Speakers & Panelists

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OREGON HOUSING & COMMUNITY SERVICES

As Executive Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, Andrea Bell oversees the strategic direction, vision and growth of the state agency responsible for providing stable and affordable housing across Oregon. Bell has served as the Housing Director within the Medicaid system where she directed the operations of state-funded Permanent Supportive Housing programs and deployed sustainable solutions to end homelessness. During her tenure, she spearheaded the state’s first tax credit project using Housing Trust Fund resources and led the Governor’s Housing and Health initiative aimed to provide long-term housing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.

PRESIDENT, INSIGHT CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Anne E. Price is the first woman President of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development. She has worked in the public sector on a wide range of issues including child welfare, hunger, workforce development, community development and higher education. Anne’s work has been featured in the New York Times, The Nation, and other publications. Anne holds a BA in Economics from Hampton University and a master’s degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the New School of Urban Policy in New York City.

VP OF NARRATIVE, ARTS, AND CULTURE, RACE FORWARD

Dennis C Chin works with partners to build narrative and cultural power to advance racial justice. Dennis is a member and former Co-Chair of GAPIMNY: Empowering Queer and Transgender Asian Pacific Islanders. He was awarded the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance's (NQAPIA) Community Catalyst Award in 2015 for his work with the organization. Dennis also served for six years on the Board of Directors of CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities, an organization that builds grassroots community power across working-class Asian immigrants and youth in New York City. Dennis is based in Queens, NYC, on occupied Canarsie land.

DIRECTOR, OREGON DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

Fariborz Pakseresht is Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS). As the largest state agency in Oregon, ODHS with 10,000 staff serves 1.5 million Oregonians. Prior to his current position, Fariborz served as Director of state Juvenile Corrections. In his 32 years serving Oregon State government in a variety of leadership roles, Fariborz has focused on system improvement, outcome-based management, and people centered leadership. He has been recognized for sponsoring ground-breaking research and data analytics to improve outcomes. His interests include management theories and practices, personal and organizational change, human potential, communications, quantum physics, and mindfulness.

DIRECTOR OF NARRATIVE AND CULTURAL STRATEGIES, RACE FORWARD

Jane Mantey, Ph.D. has spent more than a decade organizing and advocating for racial justice, voting rights and participatory democracy, environmental and climate justice, police and prison abolition, and tenants’ rights and housing justice. She comes to Race Forward after working for nonprofits such as Ceres and the Sierra Club as well as in state government in California for both the legislative and executive branches. A product of HBCUs, Jane earned her Ph.D. from Meharry Medical College and B.S. from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; she is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PCUN

Reyna is a leader and proud daughter of immigrants from Mexico. She is currently the President/Executive Director of PCUN, one of Oregon’s longest standing Latinx-led organizations. Reyna grew up in Salem, Oregon and graduated from Willamette University with her BA in Political Science and Sociology. For over a decade, she has been a fierce leader and advocate for the immigrant and Latinx community at the state and national levels. Her passion for harnessing the power of Latinx/a/o/e Oregonians has been developed through her work in coalition building, systems change, and community organizing.

MULTNOMAH COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Susheela Jayapal has proudly served as the District 2 Multnomah County Commissioner since January 2019. An Oregonian since 1994, Susheela has lived in Northeast Portland for over 25 years, and is the mother of two Grant High School graduates. Susheela is a lawyer, whose last legal job was as General Counsel for adidas America; and has also spent two decades as a volunteer community leader/advocate for a number of different community-based organizations.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS

Carlos leads Neighborhood Partnerships’ work to build assets and financial vitality in communities across Oregon. With over 10 years of experience in the asset building field, he brings expertise in direct client service, program development and administration, and leadership in policy initiatives. Carlos is passionate about supporting social and economic justice and hopes to continue advocating for programs and policies that help promote family economic success throughout Oregon. Carlos holds a degree in International Business from Oregon State University where he worked throughout his undergraduate career on issues of access and retention for Chicano/Latino students.

BOARD CHAIR, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, FOUNDATIONS FOR A BETTER OREGON

Janet Soto Rodriguez works to bring community, policymakers, and philanthropy together to realize a shared long-term vision for Oregon’s children. She was previously a chief architect of the Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) for Business Oregon, which ensures rural communities benefit from state economic development initiatives. Prior to Business Oregon, Janet served as a Business Equity Policy Advisor to Governor Kate Brown. As a Latina immigrant to the United States, a former field laborer and service industry employee, and a first generation college graduate, Janet is a champion for racial economic justice because she has lived this work, professionally and personally.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER, OREGON FOOD BANK

Aldo Solano is a passionate change maker who has devoted the last 10+ years to justice and systems change work in immigrant rights, health equity and food justice. He grew up in a low income, undocumented farmworker household in Woodburn, Oregon but is originally from Colima, Mexico. Aldo currently works as the Strategic Partnerships Manager for the Oregon Food Bank where he leads on strategic initiatives that harness the power of communities most impacted by hunger towards systemic change. Previously, he served as Governor Kate Brown's Census Project Manager. Aldo enjoys birdwatching, watching documentaries and eating tacos.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OREGON CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

Alejandro leads the Oregon Center for Public Policy, providing strategic direction and ensuring the Center’s sustainability and adherence to its mission. He brings over 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.

ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, FARMWORKER HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Anabel received their B.A. in Marketing and Special Events/Tourism from California State University, Chico but left events and sales when they found nonprofits more fulfilling. As Resident Leadership Coordinator, she launched the Promotores Comunitarios Program at FHDC. Her work and experience in displacement, housing instability, relationship building, and organizing has placed her in the current role of Advocate & Communications Coordinator with FHDC. Anabel is also a ROC founder and steering committee member, a Planning Commissioner with the City of Woodburn, along with other community building and equity groups where she brings a farmworker and Latinx lens.

RESEARCH DIRECTOR, COALITION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

Dr. Andres Lopez is a sociologist and professional research and evaluation scientist. Academically, his research centered on how inequalities of race, gender, and sexuality are reproduced in organizational settings. He has over ten years of experience conducting collaborative action research for solving social/practical problems and equitable evaluations of programs, processes, and organizations.

Andres was born in Long Beach, California, where he spent most of his childhood years. His family moved to Portland, Oregon during his teen years. Andres identifies as Cuban-American and a queer man of color. He enjoys dancing, community-building, video games, and baseball (Go Dodgers and Beavers!).

STATE DIRECTOR, AARP OREGON

Bandana Shrestha is the State Director for AARP Oregon, where she leads and supports AARP vision of health security, financial resilience and community engagement for over 500,000 members, as well as Oregonians 50+ and their families across the state. During her 20+ year career as a leader in local, national, and international organizations, Bandana has worked to drive people-powered solutions to affect positive social change, improve lives, and transform communities. Bandana is a graduate of Linfield College and University of Oregon and lives in Happy Valley with her husband and son.

SENIOR ORGANIZER, COMMUNITY CHANGE

Cesar is a Senior Organizer with the Housing Justice Team at Community Change. Cesar joins us from CA where he has decades of experience working to build power of rural, farmworker and coastal communities on issues related to economic and environmental justice.

STATE DIRECTOR, OSPIRG

Charlie oversees staff and strategy for OSPIRG, a statewide, grassroots, public interest group with thousands of members across Oregon. Over the years, Charlie has been part of successful efforts to protect student borrowers, rein in the high cost of health care, create public financing in Portland elections, increase clean energy adoption, and more.

POLICY DIRECTOR, OREGON CONSUMER JUSTICE

Chris Coughlin is the Policy Director for Oregon Consumer Justice (OCJ). She has more than 30 years of experience in policy and advocacy; non-profit and coalition management; communications and outreach; working with community-based organizations, businesses, and political campaigns. Chris was drawn to her current position at OCJ because of its commitment to serving communities that are harmed by predatory business practices, from identifying their greatest needs to developing and fighting for solutions to address those injustices.

DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY & CIVIC IMPACT, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Cynthia Carmina Gómez is Portland State University’s Director of Community & Civic Impact, where she brings ideas and knowledge into practice through community-centered initiatives. She serves on the university’s Climate Justice Committee and co-leads emerging Hispanic Serving Institution initiatives. She oversees Latiné Futures, a collaboration with the Latiné community aimed at co-creating a bold vision for our community’s future. An Oregon Governors' Gold Civic Leadership awardee, she has 22 years of experience as a faculty and higher education administrator and worked ten years at Latino Network coordinating leadership programs. Cynthia is a creative writer and holds an MFA in nonfiction writing.

RESEARCH EVALUATION ANALYST, MULTNOMAH IDEA LAB

Prior to joining the Multnomah Idea Lab (MIL), Ebonee worked for a literacy promotion program that encourages elementary school students to read. She has developed presentations and promoted programs for both the Multnomah County Health Department and the Multnomah County Library. As a member of the MIL, Ebonee focuses on the Multnomah Mothers’ Trust program, a study in a monthly unconditional cash transfer to Black female-headed households with children. She is a practicing calligrapher.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CO-FOUNDER, COALICIÓN FORTALEZA

Erica Alexia Ledesma is a first-generation xicana-born and raised in Southern Oregon with ancestral roots in Nayarit and Zacatecas, Mexico. Erica is a visual artist, story keeper, and community organizer currently based in Takelma Land (Medford, Oregon). Her work centers visual art and story sharing to build community and address her cultural identity. A lot of her experience comes from being chismosa and curious. She is currently the Executive Director of Coalición Fortaleza, a community-based organization focused on rebuilding the BIPOC solidarity economy and resident-owned communities in southern Oregon from the ashes of wildfires.

ROC LEADER, RESIDENTS ORGANIZING FOR CHANGE

Erin is a renter in Gresham, Oregon with affordable housing and an active member of the Housing Justice Movement. Housing is a human basic need and as a ROC (Residents Organizing for Change) Leader, she trained, testified, and work in collaboration with like-minded groups in the fight for equitable and inclusive affordable housing solutions through policy change.

Today, Erin is an undergraduate at PSU studying Urban Affairs & Community Development; assistant to the administrative director & coach for Eastside Timbers Recreational Youth Soccer; Mom, Grammie, and Partner.

SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR VETERAN AFFAIRS, OFFICE OF US SENATOR RON WYDEN

India Wynne is a Two-Spirit, Queer, Taino and Irish disabled Marine Corps Veteran. They grew up in the projects of Queens, NY as a member of the Latin Kings by the age of 12. Throughout their life, they have been exposed to conversion therapy, Military Sexual Trauma, houselessness and substance addiction. These experiences have stirred them to achieve their BSW and MSW and use these tools to bring hope to others. Their motto is, "Answer the Call!" They are what houselessness looks like when you add hope.

DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND ADVOCACY, BIENESTAR

Itzel Hernandez Spehar has dedicated her professional career to advance equity and working in in the non-profit and public schools administration industries. Itzel is a bilingual, HUD-certified housing counselor with experience in asset building, homeownership support, community engagement, policy analysis, and program development. At the State level, Itzel participates in key committees and cohorts including the Stop the Debt Trap Alliance, the Joint Task Force on Addressing Racial Disparities in Home Ownership, and the Oregon Consumer Justice cohort.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAPACES LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

Jaime is a proud migrant from Las Ranas, Michoacan, Mexico. He has over 32 years of experience working in Oregon’s Farmworker movement. Some of his favorite roles have included tour guide, smiles provider, peace maker, convener, agitator (with a smile), story teller, smoothies maker, wannabe graphic designer, and handy person.

Jaime enjoys running, spending time with family, volunteering, and watching sports. His favorite foods are mole and sandwiches. He’s been happily married for 13 years to his beautiful wife Aracely and is a proud parent of three daughters.

OREGON NATIVE AMERICAN CHAMBER

Mr. Parker is an enrolled citizen of the Chippewa Cree Tribal Nation. Previously, he served in Washington D.C. in an executive management role for one of the oldest native serving non-profits in the U.S. Currently, he is the executive director of the Oregon Native American Chamber, a non-profit dedicated to providing economic and educational opportunities for Native Americans in Oregon and SW Washington through the pillars of service in Education & Growth, Relationship Building, and Economic Justice & Transformation, driven by passion for community development through investment in an ecosystem that supports private enterprise serving local economies for Native Americans.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR, HOUSING CALIFORNIA

Jazmin Posas joined Housing California in January 2018. Since then, she has worked with Residents United Network in different capacities and is currently serving as the Interim Organizing Director. She later worked in farmworker advocacy and coordinated an internship and fellowship focused on engaging students in the movement in North Carolina and worked as an organizer in the California central valley. She believes that people power can help shift the political culture to make legislatures feel more accountable to citizens and that people with lived experience know the solutions to issues affecting their communities.

DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY & PUBLIC POLICY, URBAN LEAGUE OF PORTLAND

Jennifer Parrish Taylor has over a decade of community and political organizing experience in communities of color. 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. 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.

DIRECTOR, LEAH ZALLMAN CENTER FOR IMMIGRANT HEALTH RESEARCH

Jessica Santos, PhD, Principal Investigator, is the Director of the Leah Zallman Center for Immigrant Health Research at the Institute for Community Health, where she leads community-engaged research and evaluation projects to advance migrant justice, economic justice, and health justice. Jessica joined ICH in 2021 to build the Leah Zallman Center after working as the Director of Community-Engaged Research at the Institute for Economic and Racial Equity at Brandeis, where she was the Principal Investigator for privately- and federally funded studies related to career pathways, racial equity, health equity, and immigrant integration.

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Dr. Kacy McKinney is a critical geographer and Senior Instructor in the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, where she is focused on the undergraduate program in Community Development. Her current research is in partnership with Street Roots and the Independent Publishing Resource Center as well as PSU’s Comics Studies Program. This research uses an ethnographic comics approach that brings together PSU students who have experienced homelessness or housing instability with comic artists from Portland and beyond to create comics that disrupt harmful stereotypes and to change how we think and teach about poverty and homelessness.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, OUR JUST FUTURE

Katia Selezneva is a Community Organizer with Our Just Future (FKA Human Solutions). Her interest lies in advancing public policy that promotes more equitable, culturally responsive, housing programs for low-income households. Since moving to Portland in 2015, she has been working with the city’s growing homeless population and advocating for families and individuals dealing with housing instability. She currently organizes with tenants living in affordable housing through public outreach and by lobbying elected officials. Katia holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Public Policy from Portland State University.

ORGANIZER, HOUSING JUSTICE TEAM, COMMUNITY CHANGE

Kayla Gilchrist has been an organizer with Community Change’s Housing Justice Team since 2021, supporting housing justice campaign work. For more than a decade, Kayla has worked with local communities to lead campaigns around racial profiling, gun violence, and the school to prison pipeline. She is passionate about the ability of all people to transform unjust systems and is committed to building grassroots people power to win meaningful change. Kayla earned her BAs from St. Louis University in Madrid, Spain, and the American University in Cairo, in Egypt, and her master’s from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California.

COORDINATOR - YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM, STATE OF OREGON - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - SELF SUFFICIENCY PROGRAMS

Matt Rasmussen oversees the Youth Experiencing Homelessness Program with the Oregon Department of Human Services. He has been working in State Government with Child Welfare and Self-Sufficiency Programs since 2009. Outside of work, he enjoys running and travelling with his wife and three daughters.

LOBBYIST/ACTIVIST/SURVIVOR, NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH & FAMILY CENTER (NAYA)

Mercedes is the SW WA Advocacy Coordinator at NAYA. Mercedes acquired a formal degree of education from the University of Oregon but accredits her working-knowledge, relevant-experience and impact, to being a survivor of homelessness, addiction, domestic violence, untreated trauma, and being a woman of color. Mercedes' formal education allotted her the ability to advocate for herself and take full advantage of the few and far-between resources available to her. Mercedes generously shares her experience with addiction, homelessness, violence, abuse, and untreated-unaddressed trauma to change societal perceptions, and bring about authentic systemic change.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE/ORGANIZER, RESIDENTS ORGANIZING FOR CHANGE

Michelle Thurston is a passionate leader and advocate who centers housing, homelessness, food stability and medical access, with a focus on seniors, disabled, diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial justice. It is her belief that those with lived experience and who are directly impacted are essential to understanding and creating lasting change and solutions, and that they must have a "real" seat at every table and be a part of the conversation and action. When she is not advocating, she is an avid photographer and love spending time with her family, spoiling her cat, Fiona, and just living life.

SENIOR RESEARCHER, COALITION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

Mira Mohsini, Ph.D. is a Senior Researcher at the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC). Mira has conducted doctoral and postdoctoral research in India on globalizing urban craft economies with a focus on Muslim communities. Mira has taught at universities and developed courses on race and racism, gender studies, globalization, immigration, international development, Islam and Muslim societies, and research methods. At the CCC, Mira's work focuses on research and data justice projects, as well as working with dominant institutions to advance data equity strategies. Mira holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology and a master’s degree in Anthropology and International Development.

PROGRAM OFFICER, MEYER MEMORIAL TRUST

Nancy’s outlook, as well as her commitment and approach to social, political and economic justice, was shaped by her binational experiences and her intersectional identities as a Latina immigrant of indigenous heritage from Mexico. She is anchored in her upbringing and the strength of a working-class family and community and is aware of acquired class privilege and proximity to capital. Nancy has championed a body of work to center racial and economic justice. She brings to this work over two decades in the nonprofit sector.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, ALL STREETS, ALL PEOPLE (ASAP)/HOUSING LOUISIANA

Omari J. Ho-Sang has spent the last decade committed to nonprofit initiatives throughout the Deep South. Omari founded the Birmingham Elevated Heart, Act, Action Movement for urban high schoolers. After recognizing that a “community component” of the school program was necessary, Omari created a mobilization model called All Streets, All People (ASAP), designed to recruit, organize and mobilize everyday people around abolishing systemic crime and poverty. The “root cause framework” addresses four key drivers of the housing crisis, crime and poverty, including economic disparity. This collaborative, cross-community team implements programs and pushes policies that guarantee tangible and radical change.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH & FAMILY CENTER (NAYA)

Oscar Arana is the Community Development Director at NAYA, where he has also served as the Development and Communications Director and Education Manager. In his current role, he oversees multiple city, county, state, and federal contracts that help community members build community wealth and create paths towards housing economic prosperity. Under his leadership, NAYA’s affordable housing units more than doubled in less than five years, which includes the first tribal preference housing project outside a reservation in Oregon. He also serves as the Vice Chair of the Oregon Health Policy Board which sets guidance for the Oregon Health Authority.

CEO, NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH & FAMILY CENTER

Paul Lumley is the Chief Executive Officer for the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) and is a citizen of the Yakama Nation. He came to NAYA in 2016 after being the Executive Director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) since 2009. Prior to that he was the Executive Director of the National American Indian Housing Council in Washington DC and Senior Tribal Liaison with the U.S. Department of Defense. He worked at CRITFC from 1987-2004 under several capacities. Mr. Lumley has an extensive history working with Northwest Tribes and urban Indian communities.

CARTOONIST, PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY

Quinn C Amacher is a cartoonist who has been drawing since childhood and self-publishing comics since 2016. Her comics play with motion and emotion in pursuit of reframing the reader's context. Most recently, her serialized graphic novel SYNCING imagines the dystopia of a flooded world as a potential site for community. She lives alone with her plants and her favorite fruit is pomegranate.

HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM MANAGER, PROUD GROUND

Yesika discovered her passion for helping families achieve their dream of homeownership after witnessing her parents' hard work and all the barriers they faced in purchasing their first home. This helped her see the racial, cultural, and socioeconomic barriers around buying a truly affordable home. Since 2003, she has advocated and empowered families from all walks of life achieve their goals of homeownership. And since 2012 she has been a part of the Proud Ground staff, helping many learn and acquire properties within the Community Land Trust model.

MANAGER, DATA & EVALUATION, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS

Amy manages the collection, analysis and reporting of data related to Neighborhood Partnerships initiatives in asset building and affordable housing. She is passionate about using data to understand policies and programs that address the well-being of our communities. Amy brings 15 years of experience conducting evaluations of statewide child welfare and education reforms which involved multiple program providers and stakeholders. She has researched and published on the topics of implementation fidelity, cultural responsiveness, and family engagement. Amy holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS

Holly has master’s degrees in both cultural Anthropology and American Culture and deeply values the richness that people’s cultures, race and ethnicity, class, and varied urban and rural experiences bring to the table. She has a long and varied work history, most recently as a small business owner, doing graphic design and production for publishers. She has also worked with databases for most of her professional life, doing development and implementation, as well as maintenance and training. Her goal is to contribute to the powerful work of helping all Oregonians have the best chance to thrive.

IDA PROGRAM MANAGER, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS

Luke Bonham joined Neighborhood Partnerships after working seven years at ROSE Community Development in outer SE Portland. As Resident Assets Manager, Luke oversaw the growth of ROSE’s community programs in a variety of areas, building youth and family programs, increasing access to resources and opportunities, managing partnerships, and facilitating adult leadership development. Luke came to Portland to study Community Development at Portland State University, and in 2010-2011 was an AmeriCorps VISTA with Hacienda CDC’s Homeownership Program.

HOUSING JUSTICE ORGANIZER, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS

Rebekah joined Neighborhood Partnerships in April 2022. Originally from the high desert in eastern Washington, she moved to Portland in 2013 to attend the University of Portland where she studied rhetoric and graduated in 2017. Rebekah’s work background has primarily been in copywriting and developmental editing for nonfiction works. She leads several tenant organizations, grassroots campaigns for tenant rights and wants renters everywhere to recognize tenancy as a political position.

Rebekah writes essay and creative nonfiction. She also runs a small zine press, likes playing table top RPGs, board games and reads too many fantasy novels.