Speakers & Panelists

Andrea Bell (she/her) currently serves as the Executive Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), where she oversees the strategic direction, vision, and growth of the state’s housing finance agency. Andrea is one of two children and grew up in a working-class family as the daughter of a social worker and the granddaughter of a farmworker. That experience and upbringing have helped shape Andrea’s passion for public service that delivers for all.

Andrea currently serves as the National Council of State Housing Agency’s Co-Chair of Rural and Native American housing.

Session: Opening Remarks before Celebrating State Leaders for Housing & Economic Justice 

WLnsvey Campos represents Oregon Senate District 18. A proud daughter of immigrants, raised in a low-income household, she was confronted with the disparity between those who were afforded opportunities and those who were not, regardless of how hard they worked. She was the youngest woman ever elected to the Oregon House of Representatives and the youngest State Senator in Oregon history.
Senator Campos has championed progressive policies that expand access to healthcare, address food insecurity, tackle issues tied to housing instability, and has prioritized investments in behavioral health, community-based care services, and early childhood resources in her budget subcommittee.

Session: Celebrating State Leaders for Housing & Economic Justice 

Senator Jama is the first fo​​rmer refugee, Black Muslim and Somali-American to serve in the Oregon State Senate. He comes to Salem with more than two decades of community organizing experience and is a tireless advocate for Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants and refugees, low-income Oregonians and rural communities. Senator Jama currently serves as Chair of the Senate Housing and Development Committee​, where he uses his deep community relationships and lived experience with housing insecurity to guide a multi-pronged approach to addressing Oregon's housing crisis.

Session: Celebrating State Leaders for Housing & Economic Justice 

Jillene Joseph (Aaniiih) is the Executive Director of the Native Wellness Institute. For 40 years she has traveled throughout North America and beyond providing wellness and healing training to Indigenous communities in a variety of areas such as youth leadership development, healthy relationships, wellness in the workplace and more. Jillene is one of the 8 members of the International Indigenous Council of the Healing Our Spirits Worldwide movement. She has always lived by her personal mantra of “Living the Warrior’s Spirit: being positive, productive and proactive.”

Keynote Speaker for Morning Gathering

Part of (Re)claiming Community Control of Land & Home panel

State Representative Ricki Ruiz, one of Oregon's youngest legislators, proudly represents House District 50, encompassing Gresham and East Portland. Born in Portland and raised in Gresham by immigrant parents, his upbringing is what inspired him to pursue a career in politics and community service. Rep. Ruiz is dedicated to serving the constituents of House District 50 and advancing policies in education, housing, immigration, climate, racial justice, healthcare, and the economy. As the co-chair of the BIPOC Caucus, Rep. Ruiz successfully secured several budget allocations, including Individual Development Accounts, Water Equity, Employment Related Day Care, and the Albina Vision Trust.

Session: Celebrating State Leaders for Housing & Economic Justice 

Akasha Lawrence Spence is an innovator, change agent, and intuitive strategist who puts community first. Akasha proudly serves NW and SW Portland and The City of Tigard as Oregon State Senator for District 18. She is also the Founder & Principal Designer of Fifth Element—a conscientious community development firm fortifying historically undercapitalized communities through decision making power and real property ownership. Everything Akasha does, whether as an entrepreneur, advocate, designer, writer, artist, policy maker, civic activist, or embodied being is an act of liberation rooted in economic justice that is reparative, intersectional, and generative.

Part of (Re)claiming Community Control of Land & Home panel

Josephine (Jo) has spent more than 20 years as a financial services professional in both the credit union and community banking industries. Throughout that time, she has held roles in retail operation administration, consumer lending, and commercial banking relationship management. Jo joined OnPoint in January 2021 as Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion and currently holds the title of Director of Nonprofit Banking & Community Development. In this role, she oversees nonprofit relationship strategy for the credit union and is also focused on initiatives aimed at expanding access to financial services for historically underrepresented communities.

Winta Yohannes is the executive director of the Albina Vision Trust, a nonprofit organization stewarding the thoughtful reinvention and transformation of the 94-acre historic lower Albina neighborhood. During her tenure, AVT has grown its real estate and development capacity with its first project breaking ground in 2023 and the right of first refusal secured on a key 10.5-acre site. AVT has earned recognition for its leadership in counteracting anti-Black racism in the urban form, including awards for design excellence in its groundbreaking masterplan.

Previously, Ms. Yohannes was a senior policy advisor at Portland City Hall. In this role, she supported the development of Portland’s first immigrant legal defense program and co-established the Social Equity Program in the Cannabis Licensing Office to support entrepreneurs of color.

Part of (Re)claiming Community Control of Land & Home panel

Delina Biniam has worked in family and child advocacy since 2018 in both Oregon and Washington State. She has a bachelors degree in Sociology and English from Gonzaga University, as well as a Masters in Public Health from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health with a concentration in health policy.

Session: Children's Institute Addressing Oregon Families’ Big Costs: Housing and Child Care 

Luke began working with the IDA program at Neighborhood Partnerships in 2019, drawn to a program with impacts that extend to future generations. Luke joined NP after working seven years in resident services at ROSE Community Development in outer SE Portland. Luke was an AmeriCorps VISTA with Hacienda CDC’s Homeownership Program after studying at Portland State University. In his free time he enjoys biking, gardening, drumming, getting outdoors, rooting for the Timbers, and being a dad. Luke gets inspired by the amazing people that are part of the IDA Initiative, feeling grateful for the opportunity learn from and work alongside so many wonderful people who are striving together to make Oregon a place where everyone thrives. 

Session: Advancing New Narratives for an Economically Just Oregon

Alescia Blakely is a Community Services Program Manager at Home Forward. Alescia earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oregon in Telecommunications and Film with a minor in Ethnic Studies. Alescia has over 30 years of experience working with children and families. Alescia currently supervises staff who provide resident services to over 2,800 families. Alescia has extensive experience in both private and public sectors which includes project management, group facilitation, team building and strategic implementation.

Session: Centering Resident Voices in Policy, Advocacy, And Leadership 

Jessica Blakely carries a vast knowledge and proven industry experience since 2000. Industry experience includes owner/operated or fee managed properties in property management from development to disposition and managing buildings from acquisition though large-scale renovations. Property development has included both new construction and existing projects. Project and portfolio management experience spans multiple states including Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California and portfolios between 500 to 2000+ units in size. Property oversight and development have varied from Market Rate, LIHTC, Project Based Rental Assistance, Public Housing and Condo Associations.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Dan Bryant is a native Oregonian who has lived across the country and in Europe before coming to Eugene in 1991 as the Senior Minister of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from whence he retired in April of 2020. He has been an outspoken advocate on homelessness and other social issues for which he has received several local and statewide awards. He also is a co-founder and currently Executive Director of SquareOne Villages, a nonprofit that provides non-congregate shelter for the unhoused and affordable housing of democratic communities (housing co-ops) that are permanently affordable and environmentally sustainable.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

randy is fervently committed to equity and justice through disrupting systems for BIPOC, marginalized, and oppressed populations in America. With over 16 years of equity, diversity, and inclusion experience, he works as an Associate Professor at City University in the Teacher Certification Program in Seattle and as the IDA Program Manager and Training Coordinator for Neighborhood Partnerships in Oregon. For Interplay, he channels his superpower of vocal justice into passionate work to help our clients envision a more just and equitable society. In the past, he served at the Director level for organizations including Friends of the Children in Portland and YouthCare in Seattle where they respectively work to combat generational poverty and youth homelessness. As a notable poet, educator, father, artist, and creative through and through, Randy can be found sparking deep conversations and dialogue over coffee.

Session: Let's Talk About Race & Equity: Practical Applications for Community Agreements and Creating Brave Spaces  

As a single mother of two and a cancer survivor, Ginny Carlson overcame years of increasing housing costs and other barriers before partnering with Columbia County Habitat for Humanity and moving into her first home in February of 2021. Personally driven by her support of equity, diversity and inclusion at all levels, Ginny is an enthusiastic community ambassador. She served two terms on the St Helens City Council and is a graduate of the Ford Family Foundation Institute for Community Building, a cohort designed to support leaders in rural Oregon. Ginny currently serves as a Board Member for the Community Action Team in Columbia County and a member of Habitat for Humanity of Oregon’s Homeowner Advisory Council. In this role, Ginny helps inform Habitat Oregon’s programs and services, including advising on statewide legislative priorities and engaging directly in advocacy work.

Session: The Unlock Homeownership Coalition and Our Legislative Goals for 2025 

Annette Case serves as the Pacific Northwest Program Officer for Asset Funders Network (AFN) and co-lead of the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable (OEJR). Annette is an experienced advocate, policy researcher and analyst, strategist, and leader with over 20 years dedicated to advancing economic justice.She has worked for nonprofit policy institutes and as a policy consultant for policy and philanthropic organizations. In her current role, Annette engages funders, community organizations, and policy makers to collectively create and advance systems of abundance by and for communities of color so that all people thrive. Current OEJR strategies include deploying new narratives of economic justice and co-creating a direct cash proposal in Oregon.

Session: Workshop #3: Presented by the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable (OEJR): Narrative, Policy, and Power Building through the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable 

Originally from West Africa, Ibrahim has built a remarkable career across various sectors and continents. Before moving to the United States, he was a successful business owner, operating an event planning company that spanned multiple continents.

Other accomplishments and roles: President of the Sub-Local SEIU 839 Bureau of Labor and Industries; Human Rights Consultant; President of the nonprofit organization Human Rights Human Stories; Board member of the City of Eugene Affordable Housing Trust Fund; Board member of the City of Eugene Affordable Housing Trust Fund; Former President of the Eugene-Springfield NAACP; Former Chair of the City of Eugene Human Rights Commission.

Session: How Fair Housing Advocacy and Enforcement are Advancing Housing Justice in Oregon

Kevin Cronin is the Director of Policy & Advocacy at Housing Oregon, with over a decade of experience in community organizing and policy work. His advocacy journey began after a no-cause eviction in 2011, fueling his dedication to affordable housing and tenant rights. Kevin previously served as a Housing Specialist working with Section 8 Voucher participants and as a Legislative Aide, and managed campaigns in several competive legislative races. He is a founding board member of the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association and led a successful campaign to create the Josephine Community Libraries special district. Outside work, Kevin enjoys gardening, camping, and history podcasts.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Christina (she/her) has spent her professional career advocating for vulnerable renters. After graduating law school, Christina began working at Oregon Law Center and then Legal Aid Services of Oregon as a Staff Attorney and then a Supervising Attorney. Through her practice, Christina represented low-income tenants in all types of housing related legal matters, coordinated the office’s housing justice legal work, and served in various policy forums.Christina joined Home Forward in 2022 and is the Director of Policy and Planning. In that role, she leads internal policy change and external advocacy to advance housing stability, affordable housing development, housing choice expansion, and larger systems change to improve local and national housing systems.

Session: Centering Resident Voices in Policy, Advocacy, And Leadership 

Carlos has more than 15 years of experience working for economic justice. Throughout his career, he has been worked in direct service, program development and administration, policy advocacy, and nonprofit leadership. He is passionate about advancing racial and economic justice and supporting community-led solutions. Carlos is a first-generation college graduate with a degree in International Business from Oregon State University, where he focused on issues of access and retention for Chicano/Latino students. In his free time, Carlos enjoys traveling, biking, dancing to cumbias and norteñas, exploring nature and spending time with family and friends. He was born and raised in Eastern Oregon.

Session: Workshop #3: Presented by the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable (OEJR): Narrative, Policy, and Power Building through the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable 

Sami Francis is the IDA Program Manager, Financial Coach, and HUD Certified Housing Counselor at NeighborWorks Umpqua in Southern Oregon. With a decade of experience in the non-profit sector and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instructional Technology, Sami specializes in enhancing financial literacy and housing stability for BIPOC and underserved communities. Her work is dedicated to reducing barriers and increasing access to vital resources, leveraging her expertise to develop innovative solutions that empower marginalized populations and foster financial resilience.

Session: Resilience Matched Savings Program – Importance of Increasing Equitable Opportunity 

Samuel Goldberg has been a board member at Housing Land Advocates since 2022. In his day as the Public Policy Manager at the Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO), he advances the incorporation of Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) into state and local planning. He also coordinates the activities of the AFFH/Systemic Investigations Committee, a collection of land use professionals and FHCO staff, which serves as a watchdog for local planning activities and provides technical support for jurisdictions.

Session: How Fair Housing Advocacy and Enforcement are Advancing Housing Justice in Oregon – at Both the Individual and Systemic Levels 

Victory has over thirteen years of experience in the non-profit sector. Her role at Reach CDC allows her to engage with Residents as an IDA specialist, Budget, Buy, and Save facilitator, resident event support person, and engage in advocacy in many different capacities. She is part of the Reach advocacy committee and represents Reach in both Oregon and Washington Resident advocacy/organizing groups, of ROC and RAP. Victory encourages Residents to participate in community civic engagement and supports them in that process at the level they are comfortable.

Session: Advocacy and Community Building: Essentials for Grassroots Engagement  

Dana Hepper is the Director of Policy & Advocacy at Children’s Institute. She oversees the organization’s legislative advocacy and community engagement work. Dana started her career as an elementary school and preschool teacher, then she worked at Stand for Children for nine years doing community organizing, policy, and advocacy. She graduated from Barnard College with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in elementary education.

Session: Children's Institute Addressing Oregon Families’ Big Costs: Housing and Child Care 

Allen Hines is recognized as a leader in disability housing policy in Portland. He joined Community Vision in 2019 to create the Housing Access Program. Allen has worked in disability services and advocacy for more than a decade. He is a lifelong wheelchair user, and his work has focused on housing for people with disabilities since 2018.

Session: The Housing Crisis for People with Disabilities 

Molly grew up on the West Coast and is passionate about housing justice. Housing instability and homelessness are personal for her, and she is convinced that solutions to homelessness rooted in equity and dignity are possible despite a national wave to criminalize people without homes. She holds a master's degree in public policy from Mills College. Molly has a background of providing direct service for unhoused youth, non-profit project management as well as working in local, state, and federal government agencies. She has been grateful since joining Welcome Home in 2022 to continue the work of more authentically elevating the voices of those experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in public policy in the Portland Metro Area.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Lisa learned the value of solidarity growing up in a union family and has spent more than 30 years as a strategic campaigner, organizer and movement builder with low wage workers and communities of color across the U.S. working together for racial and economic justice. She lives and gardens in Portland, OR and helps organize for a solidarity economy with the Oregon New Economy Project.

Session: Rethinking our Ideas about Healthy Communities 

As founding executive director of Oregon Just Transition Alliance (OJTA), Joel Iboa served as campaign director of the Oregon Clean Energy Opportunity during the 2021 legislative session. Under his leadership, Oregon now has the fastest timeline and best labor standards for 100% clean energy in the country. In 2023, Joel served on the steering committee for the Building Resilience coalition and Community Resilience Hubs coalition, which passed the Climate Resilience Package (HB 3049). This package resulted in $90 million in state funds with $1 billion in matching federal funds for our state. Current Homes for Good commissioner as well(2022).

Session: Rethinking our Ideas about Healthy Communities 

Biljana Jesic is the Director of Community Services of Home Forward. Biljana is a visionary director of 15+ years of experience in initiative and program development and management, systems alignment and strategic planning, resource management, building effective and connected teams, management of complex local, State, and federal funds, grants and budgets, and development of effective partnerships and relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders. Biljana is recognized as a creative, inspirational leader in the affordable housing industry focused on combating inequity through systemic change, particularly with respect to supporting low income, at-risk individuals, and communities of color. Biljana is nationally recognized for her work with the Family Self-Sufficency program and was tasked with transforming the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Family Self-Sufficiency program.

Session: Centering Resident Voices in Policy, Advocacy, And Leadership 

Kamilla Johnson is a certified financial coach, educator and training consultant with over 10 years experience in the non-profit and fin-tech sectors. She is also the owner/operator of Resourceful Coaching and Consulting LLC developing content and partnering with non-profit agencies to implement financial coaching programs, strategies and practices into their existing organizations. Kamilla has trained leadership, management and front-line staff to over 40 non-profit organizations around the country between 2018 and 2024. She currently provides training and technical assistance to partner agencies and community organizations committed to financial well-being, self-sufficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Session: Workshop #1: Presented by Oregon IDA Initiative: Family-Centered Coaching 

Executive Director, Jackie Keogh, a seasoned professional in the realm of community development and affordable housing, has dedicated over a decade to scaling grassroots non-profit organizations. With a wealth of experience gained at the Portland Housing Bureau and as Deputy Director at Proud Ground, Jackie has become a driving force in fostering sustained organizational performance. She engages with culturally and economically diverse communities, shaping community-led strategic plans that innovate new ideas in the industry. Jackie loves her work in the affordable housing landscape, but she loves her family more. You’ll likely find her out on Central Oregon’s trails with her family.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Natalie is a single mom to 4, professional photographer, author, Digital Engagement & Analytic Specialist for Oregon Food Bank and passionate advocate for equity. She has experienced relying on government assistance, financial wealth, financial ruin, domestic violence, interracial adoptive and foster parenting, homelessness and home ownership. Natalie believes we are all much more alike than different, and the barriers between us can be broken when we embrace our own vulnerable humanity. Society will only thrive through community and community is built through connection, which stems from humility — this is why we must share our stories, honestly.

Session: Children's Institute Addressing Oregon Families’ Big Costs: Housing and Child Care 

Before coming to NP, Ethan worked at Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon doing direct service, Public Policy advocacy, and program support for close to 3 years. He was born and raised in Portland and is the fourth generation of his family to live here. Parts of his family come from the Yakama Nation, Philippines, and parts of Europe. He has committed his life to fighting for economic, racial, ecological, and housing justice. Since graduating from Concordia University – Portland in 2017, he has served as staff in a low barrier homeless shelter, as a legislative staffer, a public policy advocate, and a volunteer community organizer working alongside impacted populations to build collective power from the ground up.

Session: Community Listening Session - Direct Cash In Oregon    

Dr. Andres Lopez is a trained sociologist and professional research and evaluation scientist. Academically, his training and research centered on how inequalities of race, gender, and sexuality are reproduced in organizations and urban settings. He has expertise in a wide range of research methodologies that utilize feminist, anti-racist, and queer theories.

He has over ten years of experience conducting action research meant for solving social/practical problems and equitable evaluations of programs, processes, and organizations. Andres’ applied research experience is highly collaborative, partnering with various stakeholders across governments, universities, and grassroots, community-based, and nonprofit organizations.

Sessions: Advancing New Narratives for an Economically Just Oregon and Workshop #3: Presented by the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable (OEJR): Narrative, Policy, and Power Building through the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable 

Traci Manning is the executive director of Housing Development Center, a nonprofit consulting firm that partners with nonprofits and housing authorities throughout Oregon to develop and sustain homes for diverse communities. She is the former director of the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB). Previous to joining PHB, Traci worked at Central City Concern for 18 years, in capacities including director of housing and chief operating officer. Traci holds a BA in planning, public policy and management from University of Oregon and is a graduate of the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence program offered in association with Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Christopher serves as Chief of Staff to State Representative Lisa Reynolds, MD, who chairs Oregon’s House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. In this role, Christopher helps guide state policies around Oregon’s youngest and most vulnerable residents, as well as crafting legislation on gun violence prevention, education, incarceration, and healthcare issues.

In addition to his role in Rep. Reynolds’ office, Christopher is a City Councilor and former School Board member in his hometown of Philomath, Oregon.

Session: Leveraging the Tax Code to Deliver Cash and Fight Poverty 

Born during a dictatorship and raised in the aftermath of military occupation, Joanne learned from an early age that each individual has power to impact the community they live in. As a child she grew up in rural Panama at her grandparents’ home where she saw from her elders resiliency, ingenuity, self determination, love for family, friends and community. At the turn of the century she left her home in search of freedom and safety to be the most authentic and fullest version of herself. Since then she has advocated for underrepresented communities in a variety of ways. Her children are beloved teachers, mentors and partners who have inspired her work within a variety of organizations and networks where she have led organizing efforts across Oregon to support Immigrants, LGBTQ2S+ and women’s rights.

Session: Breaking Down Barriers to Homeownership for Immigrant and Refugee Oregonians 

TJ is a co-founder of Renters Action Network, a grassroots direct action housing justice org that develops tenant unions, trains housing organizers, and fights for stable, affordable housing for all. They’re also the co-chair of Portland DSA’s housing working group, campaigning for a 9-point Renters Bill of Rights. They previously ran for Multnomah County Commissioner on a housing justice platform.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Alejandro Queral is executive director of Oregon Center for Public Policy, a nonpartisan think thank working for economic justice. Alejandro has more than 20 years of policy advocacy and nonprofit leadership experience in public health, human rights and, environmental policy, as well as a seven-year stint in the philanthropic sector. Alejandro holds advanced degrees in ecology and law. He enjoys hiking, birding, cooking and most of all, spending time with his son.

Session: Leveraging the Tax Code to Deliver Cash and Fight Poverty 

Tess is a Colorado transplant who found her way to Bend in 2015. Previously, she has worked for newspapers all over the country as a photojournalist and multimedia storyteller. She graduated in 2013 from the University of Oregon with a B.A. in Journalism and Communications. Her passion for working with people, the environment and social justice has led her to work on a wide array of projects from a multifamily recycling pilot project to photographing for the book No Option but North.

Session: Breaking Down Barriers to Homeownership for Immigrant and Refugee Oregonians 

Devin Stubblefield passionately serves non-profit, government, social services agencies, and faith-based organizations as a financial coaching trainer. Across the country, he's led Train-the-Trainer programs such as LISC's Whole Entrepreneur Financial Coaching, The Prosperity Agenda's Financial Coaching for Prosperity, and W.K. Kellogg's Family-Centered Coaching. Devin is also an integral part of the ICF team, offering training and technical assistance to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. His commitment extends to providing financial empowerment to organizations focusing on Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) and promoting racial economic equity initiatives.

Session: Workshop #1: Presented by Oregon IDA Initiative: Family-Centered Coaching 

Community service, for me, began by being first a housing counselor and financial coach, where I had the honor of assisting participants who were deeply affected by the devastating Alameda Fire. Witnessing their resilience and courage ignited a profound passion in me to champion economic equity. The privilege of leading trainings for tribal members and providing homeownership education to Latinx community members has served to further solidify my commitment to empowering individuals through both knowledge and support.

Today, serving as the Economic Equity Investment Program Manager at NeighborWorks Umpqua, my motivation is expanding economic opportunities and bring meaningful change to our rural communities. I believe in the power of community and the potential for every individual to thrive.

Session: Resilience Matched Savings Program – Importance of Increasing Equitable Opportunity 

Rose Ojeda brings nearly 30 years in the affordable housing real estate industry as director, developer, and asset manager while at Cascadia Health and Hacienda CDC. In her current work at CASA of Oregon she has helped to expand an innovative affordable housing program in predominantly rural communities, through the Manufactured Housing and Cooperative Development Center, an affiliate program of the national ROC USA® model. Beginning in 2008, she helped develop and expand CASA’s initial manufactured housing cooperative development program. Since that time CASA has preserved 26 manufactured dwelling parks and 1,800 manufactured homes. This includes the redevelopment of an 87 space manufactured dwelling park destroyed by the 2020 Wildfire in So. Oregon. She holds a BA from Linfield College and maintains an active real estate license in Oregon. She has served as board member/officer on numerous non-profit boards, public task forces and advisory committees. In her down time, she enjoys slow-travels across Oregon’s varied and beautiful landscape.

Session: Workshop #2: Presented by the Oregon Housing Alliance and Residents Organizing for Change (ROC):  Envisioning the Affordable Housing System that Oregonians Deserve 

Jennifer Parrish Taylor brings over a decade of community and political organizing experience in communities of color. Jennifer grew up in Portland, Oregon, an experience that shaped and informed her outlook and served as the catalyst of her passion to commit herself to issues of social justice. Upon her graduation from Smith College, Jennifer held several different positions on the Obama for America campaign and would later serve in the Obama Administration as a Special Assistant at the Peace Corps. After a decade in Washington, DC, Jennifer returned to her native Portland to work as an organizer with Working America and was part of an effort to advance both Paid Sick Leave and raising Oregon’s minimum wage to $15. As the State Affiliate Political Organizer for American Federation of Teachers, Oregon she worked closely with members and local union leaders to advance their political programs. Prior to coming to the Urban League of Portland, she was the Regional Advocacy Manager for the Western Region with Compassion and choices and currently serves as the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy with the Urban League of Portland.

Session: Leveraging the Tax Code to Deliver Cash and Fight Poverty 

Jessica Santos, PhD, (she/her/hers) is the Director of the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research at the Institute for Community Health. In this role, she develops and oversees mixed methods studies in partnership with policymakers, community-based organizations, and healthcare systems to advance the wellbeing of immigrants and eradicate inequities in social and structural determinants of health. She also works with community partners to translate the findings of research into real-time policy solutions. Before coming to ICH, Jessica was the Director of Community-Engaged Research at the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity at Brandeis University, where she was a Principal Investigator on multiple federally and privately funded mixed methods studies focused on examining pathways for economic community well-being, immigrant integration, Empowerment Economics, upward mobility, and equity through social policy.

Session: Workshop #3: Presented by the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable (OEJR): Narrative, Policy, and Power Building through the Oregon Economic Justice Roundtable 

Michael Sterner is manager of Fair Housing Enforcement in BOLI’s Civil Rights Division. He represented BOLI on the statewide Agricultural Labor Housing Task Force and at the State and Tribal Government Summit. He joined BOLI in 2022 after five years at El Programa Hispano Catolico (EPHC), a non-profit in Gresham where he worked as Housing Services manager and the Low-Income Tax Clinic director. Other prior experience includes work in rural communities on forestry and agricultural issues. He attended the University of Washington Law School and Yale University School of the Environment. In his free time he cross-country skis with his family and volunteers on Mt. Hood Ski Patrol.

Session: How Fair Housing Advocacy and Enforcement are Advancing Housing Justice in Oregon

Maria grew up as a migrant farmworker, spending time in California, Oregon, and Washington. Maria values personal story (lived experience), as she is the first in her family to become a professional and is passionate about doing the work to heal generations of trauma. Her experience in non profit organizations, business, technology, and education both in the United States and in Latin America have led her to Latino Network where she is the Director of Economic Justice. Currently she is leading the department as they work to create pathways for prosperity and wealth building. Maria studied Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California and earned two bachelor’s degrees in Spanish, Social Science: Criminal Justice focus from Western Oregon University. Previous to Latino Network, Maria spent the last few years in the technology sector as a project manager and strategist, working with Travel Oregon, Humane Society of the United States, Transitions Projects, and the Southern Poverty.

Session: Advancing New Narratives for an Economically Just Oregon 

Nicthé grew up in an activist-union household where she was no stranger to conversations at the dinner table about workers’ rights and worker dignity. It is because of this that she became highly aware of injustices impacting immigrant, indigenous, and low-wage communities. After college, she became a community organizer with Unite Oregon in the Rogue Valley and later joined SEIU Local 503 as an internal organizer with the Homecare and Personal Support Worker team. She is now staff at the Northwest Workers’ Justice Project providing workers with the tools necessary to demand better working conditions in the workplace.

Session: Rethinking our Ideas about Healthy Communities 

Shannon Vilhauer joined Habitat for Humanity of Oregon as Executive Director in 2013. This organization advances homeownership by supporting Oregon’s 24 Habitat for Humanity affiliates in four key areas: public policy and advocacy, training & technical assistance, grant and loan funding, and disaster resilience. Prior to leading the statewide team, she worked at the local Habitat level for over 13 years, first in Salem and later in Portland. Along with supporting the Unlocking Homeownership Coalition, Shannon serves as Board Secretary for Housing Oregon and participates in the Homeownership & Asset Building Workgroup of the Oregon Housing Alliance.

Session: The Unlock Homeownership Coalition and Our Legislative Goals for 2025 

For over two decades Darrell Wade has worked in health equity and community advocacy. After enduring the deaths of several black males close to him from hypertension-induced cardiac conditions, these elements became catalysts for the development that is now Black Men’s Wellness. Darrell seeks to leverage community knowledge, relationships, and locality, to create a resource network of relationships for community empowered education experiences to change health outcomes for Black men. He brings compassion, wit, wisdom and fury to the complex journey of community healing, where we have the tools to create health on our own terms.

Session: Rethinking our Ideas about Healthy Communities