GRESHAMCENTERFORTHEARTS.ORG - Key Persons
A retired commercial insurance executive, Al volunteers his time helping several non-profit organizations throughout the year. He is a founding member of the Gresham Barlow Education Foundation where he served twelve years on the Board. In addition to serving on the Center for the Arts Foundation Board, he is a current member of the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce. Al Lives in Gresham with the family of eight children all living and working in the area.
Alisa is a skilled business professional known for her ability to bring together stakeholders, establish trust and facilitate positive outcomes. She brings more than 30 years of experience in marketing, sales, merchandising, and leadership to the Foundation board. Her career has spanned several sectors including newspaper publishing, construction, health care, and retail management.
Alisa is committed to local organizations and a thriving community. This commitment includes her role as Partnering Manager for the Gresham Love Project, volunteer work for the Troutdale Summer Festival, Reynolds High School Challenge Day, and the Gresham Art Festival to name a few.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Owner of Northwest Accounting Partners
Amanda Garcia is the owner of Northwest Accounting Partners providing bookkeeping and business services for restaurants and franchises. On top of being on the board for the CFTAF, she currently serves on the board for the Legacy Mt Hood Medical Center Foundation and is an active member in the Gresham Rotary and Gresham Chamber of Commerce. Having played there as a young child, Amanda has coached multiple seasons of volleyball with the local YMCA organization. Being a part of the all-around health of the city of Gresham is of great importance to her as she calls it home, raises her son and daughter, and conducts business.
Cindy Lenig Cossu is a long-term Gresham, Oregon resident who has served on various art committees including being a founding member of Mt. Hood Art Guild and serving on the Gresham Art Committee. Professionally, Cindy succeeded on Senior Management boards as a skilled leader, consultant, and educator in various industry sectors. She brings years of experience to the board in organization development, education, project management, administration, coaching, and overall operations resulting in building vital infrastructure.
Cindy's true passion is as an artist and instructor. She is best known for her vibrant contemporary acrylic paintings portraying both realism and playful impressionism. Cindy has been creating, drawing, painting, and exploring art since childhood. She studied art at Lewis and Clark College graduating with a Political Science degree. Cindy completed a Masters of Education from Concordia and graduate studies focusing on Training and Development from Portland State University. Cindy is a life-long learner and continues to develop skills professionally and artistically.
Cindy believes the arts are fundamental to a thriving community and is committed to serving, working, and supporting the accessibility of the arts.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of the Board
- Member of the Officer
Kathleen Todd has volunteered as a member, officer, and chairperson in several citizen-oriented and community organizations since 1979. These groups include the Spirit of Portland Awards, Tri-Met, and the Vital Aging Network.
Her volunteer work brought her to a staffed position as Executive Director of the Multnomah County Office of Citizen Involvement. In this position, she worked to enhance opportunities for citizen participation in policy and decision-making within Multnomah County, thereby increasing the openness of county government.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Owner of the Bold Orange
Kayla Viramontes is the owner of The Bold Orange, a full-service marketing agency located in downtown Gresham. In addition to her position on the Board for CFTAF, she also holds numerous other Board positions including President of the Gresham-Barlow Youth Baseball/Softball Association; Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce Board; Historic Downtown Business Association Board; among others. She is also a proud member of the Gresham Soroptimist and Gresham Chamber Ambassadors. Kayla is highly active in her community, she believes that giving back is one of the most important parts of being a business owner and supporting local events and organizations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Board of Trustees for Mt
Jazz saxophonist Kenney Polson is also an accomplished composer and educator. Based in the Pacific Northwest, he has lived and performed in over 50 countries. Known widely as a smooth jazz artist, his seasoned musical style incorporates Latin, classical, New Age, rhythm & blues, funk, and gospel influences. - resting on a firm foundation of straight-ahead jazz.
Locally, Kenney serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Mt. Hood Community College and served for many years as a member of the Gresham/Mt. Hood Jazz Association which has handed over the reins of the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival to Mt. Hood Community College's band program.
Meredith has a long history in the Gresham area. She graduated from Sam Barlow High School and then returned to teach Social Studies there for 13 years. Now an estate planning attorney at Buckley Law, Meredith is excited to stay involved in the Gresham community by serving on the Center for the Arts Foundation. Meredith's music career began and ended playing keyboards at a Sam Barlow High School Springfest performance of her friends' cover band "LIFE WITHOUT RADISHES." She now enjoys volunteering at the Center for the Arts Foundation's summer concert series and looks forward to supporting the arts in Gresham in the future.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- City Manager for the City of Gresham
Nina Vetter serves as the City Manager for the City of Gresham, Oregon. She has over 15 years of experience in the local and federal government and has served on several boards professionally including Colorado Women Leading Government, the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance, and the ICMA Smart Cities Committee. She has a Bachelor in Business Administration from George Washington University and a Masters in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University. Nina has played the flute since the third grade and participated in her region's Youth Symphony for four years, which included performing at Carnegie Hall! Inspired by her mother's opera singing years, Nina is passionate about access to arts, music, and culture for our youth and for our community at large. Nina served as President and Board Member for the Colorado Springs Youth Symphony for three years and served on the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center Board for two years in Pueblo, Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Vice President of the Board
Canadian-born, Bob was educated in the public school system and is a 3-time graduate of the University of Manitoba. Children's education has been his lifelong passion. He served 12 years in a public high school as a teacher, counselor, and Principle. He served as Private school principal twice, once in a K-10 school near Seattle and again at Portland Adventist Elementary School in Gresham. He retired in June 2013, after 47 years of serving the children of his community.
Bob also has a passion for being active in the community. He has had many roles in the Gresham Chamber of Commerce. In the last 20 years, he has been an ambassador, president of the ambassadors, board member, and chamber president. Over the last decade, his community work continues while serving on the board of the Center for The Arts Foundation.
Bob is married to his wife, Lorraine, with whom he celebrates 57 years of marriage. He has a daughter and her family of 2 granddaughters who reside in the Gresham area. Another daughter and her family with one grandson live in San Ramon, California.
Following college and a stint in the Navy, Rodger followed the family tradition at Freightliner Corp. for several years. Moving into a new career in real estate, he formed his own company and instituted a real estate school. Rodge had many successful years as a home builder. He was the founder and president of the Rockwood Lions Club and served many years on the board of directors for the Gresham Downtown Development Assn. In his retirement years, he has chaired two homeowner's associations and served a third on its finance committee. He was a volunteer at the Gresham Jazz Festival and joined the Center for the Arts Board in March 2016. He enjoys doing stained glass and travels with his wife Tami. A special delight is the fun with grandkids.
Job Titles:
- President of the Board
- President of KMO Real Estate
Sue O'Halloran is President of KMO Real Estate, a commercial/residential/management real estate firm established in 1992, serving the greater East Metro area. Sue is a founding member of the Center for the Arts Foundation and serves as its current President.
Among her volunteer roles, she is a board member of Leach Botanical Garden and a past president; member of the Mt. Hood Community College Foundation board; City of Gresham Finance/Budget Committee, retiring at the end of 2022 following 13+ years of service; Past president of East Metro Economic Alliance; Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce member currently serving as vice-chair of Government Affairs, and a past president; founding member and past president Gresham-Barlow Education Foundation.
Sue lives and works in Gresham and has been dedicated to the work of ensuring Gresham's Historic Downtown remains a vibrant business, dining, and shopping center with an emphasis on arts and cultural experiences and opportunities for all its citizens to enjoy and participate in.