucks and selling byproducts at her family's small sawmill—an early experience with the forces reshaping Oregon's economy. She lives in SE Portland and finds joy in hanging with loved ones (human and feline), consuming culture and good food, trying to keep her plants alive, and meandering down a hiking trail, river, or ski slope.

Gina Avalos-Limardo (she/her) — Portland
Senior Director of Finance & Operations, Forth

Gina Avalos-Limardo leads finance, operations, and people functions at Forth, a Portland-based nonprofit working to make electric mobility more equitable and accessible. She joined Forth nearly a decade ago as one of its earliest staff members and has grown alongside the organization ever since - building systems, supporting people, and helping the team navigate both rapid growth and periods of significant change.

For Gina, equity isn't a program or an initiative - it's the lens through which she approaches leadership. She's done her own learning and continues to, and she's most energized by helping organizations move from good intentions to real practice. She serves on Forth's Leadership Team, is a graduate of the UNID@S Leadership Program, and has held board leadership roles with the Community Cycling Center and the Surfrider Foundation.

Originally from Texas, Gina now calls Portland home, where she lives with her husband and two young children. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, reading, and exploring the outdoors with her family. She is particularly interested in how leaders can create meaningful change by building relationships, sharing power, and leading with curiosity, courage, and care.

Brenda Bartlett (she/her) — Hillsboro
Senior Management Analyst, Washington County

Brenda Bartlett is a seasoned public sector professional with a strong record of managing complex municipal and county initiatives, facilitating cross-departmental collaboration, and guiding organizations through high-stakes policy work. During her career, she’s worked for City and County governments in Canada and the United States, reviewing land use and zoning applications, managing business relations, coordinating emergency response and major cultural events and celebrations. 

She played key roles in navigating major projects, including shelter sitings, alcohol licensing reform, short term rental regulation, and heritage district land-use planning policy reform on behalf of elected and senior leadership. Brenda’s ability to bring stakeholders together, resolve conflict, and advance community centered solutions makes her a key member of any team.

Armetta Burney (she/her) — Vancouver
Dean of Technology, Applied Science, and Public Services, Clackamas Community College

Armetta Burney has 19 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education and a deep commitment to advancing student success, equity, and economic mobility. She currently serves as the Dean of Technology, Applied Science, and Public Services at Clackamas Community College, where she oversees a broad portfolio of academic, workforce, and community-based programs.

Previously, Armetta served as Dean of Workforce, Professional Technical Education, and STEM at Clark College, following her tenure as Director of Workforce Education Services, where she led initiatives that provided wraparound support for vulnerable student populations. Earlier in her career, she directed the MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) program at Washington State University Vancouver, building pathways that connected underrepresented middle and high school students to STEM education and career opportunities.

Social justice is the foundation of Armetta's leadership philosophy. Having experienced firsthand the transformative power of education, she is deeply committed to creating pathways of opportunity for individuals and communities that have historically been underserved. This commitment guides how she approaches leadership, decision-making, and organizational change.

Throughout her higher education career, Armetta has championed equity, access, and belonging because she believes these principles are essential to student success and social mobility. She brings a racial equity mindset to her leadership, recognizing that meaningful and lasting change requires intentionally addressing systemic barriers and expanding opportunities for those most impacted by inequities. When institutions do this work well, they become stronger and outcomes improve for everyone.

Armetta holds an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Concordia University Chicago, an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and a B.S. in Computer Science from Southern University.

Fabiola Casas (they/them and she/her) — Portland
Director of Community Engagement and Learning, Espousal Strategies

Fabiola Casas is a facilitator, strategist, and community engagement practitioner whose work focuses on helping public agencies and community-serving organizations make better, more accountable decisions with the people most affected by them. As Director of Community Engagement and Learning at Espousal Strategies, they lead complex public-sector projects that sit at the intersection of infrastructure, planning, civil rights, public involvement, and organizational change. Fabiola’s work is grounded in the belief that meaningful engagement is not simply about collecting input, but about building the conditions for people to understand decisions, shape outcomes, and see how their experiences and priorities influence the systems around them. She has supported regional and statewide efforts related to transportation, land use, climate resilience, flood safety, housing, public utilities, and community benefits, often helping teams translate broad values into practical tools, decision-making processes, and implementation strategies.

Across their work, Fabiola brings a steady focus on relationship-building, clear communication, and shared accountability. They are especially interested in how institutions can move beyond compliance-oriented approaches and toward practices that are both more human and more effective. Their leadership is shaped by a commitment to service, and the long-term work of building trust across difference. Fabiola lives in North Portland and is connected to local civic life through her neighborhood, family, and community service. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her son, exploring ideas with friends and colleagues, and imagining new ways to support healing, belonging, and collective possibility.

Beth Cooke (she/her) — Portland
Chief Advocacy Officer at New Narrative

Beth Cooke is Chief Advocacy Officer at New Narrative, where she leads advocacy, fundraising, communications, marketing, and community engagement efforts in support of behavioral health services, housing, and peer support programs. New Narrative serves more than 2,200 people annually, helping individuals with complex behavioral health needs break cycles of chronic homelessness, hospitalization, and institutional care.

A lifelong Oregonian raised in rural Lane County, Beth developed an early interest in public service through her family’s active community involvement. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Oregon State University and a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University.

Over the course of her career, Beth has worked across education, economic development, public policy, entrepreneurship, labor advocacy, housing, and behavioral health. Her work has included higher education, government affairs, nonprofit leadership, and consulting, with a consistent focus on expanding opportunity and strengthening communities.

Beth currently serves as Board Chair of Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO), which supports underserved entrepreneurs through access to capital, education, and business assistance, and on the board of the Westside Economic Alliance. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Kate Fagerholm (she/her) — Portland
Founder of yes ampersand LLC

Kate is the founder of yes ampersand LLC and proud supporter of the oxford comma. Kate has worked in the nonprofit, labor, public, and small business sectors. She has experience in facilitation, strategic planning, fund development, program administration, and public policy. She honed her skills working in community relations at a regional chapter of a national nonprofit, serving as a policy advisor at a public agency, organizing at a grassroots labor-community partnership organization, and leading fund development efforts in a variety of capacities at nonprofits. 

When Kate isn’t busy at yes ampersand she is writing, singing karaoke, and throwing footballs. She grew up in the rural Midwest. Rural like not-a-stoplight-in-the-county-rural. Her Midwest roots are strong, but the Pacific Northwest is her home.

Christiane Fitzgerald (she/her) — Portland
Senior Strategic Initiatives Policy Analyst, Multnomah County

Christiane Fitzgerald is a public-sector strategist and coalition builder focused on translating values into durable results. She is known for organizing complexity into clear action—especially in environments where multiple stakeholders, competing priorities, and high emotional stakes make progress difficult. Her work sits at the intersection of operational execution and equity, with a particular commitment to expanding access to education, personal development, and professional growth.

In her role as a Senior Strategic Initiatives Policy Analyst with Multnomah County, Christiane has led and supported initiatives designed to strengthen equitable systems and improve how institutions serve communities. She created the Equity in Action educational series to build shared understanding and practical capability around equity-centered work. She also serves as an advisor to the Self-Agency Academy, supporting learning and development pathways that help women build confidence, agency, and momentum.

Christiane’s leadership is grounded in advocacy for historically disenfranchised communities, including people of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. She values courageous dialogue, thoughtful facilitation, and measurable outcomes—and she brings people together across differences to build solutions that are workable, human-centered, and built to last.

Sean Green (he/him) — Portland
Founder, Aforma and Aforma Design Studio

Sean Green is the founder of Aforma, a Portland-based residential construction firm dedicated to high-performance building, and Aforma Design Studio, a national architectural and interior design firm. A Phius-certified builder and systems thinker, Sean operates at the intersection of technical process and human-centered advocacy. Sean currently serves as the chair of Shelter Now and on the board of directors at the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN). At Shelter Now, Sean supports the Lived Experience Council and the Village Federation, two independent bodies that empower those with living and lived experience of houselessness to build community, develop leadership skills, and influence local policy. Sean holds a Master of Public Administration from Portland State University.

Maggie Gilman Holm (she/her) — Sandy
Community Partnership Specialist, Port of Portland

Maggie was born and raised in Portland, Oregon where her family was lucky to have a incredible community of people that supported them through some really difficult times. After graduating from St. Mary’s Academy, where Maggie attended through financial aid oportunities, she earned an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree from Goshen College with a focus on peace, justice and conflict studies, international studies, and women’s studies. During her undergraduate years, Maggie had the opportunity to learn about strategic peacebuilding and community development through experiences that deeply shaped her worldview, including serving as a short-term World Friendship Center "peace ambassador" in Japan, studying abroad in Namibia and South Africa, participating in a learning tour in El Salvador, and studying immigration issues in South Texas. 

Before beginning graduate school in 2020, Maggie spent over a decade working in nonprofit organizations across Oregon, with a focus on juvenile justice, domestic and sexual violence advocacy, violence prevention education, and low-income housing resource coordination. She earned a Master of Public Administration with a specialization in local government from Portland State University’s Mark O. Hatfield School of Government in 2022. Following graduation, she worked at the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office in a role centered on HR, equity, community engagement, grants, and special projects before stepping into her current role as Community Partnership Specialist at the Port of Portland in November 2023. 

At the Port, Maggie is part of a dynamic and creative team dedicated to uplifting community and advancing shared prosperity for all. Outside of her professional life, Maggie is a proud parent of two wonderful kids and two dogs. She recharges by spending time outdoors (especially out at the Oregon Coast!) and being with the people I love.

Darren Golden (he/him) — Portland
Founder & Consultant, Oregon Veterans Alliance + Golden Solutions

Darren Golden approaches systemic change with a community-first mindset, favoring the untraveled path, with a knack for orchestrating chaos into collective victory. To expand his worldview, Darren enlisted in the United States Air Force out of high school, serving for seven years. His military tenure honed a rigorous attention to detail and taught him the true essence of collaborative teamwork: that to lead effectively is to know how to follow.

Upon returning to Portland, Darren attended Portland State University, studying Political Science, Economics, Geography/Climatology, and Urban Studies. Driven by the belief that common-sense policy requires a foundational understanding of both the economy and the environment, he immersed himself in the legislative process, beginning with an invaluable internship for State Senator James Manning Jr.

Darren translated this experience into a career of problem-solving, founding Golden Solutions in 2020. While lobbying in the Oregon Legislature, he has championed critical policy changes with an emphasis on good governance, equitable access to policy, and environmental protections. His strategic acumen extends from legislative halls to grassroots movements; he has successfully directed high-stakes political campaigns, coached leaders and executives, and led complex strategic planning initiatives for foundations and NGOs.

He previously brought his fundraising and operational expertise to the nonprofit sector as the Director of Development for Parrott Creek. In the winter of 2023, Darren founded the Oregon Veterans Alliance. Following his transition from Parrott Creek in the spring of 2026, he dedicated himself full-time to Veterans' advocacy alongside his independent consulting practice, where he continues to help clients understand crisis planning, upstream solutions, and the complexities of leadership while building healthy teams,

When he isn’t diving into policy details, he considers it his civic duty as an Oregonian to remind everyone to unplug, get outdoors, and touch dirt.

Derek Johnson (he/him) — Portland
Oregon State Director for The Nature Conservancy

Derek currently serves as the Oregon State Director for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) where he leads a statewide team of over 70 staff. In this role, Derek is responsible for driving durable conservation impact for people and nature across Oregon, as well as collaborating with colleagues and partners across the West and Canada for conservation outcomes at a regional scale. Derek has served TNC for over 27 years in multiple roles, all of which have involved deep collaboration and a human-centered leadership approach to bring people together and get great work done. Originally from North Carolina, Derek has called Southeast Portland home for over 20 years where he currently lives with his wife and two active teenage kids. When not shepherding his kids to their activities, Derek prefers to be outside exercising, hiking or spending time with friends and seeing live music.

Sam Kang (he/him) — Portland
Executive Director, Civics Learning Project

Sam Kang is the Executive Director of the Civics Learning Project, a nonpartisan, nonprofit education organization that creates hands-on, experiential opportunities for young people to learn about democracy. He has served in a variety of leadership and executive roles in government, politics, tech, organized labor, and nonprofit organizations. 

Prior to joining CLP, Sam was the political director of the largest independent labor union on the west coast, general counsel of The Greenlining Institute, and led government affairs in Lime’s largest North American markets. He has led numerous successful policy and legislative campaigns on economic equity, environmental justice, transportation access, and consumer protection. As a lawyer, Sam has successfully litigated dozens of cases before regulatory agencies, saving billions of dollars for consumers. 

Prior to law school, Sam was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in New York City and helped provide disaster relief after the 9/11 attacks. He also worked at the United Nations to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in the Middle East following the first Gulf War. In his spare time, you might see Sam exploring the glorious outdoors of the Northwest with his family.

Trisa Kelly (she/her) — Portland
Deputy Diversity and Equity Officer, Multomah County

Trisa Kelly was born in New Jersey and moved to Portland for middle school. She attended Portland State University where she earned a BA in Spanish and French. She joined the Oregon Air National Guard in August 2002 where she became Oregon’s first female chaplain and first African-American chaplain. Within her first year of assignment to the 142nd Fighter Wing, she took on the grand task as sole chaplain for the wing when both the Wing Chaplain and the other Protestant chaplain were deployed. She earned the rank of major and served as the Wing Chaplain before leaving her military post to dedicate more time to caring for family. Trisa works for Multnomah County as the Deputy Diversity and Equity Officer and has been with the County 19 years.

Talaina King (she, her) — Newport
Executive Director, Cape Perpetua Collaborative

Talaina is the Executive Director of Cape Perpetua Collaborative, where she gets to spend her days working toward something she deeply believes in: that the Oregon Coast should feel like home to everyone who visits or lives here, and that caring for it should be something we do together. The Collaborative offers no-cost programs and events that invite people into the land and sea environments of the Cape Perpetua region, and Talaina brings to that work a genuine warmth and curiosity about the people who walk through the door. As a newer leader still actively shaping these programs, she sees community conversations and honest feedback not as a challenge but as the whole point.

She has focused much of her energy on identifying the real and complex barriers that keep marginalized communities from fully participating in outdoor and environmental spaces, and on adapting programs to better meet people where they are. She sees this as an ongoing and humbling practice of listening, adjusting, and trying again.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Talaina carries a deep and personal love for this place and a genuine eagerness to learn from the people and communities that make it what it is. Her career has moved through nonprofit community education and biomedical research, connected always by the same commitment to linking people with the resources and opportunities they deserve. She has also worked with the Small Business Development Center at Oregon Coast Community College to support small business owners along the Oregon Coast, and as a fellow solopreneur, she brings genuine understanding to the particular challenges that come with that path.

Outside of her professional work, Talaina stays closely connected to the fabric of Lincoln County through volunteering and civic involvement. She serves on the planning committee for a local leadership development program and previously co-facilitated it during her time at the college, an experience that continues to inform how she thinks about growing leaders from within a community. She also helped create Bloom Newport, a free, family-friendly community celebration held annually at the Newport Performing Arts Center that brings together local artists, makers, food and beverage vendors, nonprofits, and live performers in one joyful afternoon. Now in its fifth year, Bloom is a reflection of what she cares about most: lowering barriers, lifting up the people and organizations already doing meaningful work, and creating space where the community can see itself and feel proud of what it has built.

Talaina also loves to travel, and tries to carry that same spirit of service with her when she does, seeking out volunteer opportunities with organizations in the places she visits. She comes back from those experiences reminded of how much good work is happening everywhere, and how much there is still to learn from others doing it differently.

At the center of all of it is a simple hope: to help sustain and add to a community that is already full of remarkable people and organizations working hard to make this place thrive, and to show up for that work with as much heart and humility as she can.

Eric Knox (he/him) — Portland
Executive Director of HOLLA and HOLLA School

Eric Knox is a community leader and the visionary founder and Executive Director of both HOLLA (a nonprofit culturally specific mentoring organization) and HOLLA School (a nonprofit public charter school). Both East Portland-based organizations are dedicated to changing the narrative of Black, Brown, and Indigenous youth.

Eric's journey in Oregon began with a basketball scholarship that took him to Oregon State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree. His commitment to community and service was further solidified through his Master of Divinity in Pastoral Care from Western Seminary in Portland, OR.

Eric established HOLLA with a mission to provide mentorship that resonates with the lived experiences of Black and Brown youth. Under his leadership, HOLLA has thrived for over 11 years, positioning itself as a beacon of hope in East Portland. The organization connects youth with mentors who reflect their identities and embody the possibilities of their futures. HOLLA’s commitment to nurturing potential is reflected in its launching of HOLLA School, a public charter school in the Rockwood neighborhood in east Portland—that is changing the academic narrative for Black, Brown and Indigenous youth through believing that there is abundance, brilliance, and creativity in every child.

Eric is a sought-out speaker on topics of mentorship, sustainability in nonprofit work including self care, and stories of transformation.

Kittie Kong (she/her) — Portland
Senior Communtiy Engagement Coordinator, TriMet

Growing up in Mississippi as a child of immigrants Kittie learned about navigating systems through her family’s small business. After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Mississippi, Kittie spent years in Service and Hospitality, managing teams all over the country. She experienced first hand how access to services impacts individuals and in turn ripple out to communities, industries, and beyond.

Kittie transitioned to a career in public service to help bridge the gap between diverse communities and their local government. She is an active advocate and promoter of safe cultural community spaces, civic participation, social justice, and cross-cultural education and partnership. Since moving to Oregon, she has volunteered as a community leader, serving on the boards of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Portland Chinatown Historical Foundation, the Slants Foundation, and partnering with local community organizations to promote civic engagement and education among our BIPOC populations. She knows that by building diverse relationships with community partners and local businesses across the area we will build a stronger, more equitable and inclusive region.

Beyond community outreach and public service, she will happily show you photos of her cats and discuss where to eat next! She believes that sharing a meal together is always an act of trust and builds meaningful connections.

Brandon Lenzi (he/him) — Portland
Community Investment Manager, Oregon Metro

Brandon Lenzi didn't set out to become a fundraiser, but once he discovered the impact of his work, he never looked back.

He believes that fundraising, at its best, is an invitation for people to be part of something bigger than themselves. It's about sitting across from someone, understanding what they care about, and figuring out what you can build together. That belief shapes everything about how Brandon works and why he genuinely loves what he does.

He founded Bowtie Strategies to bring that kind of partnership to small nonprofits doing important work in their communities. Organizations like these rarely have access to the senior fundraising expertise that larger institutions take for granted. Brandon built Bowtie Strategies to close that gap, working alongside Executive Directors, board members, and development teams through major campaigns and the quieter, unglamorous work of building programs that hold together over time.

Outside of work, Brandon is a gardener, an enthusiastic traveler, and someone who takes his tea and his reading time seriously. He is endlessly curious about how communities grow and change, and how people show up for one another when it matters most. That curiosity made joining the ALF Oregon Fellows Program feel like a natural next step.

Nansi Lopez (she/her/ella) — Hillsboro
Policy Director, Centro Cultural

Nansi Lopez Comes with 20 years of working in the nonprofit and private sectors. As the Policy Director of the Latino Policy Council (LPC), Centro's advocacy division, she identifies local, state, and federal policies that negatively impact Latinos, immigrants, refugees, and other disenfranchised community groups. Her role requires working in partnership with the government and the private sector to create systems change through policy recommendations and best practices to improve access and service delivery through an equity lens for all Latinos in Washington County.

Aoi Nathalia Mizushima (she/her/ella) — Portland
Medical Doctor and Professor, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU)

Bio forthcoming

Alison Mostue (she/her) — Medford
Program Officer, Carpenter Foundation

Ali Mostue grew up on a 4th generation family farm in Southern Oregon, attended public schools, and went to Wellesley College near Boston, Massachusetts. Growing up she loved to be outside in nature and loved playing sports, both of which she continued doing while at college. After college, Ali yearned to return home to Oregon. She moved to Bend where she lived for 15 years, enjoying her 20s and 30s and meeting many people, traveling, trying out various work industries, and discovering herself.

Ali loves movement awareness practices and studied Feldenkrais movement practice and Zen meditation in depth. Eventually she pursued a Masters in Social Work through Portland State University, a theme that wove throughout her work experiences.

Eight years ago, Ali ad her husband returned to Southern Oregon and started a business on the family farm while Ali continued practicing social work and became a licensed clinical social worker. Two years ago Ali and her husband welcomed a baby girl into their lives. Life is full and fulfilling.

Jeremy Myrland (he/him) — Lake Oswego
Principal Product Manager, Nike

Jeremy Myrland is a Principal Product Manager at Nike, working on the HR technology that 75,000+ employees rely on every day. His 15-year career has taken him through Workday, Wayfair, Apple, and an earlier run at Nike leading search. The through-line: making big, fragmented systems actually work for the people using them.

An enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and a Ford Family Scholar, Jeremy graduated from Oregon State with a degree in Accounting. He lives in Lake Oswego with his wife, a public school teacher, and their twin boys, who are heading into 5th grade.

Civic life keeps him busy. He serves as Vice President of the Lake Oswego Schools Foundation, President of the Forest Hills Elementary PTO, and was recently selected as an alternate to the Lake Oswego Planning Commission.

Taiontorake Max Oakes (he/him) — Madras
Wildlife Biologist, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs

Bio forthcoming

Vivian Satterfield (she/her/她) — Portland
Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Portland

Vivian Satterfield has over fifteen years of experience working alongside community members, public and private sector and industry stakeholders to achieve meaningful change that benefits both people and the planet. Vivian is an organizer, policy maker and coalition builder, starting her career in the nonprofit sector in Portland, Oregon. Her leadership on urban environmental justice issues has included launching formidable coalitions such as the Getting There Together Coalition, Oregon Just Transition Alliance and Healthy Communities Coalition that have shaped regional and statewide land use, transportation, and workforce goals. The impact of her work has been recognized nationally, including being featured on Marketplace Weekend, section A of The New York Times and Science Friday on National Public Radio.

In her current role in public service as the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Portland, Vivian leads a dynamic group of policy and programmatic change agents focused on making Portland more equitable, healthy, prosperous and resilient. Her leadership contributes to the historic transformation to a new form of government for the City, and ensures that elected officials, staff and the Portland community remain confident in Portland’s place as a national and global leader in sustainability and climate action. Vivian is informed by her social movement building values and supported by her lived experience as a daughter of an immigrant, and a Chinese American born and raised in the great City of Chicago.