FRIENDS - HE - Key Persons
Abby Weast joined Friends of the Children as the Chief Operations Officer in June 2018, after over twenty years of leadership experience in operations and finance. After graduating from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, Abby spent four years as an Army Engineer serving in Germany. When she returned to the US, she spent 12 years working for Frito Lay across multiple functions in both operations and finance. While there, she earned her MBA from Cornell University. In 2012, she joined Nike - working as a financial reporting director. Abby has also served on the board for the Portland non-profit LifeWorksNW from 2015-2022. The focus of her career has been building high performing teams to deliver value to key stakeholders. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Aaron, and their dog, Watson. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, watching soccer, reading, swimming, and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director for Friends of the Children
- Executive Director, Friends of the Children - Klamath Basin / Klamath Falls, or
Amanda has been the Executive Director for Friends of the Children - Klamath Basin since late 2016. She just returned to the chapter after a year of sabbatical that she spent traveling the US in a motorhome with her family. Amanda has been thrilled to watch the growth of the National network and has led the Klamath Basin in its own growth plan to increase total youth served by 40% by 2020. While she has a degree in Communication: Theater, Amanda's professional outlook changed after having children, deciding to focus on education. When she moved to Klamath Falls in 2012, she took on the role as Education Director at the Ross Ragland Theater, teaching local youth about the performing arts. This leadership role and community partnership eventually lead her to Friends of the Children - Klamath Basin. Amanda has continued to be a long-time advocate for youth, participating at the table with organizations such as Klamath Promise (Steering and Executive Committees), the Ross Ragland Theater (Board Member), Chiloquin First Coalition, the Citizens Police Advisory Team (CPAT), and Every Child Oregon, in addition to working with various state agencies that impact children (e.g. Department of Health Services). Amanda resides in Klamath Falls with her husband, Phillip, and two children, Hazel and Callum.
Job Titles:
- Certified Public Accountant
- Senior Accountant
Ana Barbara is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Maryland. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree from American University, Washington, DC. She has over 18 years of experience in accounting of which includes nonprofit accounting. Her dedication includes supporting local non-profits such as the Boys and Girls Club and Community food distribution centers. Ana lives in Maryland with her husband and child. She loves to travel, enjoys relaxing at the beach, quality time with family and friends, and trying new food.
Job Titles:
- Chief Expansion Officer
- National Team As the Director
Angela Groves joined the National Team as the Director of Strategic Impact and Grants. Given her previous success as Executive Director of the Klamath Basin chapter from 2013-2017, Angela's work with National will focus on grants for new chapters. As the first Executive Director of the Klamath Basin chapter, Angela grew her position into a full-time role, increased revenues by 100%, led development of the first multi-year strategic plan for the chapter, expanded the number of youth served by over 70%, and raised capital funds to renovate the Kids' Clubhouse, managing the project from conceptualization through completion. She also served on the executive committee of Klamath Promise, was Chair of the Community Police Advisory Team, and coordinated the Youth Development Network of over 100 Klamath Basin community members working in youth-service organizations. Prior to her role as Executive Director, Angela served as a Friends of the Children board member. She graduated from Portland State University, and is a Leadership Klamath and Ford Institute Leadership alumnus. Angela currently resides in La Pine, Oregon.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Communications Advisor
Ariane Le Chevallier (pronounced Air-ee-un Le-Che-vol-yay) has spent her 15-year career raising awareness to inspire action around some of our nation's most pressing social issues. Her areas of expertise are in strategic communications, media relations, messaging, content marketing, social media, and thought leadership. Her career is rooted in Washington, D.C. where she spent more than a decade working for some of the nation's largest foundations and nonprofits. Prior to joining Friends of the Children, Ariane was a media relations strategist at academic medical center Oregon Health & Science University where she was brought on to raise the national profile of the university. She generated media coverage in hundreds of national, state, and local media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes, NBC, CBS News's 60 Minutes, and NPR. Before relocating to Portland in 2013, Ariane managed state expansion communications for Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign in Washington, D.C., generating more than $2.5 million in media coverage. Ariane also spent six years at issue communications firm GMMB where she worked extensively with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, among other national organizations on dozens of communications initiatives. Ariane received her B.S. in Mass Communications at the University of Utah. She enjoys exploring Oregon with her husband, son, and their dog Max, and occasionally blogs about parenting and family life.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Brittany Merritt is a champion for children, and as Chief Development Officer for Friends of the Children, she brings all of her passion, experience, and leadership in mission-driven work to bear for the organization and those we serve. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, her commitment to improving and elevating the whole-life well-being of today's youth is evidenced by the work she has done throughout her career, as well as her involvement in the community.
A recipient of the Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence Award in 2017, Brittany joined Friends of the Children after serving as the Founding Midwest Executive Director for Springboard Collaborative, where she secured funding and fostered strong partnerships with stakeholders to support children's literacy initiatives. Prior to this role, Brittany held leadership positions at the American Heart Association (AHA), among them Director of Youth Market Fundraising for the Greater Southeast and Midwest regions, and Regional Vice President, Michigan Youth Market - roles in which she and her teams consistently ranked within the AHA's Midwest Top 5 for their millions of dollars raised. And as the first Black woman to hold the position of Vice President, Metro Executive Director for the greater Detroit area of the AHA, she and her team secured the single largest gift donation in Detroit's history - a milestone in her long list of fundraising accomplishments.
Brittany is also an ambassador for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. During her tenure at the AHA, she served on the CEO Diversity Advisory Cabinet, representing 400 people in the organization's Midwest Affiliate.
In 2021 Brittany served as a member of the Michigan Student Academic Recovery subcommittee under Governor Gretchen Whitmer. She brought her demonstrated experience to the committee's important charge in recommending policies for reopening schools in Michigan due to the pandemic.
A graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Brittany, a Dean's List student, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Technology. She is the Vice President of Programs for the Michigan Renaissance chapter of the international non-profit organization The Links, Incorporated, and serves on the Health and Social Welfare Committees of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated.
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer, Anthem Memory Care ( Retired ) Portland, or
Bruce Schoen, now retired, was the Chief Financial Officer of Anthem Memory Care providing operational and programmatic support to the company. He actively participated in setting Anthem's financial strategy as well as overseeing the accounting staff and providing leadership in financial administration, business planning and budgeting activities, as well as risk management and human resources. Prior to his semi-retirement, Bruce was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Encore Senior Living, which operated 15 senior living communities throughout the country. He was a founding member of Encore and serves on its Board of Directors. Bruce has over 35 years of experience in the senior living and health care industry. Prior to the formation of Encore, Bruce served as Senior Vice President of Brim, Inc. (Encore's predecessor company) and directed the implementation of strategic acquisition plans to acquire hospitals, senior living facilities, and other health care related facilities. Bruce has a BA in Economics from Stanford University and an MBA degree in Real Estate and Urban Land Economics from the University of Oregon. He is married with three children and five grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- CEO and Co - Founder, Legal Innovators / Washington, DC
- Co - Founder and CEO of Washington
Bryan Parker is co-founder and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Legal Innovators, an end-to-end, technology-enabled, talent management solution that has innovated the way in which new attorneys come into the practice of Big Law, and partners with top-tier law firms and corporate legal departments to place lawyers in a two-year apprenticeship style experience. This two-year placement program often results in permanent placement with these prestigious companies and law firms. His company recruits and hires high-quality law school graduates from more than 45 partner law schools using its unique "Money Ball for Lawyers" approach, which helps ensure quality and drives greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the practice of Big Law. Legal Innovators has received a great deal of press around its innovative process and approach, including coverage in The American Lawyer, Bloomberg Law, Law 360 and Above the Law. Its clients include the law firms Latham & Watkins, Linklaters, Morrison & Foerster, Orrick, and Shearman & Sterling, as well as corporate clients like Bechtel and Raytheon Technologies. Bryan is a frequent speaker on innovation, data and efficiency, mental health, and diversity, equity and inclusion in the practice of Big Law.
Mr. Parker began his career with Shearman & Sterling as a lawyer on the mergers and acquisitions team, and also spent time as an Investment Banker with Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch. Prior to helping co-found Legal Innovators, Bryan served as the CEO for a San Francisco, California, venture-backed, community-based marketing technology company (subsequently acquired by Cvent). Mr. Parker also led the Internal Growth and Real Estate operations at DaVita, a Fortune 500 company. Mr. Parker transformed his division from an underperforming $400 million business to a profitable $1 billion enterprise. In recognition of his corporate leadership, Bryan was selected for membership in the Executive Leadership Council, a national organization of African American CEOs and senior executives at Fortune 500 companies. Prior to that experience, Mr. Parker served as the COO of venture-backed Affinity Media. There he took a money-losing operation and helped transform it into a $200 million thriving enterprise operating in the United States, China, and Korea. He led world-wide operations at Affinity Media, and his accomplishments include leading a $60 million round of financing and completing three M&A transactions.
Outside of the workplace, Mr. Parker is very involved in his community. Recently, he was appointed to the prestigious Board of Counselors at Equal Justice Works. The Board includes a broad cross-section of leaders in Big Law, such as public company General Counsel, law firm Managing Partners, and company CEOs. He is also on the National Board of Friends of the Children, an organization seeking to empower children who face obstacles in life and has as its mission to help eradicate poverty. On this board, Mr. Parker serves as Co-Chair of the Racial Equity Committee. Prior to these involvements, Bryan served as an appointed Commissioner with the Port of Oakland, California, where he led fiscal reform efforts, including reducing the Port's debt, cracking down on financial fraud, revitalizing the Oakland Army base (including the consideration of a stadium for the Oakland Athletics), and job creation through smart land use. Before that appointment, Bryan served as the Chair of Oakland's Workforce Investment Board, as a board member of the University of California (at Berkeley) Alumni Association, as a Member of the Board of Trustees for Holy Names University, and as a board member of the Bay Area Chapter of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Mr. Parker is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and spent several seasons coaching football at Castlemont High School in Oakland.
Bryan attended the University of California at Berkeley (BA), New York University School of Law (JD), and is now completing (at night) a Master of Divinity degree at Howard University. He is a member of the California and New York Bar Associations.
Carly LaPorte-Fuselier has called Portland home for the last 16 years and in that time specialized in insurance and patient accounts for various dental offices in the city. Carly recently finished her bachelor's degree in accounting and is now working for Friends of the Children as an accounts payable specialist. She loves supporting her community by volunteering at her kids' schools and at the Oregon Food Bank. Carly and her family love to get outdoors, living room dance parties, board games, and cooking together.
Carmi Brown has worked in the human services field for the past 18 years, with most of her work being in the area of child welfare. She has held various positions within the public and private sector including; Dependency Case Manager Supervisor, Comprehensive Behavioral Health Assessor, Therapist, and Training Supervisor. Carmi began her work with Friends of the Children in 2014 as the Program Director of our site in Tampa Bay, Florida. She joined the National team as Chief Program Officer in 2018. She holds a master's degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from the University of South Florida.
A Florida native, Carmi lives in Tampa with her husband and three children. She enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She is a member of several civic organizations where she has held a number of positions. She currently serves on the Hillsborough County Children's Services Advisory Board and she is very active in her church.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Instructor
- Human Resources Manager
Catherine Gryniewicz has 30 plus years of business and leadership experience working in profit, nonprofit, service, and educational settings. Her focus has been in Human Resources with a focus on being of service. Along with Catherine's collaborative communication, her critical thinking and problem-solving skills help bridge gaps to establish relationships while focusing on taking steps forward in mission, vision, and engagement.
Catherine is a continuous learner and believes in teaching people how to fish. Catherine has been an adjunct instructor for several public and private colleges, and the Diocese of Green Bay's ministry program. She has achieved a Bachelor of Science in Food Science; Master of Business Administration; and an Associate of Veterinary Technology.
Catherine brings her passion to enhance the lives of humans through their dogs by providing dogs the opportunity to exercise their mind, body, and spirit. She loves teaching children about the joy of discovery by watching dogs use their nose, in scent work, to find something they love. She volunteered in the startup of an animal emergency clinic in Milwaukee for two years. Catherine seeks to make a positive difference in people's lives, even if she is just standing in line at the grocery store. In her spare time, you will find Catherine camping in a yurt with her two German Shepherds.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Generalist
Charlotte Narciso was born and raised in the Philippines. She earned her bachelor's degree in Industrial Psychology and has 13 years of experience working in Human Resources. Working with and helping people are two of her passions.
In November 2016, she moved to the United States as an immigrant and her first job was as a hotel front desk clerk. She then joined Kroger as a Benefits Specialist for four years. With a drive to pursue her passion in HR and with some encouragement from her fiancé, Charlotte left Kroger and was hired by a temp agency which is how she found her way to Friends of the Children. Charlotte states that she "is excited to be part of this organization that helps children, and people like herself, achieve their dreams."
Cheryl Jones is our Chief People Officer in Human Resources. She supports new chapters in hiring and developing strong and sustainable HR practices. Cheryl Jones joined Friends of the Children with more than 16 years of Human Resource experience with a global staffing firm. Her experience includes implementing creative solutions to streamline processes, and directly improving individual and group performance and productivity. She has a people first approach and is passionate about the employee advocate perspective in implementing tools, programs and strategies. She began her career as a social worker in Louisiana, and transitioned to staffing when she moved to Portland in 2000. The transition from social work into staffing enabled her to help people in Portland, and later nationwide, expand their skill sets and find work. Cheryl volunteers locally as a Court Appointed Advocate (CASA) for Clackamas County. As a CASA she helps local children in foster care by working with the child, parents, guardians, social workers, and therapists to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the court system. She also serves as Vice Chair of Bridging Voices, Portland's only Queer/Straight Alliance youth chorus. She holds a B.A. in English from Louisiana State University.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner, City of Portland, Oregon ( Retired ) Portland, or
Dan Saltzman has recently retired from his fifth term as a Portland City Commissioner. In his nearly 25 years of public service to Multnomah County and the City of Portland he has been the Commissioner in Charge of over 15 city bureaus and offices. He most recently oversaw Portland Fire & Rescue, Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, Bureau of Emergency Communications, Fire & Police Disability and Retirement Fund, Portland Children's Levy, and the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services.
Dan was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Beaverton High School, received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, and an M.S. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He spent many years in the private sector as the principal in an environmental engineering firm. He also served as a staff assistant to Congressman (now Senator) Ron Wyden.
Dan served as Multnomah County Commissioner from 1993-1998 and has also served on the Board of Directors for Portland Community College. Dan's focus continues to be the well-being of our children and families, protecting Portland's natural and economic environment to achieve a more sustainable future, as well as enhancing public safety and opportunity for all Portlanders.
A servant leader of the mentoring movement for more than 20 years, David Shapiro has dedicated his career to working across sectors and driving equity through the power of relationships. His movement-building expertise has been recognized by leading organizations including the Social Impact Exchange, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, the Barr Foundation, and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and his thought leadership has recently been featured in publications including The Hill, The 74 Million, and Thrive Global. Shapiro is a frequent speaker around the country on diverse topics ranging from youth mental health, education, workforce development, and civic engagement centering on the power of social capital and relationships as drivers of healthy development, diversity, and equitable support and opportunity.
During his leadership as the head of MENTOR, the organization has partnered with global brands including the NBA, NFL, Nike, Starbucks, LinkedIn, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and Microsoft to expand the mentoring movement through cause elevation; grown its national footprint to include 24 local Affiliates nationwide providing on the ground expertise; and worked extensively with the Obama Foundation to center mentoring through My Brother's Keeper. In 2014, MENTOR was selected by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) to establish and lead the National Mentoring Resource Center (NMRC), a comprehensive resource for mentoring tools, program and training materials, as well as access to no-cost training and technical assistance for mentoring programs across the country. Recently, Shapiro has engaged MENTOR as a founding partner in national coalitions supporting young people in the wake of the pandemic, including READY SET and the COVID Collaborative. In 2021, MENTOR was selected by Mackenzie Scott and Dan Jewett to receive the largest individual gift in the organization's history. Some of MENTOR's other key philanthropic partners include American Student Assistance, Schultz Family Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, EY, and AT&T.
Prior to leading MENTOR, Shapiro served as CEO of MENTOR's Massachusetts Affiliate, Mass Mentoring Partnership, and held leadership positions with the U.S. Golf Association Foundation and the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay. He serves as an emeritus board member of the Mass Nonprofit Network and Common Impact, and is on the boards of the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, America's Promise Alliance, The Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, and the national board of Friends of the Children. In 2022, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker appointed him to the board of trustees of Bunker Hill Community College, the largest community college in Massachusetts.
Shapiro and his family reside in Boston. He is a husband, father, mentor, and youth baseball coach.
Job Titles:
- Founder of DJ Wilson Consulting
- President and CEO, DJ Wilson Consulting President and General Manager, KGW Media Group ( Retired )
DJ Wilson is the founder of DJ Wilson Consulting specializing in executive and life coaching, strategic communications and leadership training.
Wilson is a past Board Chair (2016-2017) of the Portland Business Alliance (the combined business economic development group and Chamber of Commerce for Portland, OR). Wilson is also a past chair of the Oregon Association of Broadcasters, the Classic Wines Auction (a Wine Spectator top ten wine auction) and the Edward R. Murrow Professional Advisory Board at Washington State University where she also served two terms on the Board of Governors. Wilson also chaired the board for Farestart in Seattle, WA.
Wilson has served on the Board of Trustees for the Portland Art Museum, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Dorenbecher Children's Hospital, SMART (Start Making a Reader Today), Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Citizen's Crime Commission. Wilson also served on the national Television Advertising Bureau Sales and Marketing Advisory Committee, and on an NBC Jay Leno project advisory group.
In 2012, Wilson was inducted into the Edward R. Murrow Hall of Achievement and was the recipient of the Portland Business Alliance "No Glass Ceiling" female leadership award. Wilson is also a past Portland Business Journal Women of Influence recipient. In 2017 DJ was named Broadcaster of the Year by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters and in 2018 DJ was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) awaded their highest honor into the Silver Circle.
Wilson holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communications at WSU and has completed several masters' level classes in Communication Leadership at Gonzaga University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Emeritus Advisory Board
- Executive Vice - President for Both Northwest Airlines, Inc
- Private Investor / Portland, or
Don Washburn has served as the Executive Vice-President for both Northwest Airlines, Inc. and the Marriott Corporation. He was Chairman and President of Northwest Cargo and Chair of Northwest Aerospace Training Corporation. Currently, he serves on several non-profit and for-profit boards, including the Portland Citizen's Crime Commission, the Portland Citizen's Commission on Homelessness, the Oregon Business Association, Stand for Children, and four publicly traded business corporations: LaSalle Hotel Properties, The Greenbrier Companies, Key Technology, Inc., and Amedisys, Inc. Don earned his J.D. from the School of Law at Northwestern University in 1977, an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management in 1973, and his B.B.A. from the School of Business at Loyola University of Chicago in 1970. He also completed post-graduate work at the Harvard Business School, Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and the University of Chicago.
Job Titles:
- Chapter Relations Strategic Consultant
Andraé L. Brown, Ph.D., LMFT, professional career highlights include serving as a professor at several colleges and universities, director of community-based mental health, educational, and training facilities, a research fellow, and a member of several national boards. Dr. Brown's industrious spirit enables him to bring a systemic, critical, empowerment, and liberatory framework to the fields of education, mental health, sports, entertainment, public policy, and philanthropy. Critical to his practice is a focus on resilience in street-life oriented families and communities, the psychosocial development of adolescents living in the urban context, contemporary family structures, liberation psychology, cultural equity in service provision, and empowering multigenerational system involved families and caregivers. Dr. Brown is a 2014 recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Family Therapy Academy. He currently resides in Washington, DC, where he is a Professor at Montgomery College and operates HERU Consulting -- an independent clinical, research, and consulting practice.
Dr. Brown demonstrates the unique ability to negotiate the intimate relationships of individuals and families, while addressing global issues such as violence, homelessness, poverty, education, mass incarceration, re-entry services, restorative practices, and health disparities by developing systemic interventions and informing policies impacting families' daily lives and communities in the US and internationally. This is exemplified in his roles as a Consultant and Violence Interruption Expert for the Office of the Attorney General, Washington, DC; Consultant to the Community, Family and Youth Resilience project, in St. Lucia, Guyana, and St. Kitts & Nevis; and Executive Consultant for Policy and Development in the Mayor's Office of Public Safety, Gang Reduction and Youth Development, Los Angeles, CA. In these capacities, he develops and implements community-based gang, violence prevention, and intervention services; employs effective proactive peace-making and responses to incidents of violence; and improves communication and collaboration across stakeholders. Furthermore, Dr. Brown utilizes his trauma expertise to support service providers, first responders, families, and community members to bolster resilience and develop effective strategies to manage the effects of post-traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue.
Job Titles:
- Chief Officer of Research and Quality
Susan Walsh oversees research evaluation and quality improvement strategies focused on increasing the impact of Friends of the Children on the lives of children and families. She manages Friends' research and evaluation projects and assesses research, practice, and collaborative partnership linkages to advance the impact of Friends of the Children's services nationwide. Susan oversees Friends of the Children's quality improvement system, including stakeholder engagement, performance metric alignment, and best practice staff training and development. Susan also supports strategy advancement on systems change in the positioning of proof points about our impact.
Prior to joining Friends, Susan served as Executive Director of Committed Partners for Youth in Eugene, Oregon for over ten years. She has served on the board at the Children's Institute in Oregon and other local community-based organizations. In addition to her non-profit work, Susan was an adjunct professor at the University of Oregon, teaching both undergraduate and graduate students about youth development. Susan holds a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University, a law degree from Villanova University, and a doctorate in special education from the University of Oregon.
Job Titles:
- Chief Officer of Belonging, Culture, & Equity
Originally from Houston, Texas, Tarece L. Johnson moved to Puerto Rico to attend La Universidad del Sagrado Corazon, where she earned her BA. She went on to achieve an MPA at Columbia University, an MBA at Emory University, and an EdD in Educational Leadership and Management at Capella University.
As a result of her doctoral studies, Tarece created The Global Purpose Approach, which is an educational resource designed to ensure that individuals acquire the knowledge, skills, and perspectives to become effective, compassionate, and empathetic global citizens. Her love for teaching and mentoring children led her to create Global Purpose Academy and co-create a school in Central America.
As a public figure, Tarece aims to make a difference in her community and the world through antiracism and anti-hate education. She believes that justice, love, and art can bring peace to our world. Tarece lives in the Atlanta metro area with her two children and their pets and is active in the Jewish community. Tarece loves to share quality time with her family, painting, dancing, and yoga. She speaks Spanish, French, and modern Hebrew.
Job Titles:
- Entrepreneur
- Founder / Director, the Campbell Foundation Founder and Retired CEO, Campbell Global / Portland, or
Duncan Campbell's passion for helping society's most vulnerable children grew from his own experience as a youth living in a distressed area of Portland, OR. Those experiences eventually led to his founding of four children's organizations: Friends of the Children, The Institute for Children, The Children's Course, and Youth Resources. Early on in Duncan's career, Duncan worked with juvenile offenders and later served as a member of the Governor's Agenda for Children, as Chairman of the Multnomah County Juvenile Services Commission, and was a founding board member of Children First. In 1997 he was a delegate to the President's Summit for America's Future in Philadelphia. As founder and Chairman of The Campbell Group, Duncan has more than 30 years of timberland investment and forest industry experience. He holds a BS degree and a JD degree from the University of Oregon, is an attorney-at-law and a CPA. Duncan devotes his life to serving vulnerable children and families and has been closely involved with Friends of the Children since its inception in 1993.
Eliska Broes has focused her career in the field of web design and development for the past 8 years and has a vast background in multi-media design. She has an extensive history working for nonprofit organizations and holds a BA in Architecture from the University of New Mexico.
Since emigrating from South Africa, Eliska has spent most of her time residing in the New Mexican desert. She has worked on various projects with local Indigenous populations, such as culturally responsive education and language revitalization programs.
She spends most of her free time outdoors hiking with her dog or in front of an easel painting.
Job Titles:
- Partner at GMMB
- Partner, GMMB / Washington, DC
Ellen Frawley, a partner at GMMB and Senior Communications Strategist, has led successful public education and behavior change campaigns that have saved lives, connected families to nutrition support, helped the uninsured gain health coverage, and assisted military service members in making smart financial decisions. Ellen's clients have ranged from large foundations, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts, to government agencies, such as the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Ellen's work outside of GMMB includes serving as the National Director of Strategic Communications at City Year, an AmeriCorps program with thousands of young people serving full-time in communities across the United States, Europe, and South Africa. She worked on the Presidents' Summit for America's Future and helped launch America's Promise: The Alliance for Youth in 1998. At the US Department of Education, Ellen led an initiative to engage corporations, nonprofits, and community organizations to collaborate on education issues. Ellen is a graduate of Villanova University and lives in Arlington VA, with her husband and three sons.
Job Titles:
- Database Implementation and Project Manager
- Database, Project Implementation and Grants Manager
Emily Nestor joined Friends of the Children in 2018 as Database Implementation and Project Manager. Emily grew up in Greensboro, NC, and attended NYU where she majored in English before attending Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA, for her JD/MBA. She has diverse experience interning at a variety of law firms, working in marketing for a green energy company, and running business development for an enterprise software startup in Santa Monica, CA. She is passionate about giving back and feels thrilled to be involved in helping Friends track and manage their expansion fund through Salesforce, helping the expansion team in their donor and prospect management, and supporting grant compliance and reporting.
Eric Gabrielson grew up in Washington, D.C., and attended the University of Virginia where he studied History and English. After graduating from college, he was snatched up by Nike to work in their Sports Marketing Department. Eric had found his dream job and was even able to work with the community service project at Nike, P.L.A.Y. (Participate in the Lives of America's Youth) where he helped start P.L.A.Y. CORPS, a peace corps for sports. After four years with Nike, Eric started working for Wieden + Kennedy in Portland, Oregon in 2000. He worked on creative campaigns for Nike, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and ESPN. Wieden + Kennedy then asked Eric and his new wife to move to Amsterdam and head up Coca-Cola in their office abroad. After two years, they returned home to Portland and Eric continued to be affiliated with Nike and Wieden + Kennedy. Shortly thereafter, Eric met Duncan & Cindy Campbell and Doug Stamm and was introduced to Friends of the Children. His commitment to Friends can be seen through his time, money raised, and connections to the organization. Eric has served on the Board of Directors for Friends of Children-Portland for over ten years, a position he has held with great pride. In 2016, Eric accepted a position as the CEO of The Campbell Foundation to help carry on Duncan & Cindy Campbell's legacy. Now as named Chief Expansion Officer for Friends of the Children, Eric works with philanthropic and community leaders focused on bringing our model to communities across the country.
Job Titles:
- National Grants Specialist
Eric Hanson was raised in rural Oregon and currently lives in Portland. Since 2006, he has served in grant fundraising and leadership positions for small- to medium-sized youth development organizations, including a summer camp for children living with Type 1 diabetes, a nationally recognized youth media arts organization, and an after-school music program that serves 900+ youth each week. Eric has spent 14+ years honing his skills in grant fundraising and cultivating effective, collaborative partnerships to realize the visions and missions of the organizations he has served.
Eric is delighted to direct his passion and experience to further the success of Friends of the Children and the youth, families and communities it impacts. A Cascadian through and through, Eric enjoys rainy outdoor adventures, carpentry, and painting in his free time.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Lustre Retired Partner, Office of General Counsel, PwC / New York, NY
- Retired Partner of PwC
Erica Borden Baird is a retired partner of PwC, where she was Deputy General Counsel. As a member of PwC's Office of General Counsel, Erica gave advice to leadership teams and partners around the world on matters relating to legal, reputational, and business risks, governance, and the development of global and US assurance and risk management policies and procedures. Prior to joining PwC in 1984, Erica was a litigation associate at Olwine, Connelly, Chase, O'Donnell & Weyher in New York and a staff attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Erica graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University and earned her JD from New York University School of Law. She is a co-founder of Lustre, a blog devoted to retired career women. Erica is a member of both the New York and National Boards of Friends of the Children.
Job Titles:
- National Program Director
Erica Reid has a personal mission of "serving youth, supporting families, and strengthening communities." For nearly 15 years, she has devoted her career to educating and empowering both youth and adult learners in a variety of settings including homes, preschool classrooms, and college lecture halls.
Erica recognizes the major impact communities play in individuals' lives; therefore, she seeks opportunities that align with her values and serves a significant need. Erica has served as a preschool teacher, Parent Educator, Family Support Specialist, and Interim Director of Family Education Services. In 2018, Thompson became an affiliate of Friends of the Children, and Erica was selected as Friends-Charlotte's first Program Director. Her extensive work with caregivers is critical in supporting the expansion of Friends of the Children's 2Gen model in her role as National Director of Programs.
Erica is currently an Adjunct Instructor at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. She is a member of numerous social and civic organizations and resides in Charlotte, NC.
Job Titles:
- Database Support Specialist
Erin Wellington was born and raised in Fullerton, California, but moved up to Oregon to attend college at Oregon State University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology. After college, Erin worked in education with the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry and the Vancouver School District. Erin first learned about Friends of the Children while working for The Campbell Foundation as Duncan Campbell's Executive Assistant. Erin transitioned to working for Friends of the Children as the Administrative Support Specialist. In March 2019, Erin became the National Database Specialist and assists the National Database Manager. Erin and her husband, Eric, are enjoying the many blessings of being parents to their newborn son, Emmett.
Job Titles:
- Chief Officer of Expansion and Policy
Erinn Kelley-Siel joined Friends of the Children in January 2016. Erinn is leading the Friends of the Children national expansion and scaling efforts, with a plan to be in 25 cities by 2025. Driven by our $50M expansion goal, Erinn is working to build awareness of Friends' innovation and impact, and also supporting leaders across the network to cultivate strategic partnerships with local, state and national policy thought leaders and public agencies.
Before joining Friends, Erinn's career focused on human services and healthcare policy and administration. She served as Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services for four years and before that was the Assistant Director of Children and Family programs. In that time, she led several major reforms, including the safe and equitable reduction of children in foster care and the streamlining of program service delivery. Focusing on system innovation and shared accountability for results, Erinn has dedicated her career to helping individuals and communities reach their full potential through aligned partnerships with schools, employers, community leaders, Tribal nations, and faith-based organizations. Erinn's past experience includes serving as Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski's Health and Human Services Policy Advisor, working as an attorney at Stoel Rives, LLP, and clerking for the Oregon Supreme Court. She holds a B.A. in psychology from Texas A&M University, and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Gabriel Casarez joined Friends of the Children as a Staff Accountant in 2021. Gabriel was born in Hillsboro and has lived in Oregon his entire life. He is the youngest in his family and the first in his family to attend college. Upon graduation from Portland State University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Gabriel worked at an art supplies company in Beaverton as an Accounting Assistant. In 2016, he joined a produce company as an Accounts Payable Specialist and was promoted to Staff Accountant in 2019. In addition, in 2017 he studied and earned his license to become a notary public. In his spare time, Gabriel enjoys spending quality time with his family, cooking, baking, listening to audiobooks, reading, watching television shows/movies, going to the beach, and traveling to Mexico to visit his family.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman / President, at & T - Oregon ( Retired ) Portland, or
- President, at
George Granger is President, AT&T - Oregon. Before coming to Oregon, George was Executive Director of External Affairs - California where he managed a team of professionals in a five county area. George previously served as Director of External Affairs for Cingular Wireless where he led the company's legislative and regulatory agenda in eight states. Earlier in his career, George worked as an aide to California legislators at the state and federal level. George was an elected official, serving as a member of the Castro Valley School Board from 1994 to 2013. George has represented AT&T as a board member for a number of leading business and community organizations including: the Oregon Business Association, the Technology Association of Oregon, the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, the East Bay Regional Park District Foundation, and the Chabot Space and Science Center. In past years, he also served as Chairman of the United Way Giving Campaign in Alameda County and as President of the Alameda County School Board Association.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing and Communications
Graham joins Friends of the Children as the Director of Marketing and Communications with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and local government. He will be working to strengthen the organization's brand and communications strategy and to amplify the voices of the children, families, and communities we serve. Graham has focused his career on creating positive impact in communities by leveraging storytelling, research, and visibility through grassroots collaboration. Before joining Friends of the Children, he led marketing and communications at the nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts, where he began work in 2004 after serving for five years as a founding volunteer member of the organization's Emerging Arts Leaders Council.
A resident of Jackson Heights in New York City, Graham volunteers with God's Love We Deliver and has also given time to SAGE and Broadway Cares. He was a member of the Atlanta/Fulton County Ryan White HIV Planning Council and a graduate of the Diversity Leadership Academy of Atlanta. Graham writes both short stories and creative nonfiction and taught at The Writers Center in Bethesda, MD. He was a Larry Neal Fiction Award winner for the District of Columbia and an Anchorage Daily News creative writing winner.
Graham holds a B.A. in English and Art History from Emory University, and a M.F.A in Creative Writing from the University of Alaska Anchorage where he also taught English Composition and worked with Alaska Native youth. He is a native Georgian, which always seems to find its way into his writing. Graham is a natural storyteller, a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, a dedicated movie buff across genres, a middle-of-the-road bowler in his gay bowling league, a cat dad and an enthusiastic uncle, and is always looking for a reason to travel, especially to Maine.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Kuni Foundation
- Immediate past Chair / Chairman, Kuni Foundation / Vancouver, WA
Greg Goodwin is chairman of the Kuni Foundation, one of Washington State's largest private foundations. The Kuni Foundation funds advanced research in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, as well as funding supported living programs for adults with intellectual delays.
Greg retired in 2016 from his position as Chief Executive Officer of Kuni Automotive, a Vancouver-based network of fifteen automobile dealerships in five states. He received his education from the University of California at Santa Cruz, majoring in Political Science.
Today, Greg is active in the Vancouver/Portland metro area, currently as Immediate Past Chair of Friends of the Children National, and previously as Vice Chair of the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington, board member of the Classic Wines Auction, the Randall Children's Hospital Foundation, and the YMCA of Columbia Willamette. He also serves on the board of PDX Pharmaceuticals, a biomedical research company, based in Portland, Oregon. He and his wife, Michele, co-chaired the Great Adventure Auction for Medical Teams International and the capital campaign to build Randall Children's Hospital. They have also worked on the campaign to build Unity Center for Behavioral Health and have served as local fundraising champions for the Friends of the Children expansion campaign in Southwest Washington.
Greg and Michele Goodwin were named Philanthropists of the Year for 2017 by the Community Foundation of Southwest Washington, and as recipients of the VINI Award for 2019 from the Portland Classic Wines Auction.
Hania joins Friends of the Children as a Senior Accountant with over 12 years of experience in the accounting and auditing fields. After receiving her bachelor's degree in Accounting, Hania started her career path as an external auditor with KPMG and Ernst & Young. During this time, she studied for her CPA and earned her license in 2007 from the Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy. Afterward, she moved to the field of financial accounting when she joined the team of Aspire Academy.
Hania believes that her practical experience along with the professional qualification she obtained has not only given her a thorough knowledge of auditing and accounting practices but has also taught her to communicate well with a diverse array of people, possess strong work ethics, and effectively interact with teams and management.
Hania lives in Lexington Kentucky with her husband and three kids. She loves spending time with family and friends and enjoys the beauty of nature.
Job Titles:
- Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
- Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer and National Board Liaison
- National Board Liaison / Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
Heather Schefter joined Friends of the Children in 2015 as Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer and National Board Liaison. She works with the National Board of Directors and coordinates all national committees and taskforces. Previously Heather supported the lead of a $12.5M non-profit, administrated two non-profit ministries, and was a legal secretary for a personal injury attorney. Heather studied the paralegal field at Portland Community College and received an A.A. degree in theology from Portland Bible College. She and her husband have four children, ages 13-21.
Job Titles:
- Head of the Structured Finance Practice and Transportation Finance at Arnold & Porter
- Partner, Head of Structured Finance & Transportation Finance, Arnold & Porter LLP / New York, NY
Henry Morriello is a partner and Head of the Structured Finance Practice and Transportation Finance at Arnold & Porter, LLP in New York City. Henry represents clients in US and international term securitization and commercial paper conduits involving residential and commercial mortgage loans, corporate loans, equipment leases, student loans, aircraft loans and leases, auto paper, trade receivables, home equity loans, intellectual property royalties, and esoteric assets. He has represented global financial institutions in groundbreaking governmental financial assistance transactions, troubled financial asset portfolio sales, and liquidations. He has been active in representing investment funds and financial institutions in the purchase and financing of financial assets. Henry is a frequent lecturer at conferences across the country and abroad on topics that include asset/mortgage securitization, structured product workouts and restructurings, transportation finance, real estate finance, and alternative investments.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Support Specialist
Hira Imran moved to Portland after living in Los Angeles for 25 years. She graduated from University of California - Los Angeles in 2020 with a degree in English Literature, then went on to work in the publishing industry before joining Friends of the Children as an Administrative Support Specialist in 2021. Her passions lie in empowering the voices of marginalized groups and making sure their voices are heard.
In her free time, Hira enjoys discovering local bookshops, exploring the PNW, and trying new things.
Job Titles:
- Director of Performance and Quality Management
Holly Huillet joined Friends of the Children in 2010, initially working with the Portland chapter and then working Nationally in 2013. Holly manages our ETO program database across the network, as well as managing data collection for all chapters participating in the longitudinal study. Prior to Friends, Holly was the Project Coordinator for the Walk of the Heroines project at Portland State University, and was also the Credit Manager at Davis Wright Tremaine. She received a BS in both Sociology and Women's Studies from Portland State University. Holly lives in Milwaukie with her cat and dog, and her youngest daughter when she's home from college at NC State. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with both her daughters and her two grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Emeritus Advisory Board
- CEO and Chairman, Campbell Global / Portland, or
John joined Campbell Global in 1982, just after its formation, and serves as Chief Executive Officer. He served as Chairman of the Board of Managers until acquisition of the firm by J.P. Morgan Asset Management in 2021. He is the Chairman of the Allocation and Compensation Committees, Vice-Chairman of the Investment Committee, and serves on the Responsible Investment Committee for the firm, plus multiple investment boards. John also serves as Chairman of the Board of OneFortyOne Plantations ("OFO"), an Australian/New Zealand forest products company, and as the Chair of OFO's People Committee, and serves on the OFO Health, Safety and Environment Committee as well.
John has extensive expertise in the capital markets and investment arena on behalf of the firm and its clients and was among the handful of entrepreneurs involved in the formation of the Timberland Investment Management asset class. John has performed virtually all executive functions while at Campbell Global, including acquisitions, business development and market planning, proposal development, contract design, fee setting, product design, tax structure, and strategic planning for the firm in addition to his traditional functions as CEO.
Prior to joining Campbell Global, John was an audit specialist at Deloitte & Touche, formerly Touche Ross & Company. He is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) and a member of the Oregon Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs, among other associations, including the Australian Institute for Company Directors and the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA).
John holds a B.S. in Business, Accounting, and Finance from Oregon State University. He is a Board Trustee and the Board Treasurer of the Catlin Gabel School, served on the boards of the Portland Chapter and National organization of Friends of the Children in multiple roles over their inaugural decades
Job Titles:
- Managing Director, Pivotal Investments / Portland, or
John is a venture capitalist and a managing director at Pivotal Investments, focused on investing in companies developing clean technologies for the sustainable economy. He is the former President of Intel Capital, Intel's strategic investment arm, and was an Intel Corporate Vice-President. Prior to leading Intel Capital, John was instrumental in facilitating Intel's entry into new market segments as an Intel Vice-President and General Manager of the Communications Products Group, the Enterprise Server Group, and General Manager of Intel's desktop motherboard and PC building-blocks business. He joined Intel in 1983. John is a former director of the board of LSI Corporation and currently serves on three private boards, in addition to numerous community activities. He holds a BSEE from Tulane University and MBA from the University of Oregon.
Job Titles:
- National Grants Specialist
Julie comes to Friends of the Children with more than 25 years of experience in youth development and non-profit leadership serving youth and families in communities across the country. Following college, she taught English to youth and war veterans in Eritrea, East Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer. Upon returning stateside, she joined the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, supporting middle and high school youth across Northern New Mexico as an Educational Advisor through the federally funded TRIO Talent Search program.
Still young and unaware of how good she had it living in Santa Fe, she moved to Chicago where she joined the East Village Youth Program, continuing to support middle - college age youth towards educational access and personal success. Upon the birth of her first of three children, she returned to her hometown of St. Louis, MO, joining the YWCA of Metro St. Louis and quickly moving into the role of Youth Division Director, where she oversaw a complex range of youth and adult programs focused on empowering girls and women, and eliminating racism.
Prior to joining Friends of the Children in 2022, she served for more than a decade as the executive director for Aim High St. Louis, fostering the educational and social-emotional development of adolescents experiencing poverty and other systemic inequities. She's thrilled to be part of this powerful, evidence driven mission that promotes justice and equity in service to the greater good.
Job Titles:
- Vice President and General Manager of the Men 's Division for the Jordan Brand
- Vice President and General Manager, Men 's Division, Jordan Brand, Nike / Portland, or
Karie Conner is Vice President and General Manager of the Men's Division for the Jordan Brand, based in Portland, OR. She's a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she received her B.S. in Business Management and played for the Women's Basketball Team.
After graduation, Karie launched her career in sales in Pittsburgh, PA, where she was a Territory Sales Manager for Philip Morris U.S.A. She later moved to Cincinnati to work for Johnson and Johnson as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative where her team received Regional Sales Team of the year for growing their territory by 35% in a highly competitive marketplace. Karie then moved to New York City to join Nike Inc. and held various roles in sales starting as a Regional Account Executive managing $9M in annual revenue and worked her way to a Strategic Account Executive on the Footlocker business which won National Sales Team of the year and managed over $1B in revenue.
In 2013, Karie moved to Nike World Headquarters to assume the role of Category Sales Director and worked on Nike Basketball and Nike Sportswear across multiple distribution channels over the course of three years. Karie then returned to New York as the Strategic/Regional Sales Director for the Jordan Brand where she grew the business by 20% in three years. Three years later, Karie was promoted to Senior Director of Marketplace at Nike's World Headquarters where she joined the Global Nike Sportwear Team focused on Athletic Specialty and played a pivotal role in returning that business to profitable growth. Karie has been recognized in Sole Collector by a trusted retailer for having made a significant impact on the sneaker industry for creating distribution and sales strategies in some of the most influential markets in the U.S. and across the globe.
In Karie's free time, she loves to travel with her husband, SirAllen, and two children Layla and Champ. She also prides herself on mentoring those who aspire to achieve their career goals.
Job Titles:
- Director of Chapter Grants
Melissa Sitzmann joined Friends of the Children as a Senior Accountant in December 2022. Melissa is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Arizona. She earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance from the University of Arizona. She has over 18 years of experience in nonprofit accounting and is excited to be part of an organization dedicated to helping children. Melissa lives in Tucson, Arizona. She enjoys spending time outdoors appreciating nature, boating, gardening, cooking, and baking.
Job Titles:
- Retired Executive
- Treasurer / Senior Vice - President and COO of Food and Household Products Division, Ball Corporation ( Retired ) Malvern, PA
Michael Feldser is a retired executive from the metal packaging industry in which he spent 40 years. He retired in 2016 from Ball Corporation of Westminster, CO, as Senior Vice President of the company and Chief Operating Officer of the Food and Household Products Division. He served on the Executive Management Council of the company and was active in several industry trade associations in Washington DC. During his career with Ball, Mike helped lead the companies' efforts in the areas of sustainability and diversity/inclusion. In managing the global division Mike assisted with acquisitions that expanded the business in Europe and Mexico. He earned his BS degree from Miami University of Ohio in 1973 and an MBA from Xavier University in 1979. Mike recently relocated to Malvern, PA.
Job Titles:
- Director of Technology Solutions
Michelle Charbonneau joined Friends of the Children in August 2020 as the National Director of Technology Solutions. Michelle has over 20 years of hands-on experience in technology as a business process analyst, systems and database administrator, web developer, engineer, product owner and project manager. Michelle's experience spans public and private institutions in healthcare, education and finance. She got her start in technology at Oregon Health and Science University and she was an Associate Director in Information Technology at Portland State University. Michelle was most recently an IT Operations Manager for a rapidly expanding global financial firm. Michelle attended Reed College before transferring to Portland State to complete her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and continue graduate studies in Engineering & Technology Management. Michelle enjoys international travel, camping in the Pacific NW, hosting exchange students and supporting Children's International Summer Villages with her family.
Job Titles:
- National Program Director
Miles Allen has served youth and his community for the last ten years. As a former Friend and then manager at the Portland chapter he has seen the tremendous impact the program has had on the community. He is excited to be a part of Friends of the Children's effort to create generational change. While working as a program manager, Miles was focused heavily on children in foster care and LGBTQ+ youth. He understands the impact the foster care system has on young people and their families. He also understands how children with multiple identities have experienced barriers and he strives to ensure youth are able to achieve their goals.
Miles has an M. Ed. and MBA from Portland State University and a bachelor's degree from University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). Miles lives in Portland with his partner, Devlin, and their cats. He enjoys hiking, working in the garden, reading, and spending time with his family and friends.
Job Titles:
- President, Cambia Health Foundation / Portland, or
Peggy Maguire provides leadership and strategic direction to several key areas at Cambia, including ethics, compliance, strategic planning, corporate performance, enterprise risk management and corporate social responsibility. She also serves as president and board chair of Cambia Health Foundation, where she works with a wide range of stakeholders to enhance quality and improve access to palliative care through Sojourns, the Foundation's signature program. Peggy joined the company in 1997 as an associate general counsel and has held several posts, including chief of staff to the CEO, vice president of Legal Services, and director of Litigation & Risk Management prior to being promoted to her current position. Previously, Peggy worked as an attorney at Garvey Schubert & Barer, and served as a judicial extern to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Passionate about the health, education and wellbeing of all children in our community, Peggy lends her time and talent to several nonprofit organizations. Peggy is Chair of Start Making a Reader Today (SMART), and Executive Vice President of Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation Board. Peggy was honored by Dress for Success Oregon with its Athena Award in 2016. She was also recognized by the Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington as a Woman of Distinction in 2015, and with an Orchid Award from the Portland Business Journal as a Woman of Influence in 2014. Peggy is a senior fellow of The American Leadership Forum of Oregon. She received her bachelor's degree in philosophy and anthropology from Lawrence University and her law degree from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College.
Job Titles:
- National Content and Digital Marketing Manager
Rachel joins Friends of the Children as the National Content and Digital Marketing Manager with experience in youth mentoring, education, and family advocacy. She will be working to amplify the voices of the children, families, and communities we serve through Friends of the Children's digital marketing strategies. Rachel has focused her career on using the power of communication to educate, inform, and inspire action to positively impact those living at the margins of our community.
Before joining Friends of the Children, she served as the Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications at Adopt A Class. In that time, Rachel led the print and digital marketing content strategies and brand alignment for the largest group mentoring organization in Greater Cincinnati. Her past experience includes dedicating two years of volunteer service to the AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA) program as part of a statewide initiative to fight poverty and improve lives throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Rachel has a Bachelor's of Arts in the Philosophy, Politics, and the Public Honors Program and a Master's of Arts in Private Interests & Public Good from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH. Her educational background specializes in implementing long term, sustainable change for issues of social, economic, and racial justice. Rachel is a Greater Cincinnati native and now resides in Park Hills, Kentucky. She is a dog mom to her two English Cream Golden Retrievers, Maggie and Minnie.
Job Titles:
- National Grants Specialist
Job Titles:
- Global Head
- Chief Technology Officer and Global Head of HP Labs, HP Inc. ( Retired ) Portland, or
- Retired Chief Technology Officer
Shane Wall is the recently retired Chief Technology Officer and the Global Head of HP Labs. In this role, Shane drove the company's technology vision and strategy, new business incubation and the overall technical and innovation community. Shane was at HP for over ten years, spanning two waves a decade apart. He has held engineering and management roles leading peripheral development, ASIC development, embedded systems, product and platforms, before moving to Intel. At Intel, Shane spent over ten years as an executive in the areas of corporate technology, channel platform solutions and mobile communications. He was also directly responsible for ventures and investments during his time with Intel Capital. Shane holds a passion for the start-up community and is an active angel investor, serving on several startup and technology boards. Shane was the cofounder of venture-backed PrintPaks, a pioneer in multimedia imaging. He is a graduate of the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University and has a B.S., Computer Engineering from Oregon State University. He holds multiple patents in the image and compute area.
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Shanna LaMar joined Friends of the Children as the Chief Development Officer in November, 2021. She has dedicated her career to serving students whether they were in her classroom or part of an organization she was leading. She aligns a passion for education with extensive nonprofit leadership, positively impacting youth through meaningful and purposeful actions.
Shanna's professional career started in the classroom. For 12 years she taught Marketing, Work Based Learning, and Career Connected Learning Experiences while serving concurrently as the DECA Advisor at South Kitsap High School. She subsequently served for 10 years as the Executive Director for Washington State DECA, an association that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. DECA served over 11,000 students annually, hosting two annual, multi-day, highly interactive statewide conferences of 1,600 - 3,600 student participants. During her time with DECA, Shanna successfully addressed key organizational issues while simultaneously increasing student value.
Recently, she served as Executive Director for College Success Foundation - Tacoma where she led a mission-centric team in delivering a career and college readiness pathway of student support to over 2,100 first-generation, low-income, students of color. Annually, over 98% of the participating students graduated from high school.
She has a B.S. in Business Administration from Central Washington University and resides in Seattle, Washington with her husband Brent. In her spare time, she enjoys downhill skiing, traveling, anything outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Director, Microsoft Corporation ( Retired ) Clyde Hill, WA
Sharon Maghie served as a Director at Microsoft Corporation through her retirement in 2000. Sharon's responsibilities included the design and management of Microsoft's stock option plan, 401(k) Plan, and domestic benefit plans, as well as the management of all programs in Human Resource Operations. Under her leadership Microsoft, in partnership with Smith Barney, created and deployed the first online tool allowing employees to exercise their stock options from their desktop. In 2000 Sharon co-founded the Seattle Chapter of Friends of the Children and has been actively involved in the growth and development of this vibrant organization. Sharon has also been instrumental in her work with the Microsoft Alumni Network and the Microsoft Alumni Foundation since her retirement from the company. She has served on the boards in several capacities, and is currently Board Secretary of both organizations. Sharon graduated from the University of Washington with a BA and a Master's Degree in Public Policy.
Job Titles:
- National Grants Specialist
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner of the Seattle Office of Fenwick & West LLP
- Vice - Chair / Managing Partner - Seattle, Fenwick & West LLP ( Retired ) Seattle, WA
Stephen Graham is Managing Partner of the Seattle Office of Fenwick & West LLP, which he founded in 2008. Stephen concentrates in the areas of private and public mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, private placements and corporate governance matters, including advising boards of directors and audit, compensation and nominating/corporate governance committees, preparation and filing of periodic SEC reports and other securities law compliance, including Sarbanes-Oxley Act matters and disclosure issues with respect to Rule 10b-5 and Regulation FD. His diverse practice is focused on the representation of emerging and established high growth companies, essentially serving as an extension of the senior management teams and boards of directors. Stephen has represented companies and investment banks in numerous initial public offerings, a wide variety of merger and acquisition transactions and private offerings of debt and equity.
Stephen has been recognized by Chambers USA as one of the top corporate and M&A lawyers in Washington. He is also a "Super Lawyer" award recipient, 2000 - 2019, is listed in Who's Who in America by Marquis Biographical Reference, has been recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America, and is a member of the political science honorary, Pi Sigma Alpha.
In 2019, Stephen was elected to the board of directors of Washington Federal, Inc., a bank holding company (NASDAQ: WAFD). In 2011, Stephen was appointed co-chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies and served in that position until fall of 2017. He currently serves on the SEC's Advisory Committee for Small Business Capital Formation. He is active in community affairs, currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (chairing both the Institutional Conflict of Interest Committee and the Individual Conflict of Interest Committee for more than 12 years), the Institute for Systems Biology and Life Sciences Washington, where he serves on the Executive Committee, and the Yale Law School Association Executive Committee.
Stephen received his B.S. from Iowa State University and his J.D. from Yale University School of Law.
Prior to joining Fenwick & West, Stephen was a corporate partner with Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where he became chair of the global Corporate Practice Group after founding the Seattle office in 2000.
Susan Dearborn is the National Controller. Sue began her career working as an accountant for a small non-profit in Vermont. Her journey then took her to Honduras for two years as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer, working with female micro-entrepreneurs. After Honduras, Sue worked with Jewish Vocational Services teaching refugees how to start businesses, after which she joined the audit team of Grant Thornton, performing audits of private and public companies with a concentration in non-profits. Sue moved to Portland in 2002 and has spent the past 15 years raising her three daughters while working part-time with small businesses. Sue is heavily involved in her North Portland neighborhood school's P.T.A. and auction committees, and is Treasurer for the North Portland Soccer Club. Sue is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a B.A. in Accountancy from Saint Michael's College.
Job Titles:
- Director of National Grants
I was born and raised in Hawaii and moved to the PNW in March of 2018 to continue my education and explore. In 2018 I joined a produce company and learned the ropes of the accounting world. I have held an accounts payable specialist position for over three years and my passion for the field led me to wanting a bachelor's degree in accounting. I am currently in my second year at Portland Community College and plan to transfer to a university after obtaining my associates degree. In my spare time, I enjoy chilling at the coast with my dogs, hanging out with my family and friends, exploring new places, and finding good coffee shops!
Job Titles:
- Senior Administrative Support Specialist
Tammy Gaiter joined Friends of the Children as the Senior Administrative Support Specialist in November 2022. Tammy has been an administrative professional for over 20 years and has a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Communication from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She is unbelievably passionate about helping others succeed and thrilled to partner with Friends of the Children.
In her free time, Tammy enjoys spending time with her husband, two teenage kiddos, and four fur babies. She also likes fitness, baking, and traveling as much as possible. Another passion is child advocacy and she has dreams to become a foster parent very soon. As an advocate in the Autism community, she has learned so much over the years and hopes to help other families in the future.
Job Titles:
- National Director of Tribal Programs
Tasha R. Fridia (Pejuta Cangleska Win - Sacred Medicine Circle Woman), is an enrolled member of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes and is Kiowa, Caddo, and Hunka Oglala Lakota. She is a lifelong resident of the ancestral homelands of her Kitikitish people and has a deep connection to the land that is now known as Oklahoma. Ms. Fridia holds a Juris Doctorate with a certificate in American Indian Law from Oklahoma City University School of Law, a master's degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Ms. Fridia has dedicated her career to serving youth through prevention and intervention using a cultural lens. Most recently, Tasha served as the Assistant Director of the Tribal Youth Resource Center where she collaborated with tribes across Indian Country to implement Tribal Youth Programs and Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts. Ms. Fridia continues to work and volunteer with various entities whose focus range from education equity, to youth engagement, and tribal economic development. Her intent is to further affect positive change in all. Tasha views joining Friends of the Children in the role of National Director of Tribal Programs as an opportunity to broaden her impact on both children and families so they can reach their greatest potential.
Tasha is the legacy of many generations of activists and advocates dedicated to political, policy, and systems change. She interweaves her traditional Indigenous knowledge and western education throughout her work. Tasha strives to make her ancestors proud in everything she undertakes and is guided by the Indigenous value, "Children are sacred." Her most important job and greatest legacy are her daughters, Isabella and Kennedy. Ms. Fridia serves as a mentor to many other young people and is dedicated to the strength and wellness of the future generations. With every opportunity and position Tasha seeks to find ways to share what she has learned for the betterment of her community and the world.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Chief Executive Officer of Friends of the Children
Terri Sorensen is the Chief Executive Officer of Friends of the Children, a national nonprofit that is breaking the cycle of generational poverty. Friends of the Children pairs children facing the greatest obstacles with a salaried, professional mentor (called a Friend) who stays with each child from as early as age 4 through high school graduation - 12+ years, no matter what.
As the national CEO, Sorensen is responsible for carrying out the vision, mission and strategic direction for the national network. She works closely with the National Board of Directors, a diverse and well-respected group of public, private and nonprofit leaders from around the country.
Over her 20-year tenure with the organization, Sorensen has led record-breaking fundraising efforts, bringing in over $250 million to the organization. Since becoming CEO in 2012, Sorensen has led an ambitious national expansion campaign, growing the organization from five to 29 locations in just ten years, and quadrupling the number of children served. She has also diversified funding streams, growing the network-wide operating budget from just $7.5 million in 2012 to $61 million in 2023.
In her role as national CEO, Sorensen sets the priorities for the network, ensures the organization is financially sustainable, and oversees Friends of the Children's program implementation, research and evaluation, branding, fundraising and expansion efforts. She leads a national team of over 40 staff members and provides leadership for more than 576 staff across the country. Prior to being appointed national CEO in 2012, Sorensen served as the executive director of Friends of the Children - Portland, the founding chapter, for 12 years.
Under Sorensen's leadership, Friends of the Children has become a national leader in evidence-based practice for its rigorous research and evaluation efforts. This includes participation in a Longitudinal Randomized-Controlled Trial, a Social Return on Investment study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon and a Social Innovation Fund Pay for Success feasibility study. Sorensen also oversees annual third-party evaluation of the network's program data.
In 2019, Sorensen wrote an article for Stanford Social Innovation Review on the organization's successful scaling efforts. Her work has led to national recognition for the organization in The New York Times, Forbes, Fortune, CBS News, NPR, Governing Magazine, The Chronicle of Social Change and dozens of other national media outlets.
Sorensen was selected as one of the first leaders for the Business Journal's Leadership Trust. She was also selected for Results for America's Moneyball for Government Nonprofit All-Star Team and the Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community. She has served on numerous boards of directors and received an Orchid Award for the 25 Most Influential Women in Business by the Portland Business Journal. In 2019, the organization was awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.
Sorensen holds a B.S. in accountancy from the School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Columbia and is a Certified Public Accountant. Previously, she was controller for the American Red Cross Oregon Trail Chapter, held key managerial positions with Sprint Corporation and worked in public accounting for Ernst & Young in Kansas City, MO.
Job Titles:
- Duncan & Cindy Campbell Professor of Children, Youth & Families, School of Social Work, Portland State University / Portland, or
Thomas Keller, PhD, is the Duncan and Cindy Campbell Professor of Children, Youth, and Families in the School of Social Work at Portland State University. He directs the PSU Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring and the Center for Interdisciplinary Mentoring Research. He also is Co-Principal Investigator of the BUILD EXITO initiative, a major NIH-funded project to support undergraduates from traditionally under-represented student populations in preparing for graduate studies in biomedical and health sciences research. His research interests include the development and influence of mentoring relationships, social networks in mentoring interventions, evaluation of program innovations and enhancements, the professional development of program staff, and the mentoring of undergraduates in science, biomedical, and health fields. Dr. Keller's projects have been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Spencer Foundation, and William T. Grant Foundation. Previously, Tom was a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration where he earned its highest teaching award in 2003. He holds a BS from Stanford University, and an MPA and PhD from the University of Washington.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Emeritus Advisory Board
- Expert
- Founder, Future School Lab / Sisters, or
Vanessa Wilkins is an expert on sparking and scaling innovation in schools everywhere so that all kids can be prepared for their future. She consults with funders and organizations focused on innovation in education and youth development. Most recently, Vanessa served as North America Community Impact Director at Nike, leading a statewide education initiative in Oregon, managing key national and local partnerships, and engaging Nike leaders to innovate in education. Her work re(launching) and implementing the Nike School Innovation Fund was recently documented in a Harvard case used to teach shared value and scaling impact in a joint program between the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Harvard Business School. Prior to Nike, Vanessa co-founded Partners in Scale, a consulting firm to mission-driven organizations, where she worked with innovative education models in developing countries, conducted a study on charter school funding in Oregon, and advised global NGO's on organizational development. Previously, she served as VP for Worldwide Human Resources at EF Education and Managing Director at Friends of the Children, where she now serves on the National Board of Directors. She also worked in Venezuela for Empresas Mendoza. Vanessa received a B.S. from Boston University and an M.B.A. from Harvard.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Friends of the Children
- Executive Director, Friends of the Children - Boston / Boston
Yi-Chin Chen serves as the Executive Director of Friends of the Children - Boston, an organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing youth facing the toughest challenges with 12.5 years of relentless professional mentoring from kindergarten to high school graduation, no matter what. She is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization and managing the day-to-day operations. Since joining Friends - Boston in late 2015, Yi-Chin has led the effort to successfully elevate the organization's public profile as the ONLY organization in the state of Massachusetts making a long-term, unconditional, commitment of support to children facing the toughest challenges utilizing a professional mentoring model.
Yi-Chin began her career in youth development nearly two decades ago as a school counselor with the GEAR UP Program at Thomas Edison Middle School and Brighton High School. While working at both institutions, she helped develop and deliver college and career preparation and exploration curriculum to Boston Public School middle and high school students. After receiving her Master's degree in Social Work from Boston University, she joined the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) where she served as an integral member of the organizational leadership team, including serving the roles of both the Deputy Director and Interim Executive Director. During her twelve-year tenure, she was behind the creation of several award-winning programs, including the Paths to College and Career Program. Her written case study of HSTF's youth community development model was printed in the book "Youth-Led Community Organizing" published by Oxford University Press in 2007 and used as a required course reading for first year MSW students at Boston University's School of Social Work. In 2011, Yi-Chin received the Hubie Jones Urban Service Award from BUSSW Alumni Association in recognition of her work with youth in Boston. In the same year, she was one of the HSTF leaders recognized by Bank of America as a Neighborhood Builder. She is often invited to speak on panels to share her expertise on topics of organizational leadership, youth engagement, education advocacy and racial and gender equity.
As an immigrant born and raised in Taiwan, Yi-Chin is a strong advocate for building a pipeline of leaders of color in the city of Boston. She currently serves on several city and state-wide boards and committees, including Boston Children's Hospital Community Advisory Board, Massachusetts Nonprofit Network Board of Directors, and Boston University School of Social Work Alumni Board. As a graduate of Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP), she serves as a Senior Fellow and a mentor to several up and coming nonprofit leaders through INP. In her spare time, Yi-Chin volunteers with several animal rescue organizations as a foster home evaluator and as a volunteer portraiture photographer for events such as Help-Portrait