Springfield Chamber Announces 2023-24 Leadership Eugene Springfield Cohort
Since 1986, Leadership Eugene Springfield (LES) has helped create civic leaders that are well-equipped to passionately represent their communities. The newly-selected cohort will participate in monthly, day-long sessions that broaden their networks, develop their knowledge and awareness, and hone their leadership skills. LES has a long heritage of covering a broad base of topics and providing knowledge and information to developing leaders in our community. The program begins in October and ends with graduation in May. The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 2023-24 LES cohort!
Albert Johnson | NW Positronics LLC
Albert Johnson is the founder of NW Positronics, LLC. He is involved in the community through a few nonprofits, and wants to be more involved with the community through the city. He has lived in the area since 2009, moving here from Bend, Oregon, after his first business venture failed (Acme Electronics, LLC) as a result of the recession. In his 14 years here, he has attended Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. He has worked in the manufacturing industry, starting as a temp worker and working his way up to design and engineering through education and advancement. Now, he is a business owner of an engineering firm supporting the manufacturing industry through continuous improvement and controls.
He is pretty active in the community, helping out with various nonprofits, such as NAC. He has a non-binary kid who attends A3 High School in downtown Springfield. Albert and his son are both involved in the art community via Whiteaker Printmakers and Emerald Art Center. Albert is a printmaker while his kid is a digital artist. It is his belief that positive change can be made with art and people involved in its practice.
Albert hopes, with his unique background, he can contribute a different and beneficial perspective while learning the orthodoxy of community involvement through the city.
April Matson | Lane Electric Cooperative
April Matson has worked in public relations and marketing roles, both in-house and at agencies, mostly in the Seattle/Tacoma area for the past 20 years. Her experience includes crisis and proactive communications strategy as well as execution and management in utility, art, tourism, future of work, philanthropic, and hospitality industries. Most recently, Matson oversaw the marketing team at Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington. Previously, she led public relations, social media, brand voice, and community relations efforts at Chihuly Garden and Glass, which she helped open in late 2011.
Looking for a change, she relocated to Eugene in May, 2022, to lead communications and member engagement at Lane Electric Cooperative. A native of Washington, April has been welcomed to new adventures full of hiking, camping, paddle boarding, skiing, and biking in Oregon – all fulfilling things that fit her lifestyle.
April Miller | University of Oregon Advancement / UO Alumni Association
April Miller is an emerging communications and marketing leader with a passion for storytelling and community engagement. April works as assistant director of marketing and communications for University of Oregon Advancement and the UO Alumni Association (UOAA). In this role, she serves as editor of the UOAA’s Shout email newsletter and online news, supports marketing campaigns for large-scale events and programs, oversees social media content strategy, and leads and mentors a team of student writers and content creators. Prior to the University of Oregon, April spent two years with the City of Springfield and Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission as a communications coordinator. She relocated to Eugene in 2020 from the Dallas, Texas area, where she graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She started her career as a TV news producer at the Texas-Oklahoma border and subsequently as a marketing specialist with the City of Carrollton, Texas. Outside work, April enjoys exploring Oregon’s many outdoor recreational opportunities with her husband, friends, and dog, whether hiking in the Cascades, heading to the coast, or biking along the Willamette.
Ashley Mielenz | Summit Bank
Ashley started in banking in 2016 and brings with her extensive experience in the banking industry, having previously worked at several financial institutions in Oregon. In addition, Ashley currently serves as the president of the Auxiliary Board for the Relief Nursery for the past three years and is a member of the Oregon Networking Exchange. Connecting people and ideas together is one of her strengths. She has passion for working with nonprofit businesses and loves to help others grow through building trust, a strong foundation, and positive reinforcement. In her free time, she loves spending time with her wife, two dogs, and two cats.
Blake Buck | KVAL
Blake is a seasoned Marketing Consultant for KVAL with a proven track record of delivering strategic solutions for local businesses. As a local of Portland, Oregon, and longtime resident of Eugene, he is proud to call the Willamette Valley his home.
Beyond managing dozens of clients in their marketing campaigns, Blake also dedicates his time in the community through KVAL’s philanthropic efforts. KVAL has a long history of partnering with local organizations to draw awareness to the causes important to them. In the fall and spring, KVAL holds a three-week food drive, working with food banks in Lane, Benton, Coos, and Douglas counties. They decided to expand their efforts to all counties in their DMA during COVID-19, as food insecurity was on the rise. They also work with Greenhill Humane Society every summer, putting on dog and cat food drive as well as a tel-a-thon to raise donations. Lastly, they work with Relay for Life by participating Curbing Cancer Day every year.
While out of the office, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two-year-old daughter, fishing on the Willamette River, snowboarding in the winter, and taking quick trips to explore all that Oregon has to offer.
Brian Saunders | Travel Lane County
After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2019, Brian moved to Eugene to participate in the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Program at the University of Oregon. Throughout his time with RARE, he worked with the Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative to help support, guide and promote sand dunes restoration. After falling in love with the project, he has stayed engaged with the organization and continues to help lead volunteer work parties, restoration efforts and other projects. After his two years of service with RARE, he started a new position at Travel Lane County as the Convention Sales and Marketing Coordinator. Outside of work, Brian enjoys running, biking, cooking and exploring Lane County and beyond.
Burke Wardle | PIVOT Architecture
Burke is the father of three, doing life with his high school best friend and his family – the outdoors is what makes him thrive. Every week, he has a “Friday Night Dinner” that includes his in-laws and sister-in-law’s families, which means six adults and seven kids are packed into one house.
As an architect, Burke enjoys all facets of design, from campus planning to Japanese joinery. Every project requires innovative problem solving that he enjoys unraveling as he learns each client’s perspectives, wants, and needs. With previous experience in construction and customer service, his communication efforts are always focused on collaboration with clients, consultants, and contractors in order to find the best fit for each client and project. Open communication helps with understanding the countless roads of design avenues and keeps his ambition peaked on every project.
Blake is a ‘lifelong learner,’ which is part of the reason he finds architecture so interesting. There’s always something new to learn in life or architecture, and building on new experiences and information keeps every day interesting.
Cammie Harris | Lane Transit District
Cammie Harris, Marketing and Communications Representative at Lane Transit District (LTD) for 12 years, specializes in rider and project communication. Cammie is passionate about helping members of our community who need transit service to access jobs, medical services, and basic needs, to be informed and able to provide their input on LTD service and projects – especially communities who are typically underserved. Cammie’s creative problem-solving skills, in-depth attention to detail, and positive attitude are great assets to Lane Transit District. Having grown up in the Springfield/Eugene area, Cammie enjoys many Northwest activities, including fishing, camping, and exploring with her husband.
Carl Bell | PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation
Carl serves as a development officer for the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center Foundation. In this role, he works with donors and community members to help advance healthcare throughout Lane County. Previously, Carl was an assistant director of development at the University of Oregon’s School of Law, and served in the Prospect Management and Analytics department as the principal gifts strategist.
Carl graduated from the University of Oregon with a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and holds an undergraduate degree from Northeastern State University. He has more than ten years of institutional advancement experience both in higher education and healthcare.
Outside of professional life, Carl and his wife have two small children who keep them on their toes! When possible, he enjoys cycling throughout Springfield and Eugene.
Celia Wright | Lane Community College
Originally from San Diego, California, Celia Wright is the executive assistant to the President, and Liaison to the Board of Education, at Lane Community College. Prior to her service with LCC, she worked in affordable housing, having worked at the Homes for Good Housing Agency in Eugene, and the Santa Barbara City Housing Authority for over 13 years. She received her bachelor of arts in Political Science and Sociology with a minor in Portuguese from San Diego State University, and a master of arts in Nonprofit Management from Antioch University. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ophelia’s Place.
Chad Steinhauer | Kernutt Stokes
Chad has been a Lane County resident his entire life. As a graduate of Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon, and as a tax manager at Kernutt Stokes, he has worked closely with community and business leaders in a variety of industries in the Springfield/Eugene area. As a current Eugene resident, Chad has seen his community grow in both population and potential, and hopes to be on the leading edge of the continuation of that growth. Growing up in the small town of Triangle Lake, an hour west of Eugene, Chad has always seen the Springfield/Eugene area as a place of great energy, life, and opportunity.
In his free time, Chad enjoys playing on recreational sports teams, golfing, and spending time with friends and family. Chad currently serves as the Vice President on the KIDSPORTS board of directors as well as Treasurer on the board of Forests Today and Forever. He has also served on the planning committee for the Young Professionals Summit and has volunteered for several local youth sports programs.
Chad sees himself as a lifelong resident and participant in the Springfield/Eugene community. He sees this as the best place in the world to work, raise a family, and stay active.
Chloe Chapman (Tirabasso) | Summit Bank
Chloe Chapman (Tirabasso) joined Summit Bank in 2019 after earning her MBA from the University of Oregon, where she graduated as class valedictorian and as the co-founder of the program’s impact investing fund. Before becoming a community banker, she worked in the nonprofit sector for 10 years, with a focus on education and healthcare. She holds an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Whitman College. As a community lender, Chloe manages a cross-sector portfolio and is passionate about working with nonprofit organizations and mission-driven businesses. She is knowledgeable about affordable housing and nonprofit lending and originated Summit Bank’s first loans using the OHCS LIFT and OFA SNAP bond programs. She is a Board commissioner for Homes for Good, Board treasurer of Springfield Young Readers, and a member of the Oregon Banker’s Association BIPOC Task Force. In her free time, Chloe enjoys playing music, cycling, and exploring the outdoors with her husband and twin toddlers.
Jason Robinson | Hunter Communications
Born in Chicagoland, Jason P. Robinson has spent more than a decade calling Oregon home. His unique career path has included working as an IT professional, a fine dining chef, a founding partner of the Creswell Bakery, and traveling the country as a beekeeping educator and advocate. Currently, he is the operations manager for Hunter Communications, helping drive the growth of an award-winning fiber optic network in the Willamette Valley. Jason supports public utilities through his work on the Oregon Joint Use Association’s publicity and education committee, and his service as vice president of the Lane Utility Coordinating Council. In his personal time, you’ll find him volunteering as a member of the Eugene Active 20-30 Club, tending his bees, and feeding his family, friends, and community.
Jesse Quinn | Lane Workforce Partnership
Jesse is the community engagement director at Lane Workforce Partnership with over 10 years of leadership experience in nonprofit management and higher education. Prior to joining Lane Workforce Partnership, he served as Director of Annual Giving at United Way of Lane County, a position which led United Way’s year-round employee workplace fundraising efforts with over 216 local business leaders. His other leadership roles have included serving as development manager of HIV Alliance and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the UofO.
Jesse graduated from the University of Oregon’s school of Planning, Public Policy and Management with a masters in Nonprofit Management.
He currently serves as the co-chair for the Community Service Committee for the Rotary Club of Eugene and actively contributes as an HIV Alliance Board Member. In his spare time, Jesse enjoys exploring new swimming holes and running trails.
Jim Arscott | Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Jim has been a resident of Eugene for 25 years, and grew up outside of Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor of science in Political Science/Psychology in 1988, and began a 19-year career with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1990, moving to Hartford, Connecticut shortly thereafter as part of a team to open and develop the CT and Western Massachusetts rental car market. In 1998, Jim was promoted and subsequently moved to Eugene with his wife of 28 years, Kim, and their children, Jamie and Matthew. A third, Alex, arrived in 1999.
For the next 11 years, Jim worked to develop the Southern/Central Oregon territory. At the end of 2008, having been laid off, he acquired his Oregon real estate broker’s license in 2010. He worked briefly for Robert Half International in 2011 and then worked at Symantec from 2012-2018 as a renewals specialist. After being laid off in 2018, Jim utilized the Trade Act to acquire a Master of Business Administration. He completed his courses in December, 2020, graduating summa cum laude. In October, 2021, Jim accepted a position as director of rental with Eugene-based Arcimoto. This position was eliminated in August, 2022. In February, 2023, Jim began his position as membership development manager with the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. His volunteer positions include the following: member of Eugene Downtown Lions Club, volunteer-certified USATF official, member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Spencer Butte Lodge, and volunteer in local theater productions.
Kate Mock | Turell Group
Kate is a born-and-raised Oregonian and a University of Oregon graduate. After graduating with a degree in Advertising, she felt a strong push to “go to big places and do big things,” but that didn’t fit with her. She wanted to do big things here in Eugene, because this is the place she calls home. She has always wanted to make a difference in the community and invest in the city where she would raise a family. Past employment includes working at a local advertising agency, and then a small video production company. She learned camerawork and editing, and has produced work ranging from short internal business videos to a feature-length documentary film. In that time, she traveled the country working with a company whose nonprofit focus is to unite service dogs with veterans and first responders, and that filled her heart. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kate faced a career shift and found her way to Turell Group; she currently serves as the agency’s video and photo production manager. Kate appreciates Turell Group’s commitment to supporting the community in so many ways; she continues to look for opportunities to support nonprofits and organizations and be an active, involved member of the community.
Kate Oborski | Northwest Youth Corps
Kate Oborski is a native Pennsylvanian, moving to Eugene at the age of 19 and feeling an immediate sense of belonging when she arrived back in May, 2003. She loves the valley, where she now owns a home in the River Road area. She is an avid gardener, artist, nature lover, dog mom, and proud aunt to a brilliant two-year-old niece, Ruby. After spending almost 20 years in developmental disabilities services, the last five years as the executive director of a five-million+ nonprofit called Independent Environments, Kate is now the deputy director at Northwest Youth Corps, a 40-year-old nonprofit organization that takes youth and young adults out to work and camp in some of the most beautiful, natural spaces in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. During these excursions, members get to learn all about conserving and maintaining a diverse range of natural environments including habitat restoration, invasive species removal, and land/trail maintenance. Although this change in careers has brought many challenges, it has also been a very exciting time of learning and self-discovery. When she’s not working at the campus on Augusta Street in South Eugene, she also does consultation work for a nonprofit out of Medford, Oregon, called Autism Safe Haven.
In her free time, Kate likes spending time at the river with her dog, Rosie, a smart and stubborn Chesapeake Bay retriever. She also loves to connect with her community of friends, who roller skate, play board games, or dine out at the amazing local eateries or entertainment venues in the area. She is currently working with Cascade Health Solutions to become a volunteer at their Pete Moor Hospice House. She is deeply passionate about caregiving and servant leadership, so L.E.S. feels like a great place for her to contribute my skills and gifts.
Kathy Rasmussen | Breakthrough Co Lab
Kathy Rasmussen is a successful, serial entrepreneur, and the owner of Breakthrough Co Lab, a thriving business hub encouraging collaboration and creativity. Since moving to Eugene, Oregon, in 2017, Kathy has become a rising leader in the local business community.
With an entrepreneurial career spanning 20 years, Kathy has excelled in various roles including artist, event planner, project manager, magazine publisher, community leader, and graphic designer. Alongside Breakthrough Co Lab, Kathy co-founded Prep Ninjas, an eCommerce fulfillment warehouse, with her husband more than five years ago. Additionally, she advocates for disability awareness through volunteering, public speaking, and working with neurodivergent youth. She also works as a business coach, empowering clients to develop resilient and fulfilling ventures.
Breakthrough Co Lab is founded on Kathy’s passion for innovation, cooperation, and building relationships. Guided by a compelling manifesto and core principles of collaboration, creativity, compassion, co-working, and co-regulation, the company thrives. Kathy’s unwavering dedication to these values has not only shaped her professional journey but also inspired numerous entrepreneurs and creative leaders within the community.
Kaydie Tanquary | SELCO Community Credit Union
Kaydie Tanquary is a project management professional with over a decade of experience in the financial cooperative sector. Currently a project manager at SELCO, she joined the team in 2010 after returning from Spain as a U.S. Ambassador of Language and Culture. Kaydie, a native Oregonian, graduated from the University of Oregon with a Spanish language and literature bachelor of arts, and is passionate about diversity and inclusivity.
Kaydie is also driven by a mission to improve lives, and finds purpose in organizations prioritizing a people-helping-people ethos. In her role at SELCO’s Strategic Execution Office, she has significantly contributed to SELCO’s growth and success.
Beyond her work, Kaydie is a wife and a mom to two adventurous toddlers and loves exploring local hiking areas. She is deeply committed to giving back to the community, and has devoted substantial time to serving various nonprofits such as the Springfield Education Foundation, GoWest Association’s Willamette Chapter of Credit Unions, Junior Achievement, and Financial Beginnings.
In addition to her professional and philanthropic pursuits, Kaydie is dedicated to health and fitness, holding a Personal Training certification. With her expertise, she empowers others to optimize their well being. Kaydie’s extensive experience, cooperative philosophy, commitment to family and community, adventurous spirit, and focus on personal well being make her a positive force in every aspect of her life.
Kendra Jones | CASA of Lane County
Kendra Jones possesses nearly 20 years of executive-level leadership, and currently serves as the executive director for CASA of Lane County, joining the organization in January, 2022. Just prior to joining CASA, she served as Aviva Health’s grant writer, securing over $15 million in grant funds and $3 million in new market tax credits, ensuring the most vulnerable residents in Douglas County, Oregon, have access to quality, affordable healthcare.
She also served as the director of strategic initiatives at Shangri La, a $25 million, multi-faceted nonprofit based in the mid-Willamette Valley. Prior to this, Kendra secured the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills contract through the Department of Human Services for the second largest district in the state, redesigning the program in keeping with changes reflected in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Highlights of her experience include public policy and advocacy for The California Endowment’s Building Healthy Communities initiative; board leadership with the Humboldt-Del Norte Healthcare District, with an emphasis on prevention for better health outcomes; homeless prevention and affordable housing development; forming the Continuum of Care for Del Norte County, California, where she also spearheaded the first point-in-time count of area homeless; food systems development, pioneering the first Food Policy Council in Del Norte County; child abuse prevention initiatives; work with the Hmong refugee population; and healthy youth development.
Kendra is a diversity scholar for her work with the Hmong refugee community. The hallmark of her success is understanding the importance of collaboration and working to form strategic alliances between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Kendra served on the board of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, a statewide association organization, for two years providing leadership to Oregon nonprofits, where she played an active role on the Public Policy Committee.
Leah Murray | Shelton McMurphey Johnson House
Leah Murray is a native of the Willamette Valley. Born in Cottage Grove, she hasn’t ventured very far from her deep valley roots. She has worked in a variety of fields including home health, security, hospitality, and janitorial, before discovering her true passion in nonprofit life. Leah is a graduate of both Lane Community College and the University of Oregon, and spent a year as an AmeriCorps*VISTA.
In addition to being the Executive Director of Shelton McMurphey Johnson House since 2014, Leah is the chair of the Downtown Neighborhood Association, the marketing vice chair for the League of Women Voters of Lane County, and the communications chair for the American Association of University Women, Eugene/Lane branch. She is also the newly elected chair of the fledgling Storybook Theatre of Cottage Grove.
When not attending a meeting or running the museum, Leah enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her family in the Santa Clara area of Eugene. She is grateful that she gets to share her passion for historic preservation and nonprofit service with anyone who will listen.
Lizzie Brown | Connected Lane County
For over five years, Lizzie has been a vibrant, enthusiastic member of the Connected Lane County team. She was raised on the border of Eugene and Springfield, and is a product of the Eugene 4J school district, and most importantly to Lizzie, the Spanish Immersion program. Her academic achievements led her to the University of Portland, where she had the time of her life before graduating in 2015 with a major in Sociology and a minor in Spanish. Lizzie’s love for her hometown and community brought her back to Lane County shortly after graduation to kickstart her professional career.
Lizzie’s commitment to equitable access to quality education and programs for ALL youth continues to fuel her and has propelled her into the role of program manager for Connected Lane County’s three core programs. She enjoys high-level program planning and execution while working alongside her peers. She brings magnetic energy to every interaction, always leads with kindness, and enjoys each stage of the professional relationship-building process.
Recently married, Lizzie and her husband enjoy hosting summer barbecues, venturing out to Lane County wineries, biking to summer shows at the Cuthbert, and supporting local restaurants.
Luis Ramirez | University of Oregon Athletics
Luis is a University of Oregon graduate who made the transition back to town a year and a half ago to work for the Oregon Athletic Department. He currently does fundraising for the Duck Athletic Fund; in this role, he works with community members and businesses that support Oregon Athletics. Luis is active in both the Springfield and Eugene Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Salem Young Professionals. He is also a board member of the Lane County Ducks, Oregon Patos and the Diversity and Inclusion of the Foundation at the University of Oregon. He is fluent in Spanish, and hopes to find ways to incorporate and engage the Spanish-speaking community. He also wants to see the continued growth of this community, as Springfield/Eugene has always been a special place, and he hopes to add value to its future.
Maddix Vickers | NAMI Lane County
In September, 2020, Maddix took the Amtrak from Chicago to Portland and made the pacific Northwest their permanent home. They spent the year traveling in Oregon and Washington and taking on quite a few hikes, including Mount Saint Helens. In August, 2021, they started a full-time job with a local nonprofit in Eugene and eventually made their way to NAMI Lane County as their outreach coordinator.
Maddix has been involved in the nonprofit sector for 15 years, and received their bachelors in advertising and masters in social work from the University of Chicago. They spent most of their career advocating for marginalized communities through policy, community outreach, and supporting individuals in crisis. Their most memorable experience was supporting a refugee from Uganda in Chicago. In their free time, they enjoy storytelling and sharing about their own mental health journey, gender identity, and living with HIV, with the hopes to reduce stigma and increase dialogue. They have four fur animals, 100 houseplants, and enjoy hiking, paddleboarding, and cycling.
Nancy Buffum | Eugene Education Foundation
Nancy Buffum (she/he/they), moved to Eugene in late 2022 and joined the Eugene Education Foundation as executive director in May, 2023. Nancy believes passionately that equity and access to a quality public education are essential to a child-friendly city. They have centered the needs of children and families for over 30 years, as a neighbor, community organizer, transportation advocate, program manager, and nonprofit fundraiser. Nancy brings to Eugene experience as a parent advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in schools; and for school gardens, special education, and the arts. Prior to relocating, Nancy served as development director for Family Builders by Adoption in Oakland, California, a nonprofit that finds permanent families for youth in foster care. They are a member of Cycles of Change, a volunteer group of BEST (Better Eugene Springfield Transportation), the River Road Community Organization, and River Song Cohousing. Nancy has volunteered on FOOD for Lane County community farms, and with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) through her faith community. Nancy is also a practicing artist, currently working on illustrations for a children’s book. You may see them biking around town for everyday transportation, and enjoying Eugene’s many fine coffee carts and cafes.
Nancy Escobar | Northwest Community Credit Union
Nancy is an especialista en finanzas for Northwest Community Credit Union, a division of TwinStar Credit Union. With over 33 years in the banking and credit union industry both in California and in Oregon, she has worked in many departments at several different credit unions. What she enjoys the most is working with the Latino community by teaching financial literacy classes at different organizations within Springfield and Eugene.
Nancy’s mission is to serve the underserved in the Hispanic community in the Springfield/Eugene area by providing uncommon care both in English and in Spanish. One of the initiatives at NWCU is to build a strong outreach program that focuses on educating, guiding, and providing free educational programs that will help the Hispanic community achieve home ownership and develop economic stability.
Four years ago, Nancy moved to Eugene, Oregon, from Orange County, California, where she worked for Orange County’s Credit Union as a branch supervisor for 17 years. She led the Anaheim branch and also got out into the community and taught financial literacy to different community organizations in English and in Spanish. Through Orange County’s Credit Union, she also volunteered to teach financial literacy to high school students through the Richard Myles Johnson Foundation, and their program, called Bite of Reality. Through this organization, Nancy was able to teach students through a hands-on app-based simulation that appeals to teens, while giving them a taste of real world financial realities.
Nancy currently lives in Eugene, Oregon, with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. She enjoys traveling and visiting her older daughters, and grandchildren in California.
Phylicia Wilson | Boys and Girls Club of Emerald Valley
Phylicia Wilson is a club director at Boys & Girls Club of Emerald Valley. She was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Phylicia received a bachelor of science with an emphasis in Criminology and Psychology from Arkansas State University. During her almost 11 years of working with youth, she has had the ability to assist with the implementation of programs such as Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH), an evidence-based physical activity and nutrition program in partnership with the Grand Valley State University nursing program. Phylicia has grown to love having the ability of assisting teens and helping guide them to adulthood and finding their passions. Within her first year in Eugene, she has had the ability to build relationships with community partners and school staff and leaders. As she continues to explore Eugene, she wants to continue to build relationships and be immersed in the community. As a female person of color, she has experienced a lot of joy helping kids, but especially BIPOC kids, because they are so underrepresented in the Eugene area and benefit so much from seeing role models that look, talk, and experience similar things as them; and help inspire them to keep striving to be great and become their very best.
Ryan Thomas | Ryan Thomas Construction
Ryan was born and raised in Springfield, Oregon. he attended Springfield public schools from first through 12th grades, graduating from Springfield High School; then attended the University of Oregon for two years before entering the construction industry in 1991, in which he has worked almost exclusively ever since. He started his own company in October, 1996, which has grown, slowly and steadily, since.
A few years ago, Ryan started a real estate development company and is actively involved in a project in Cottage Grove, intending to transform a under-utilized, historic building into an historic inn. If this project is a success, it will be a great benefit to the historic downtown Cottage Grove business community as well as to my development company. I really enjoy real estate development and hope to maintain a focus on bringing historic buildings back to a new life while maintaining and restoring their historic character.
I have a large family in the Springfield/Eugene area, regularly attends a local church, and enjoys traveling around the state of Oregon, the country, and abroad. He loves the state he lives in, and the close proximity of the great coast, mountains, desert, and our wonderful valley. Ryan was born in the right place to live, though he loves visiting other parts of the world and experiencing other cultures.
Sara Dubick | Oregon Community Credit Union
Sara is a lifelong Oregonian, born in rural Lane County. She has seen firsthand how this area has evolved over several decades. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Digital Arts and began her career as a graphic designer, working to support local marketing teams. This work exposed her to employment in both financial and nonprofit sectors, which helped provide insight into the roles both sectors serve in supporting our community.
Sara currently works as a traffic specialist on the Marketing team at OCCU; this role allows her to be strategic as she oversees and guides a fast-paced, robust docket of projects. This role has grown into a position that advocates for the team at a leadership level, requiring facilitation of conversations across the team and organization. This change has encouraged her to grow as a professional, and she feels L.E.S. will be invaluable as she develops her skills as a leader, both at work and in the community. As her parents’ generation steps down from their roles in guiding the growth in the community, it has created a need for leadership, and Sara feels it is the duty of her generation now, to step up.
Shyla Keays-Goodman | KLC Engineering
Shyla’s infectious enthusiasm ignites camaraderie among her teammates. She is playful and kind. She is thoughtful and genuine. And she brings with her personal story the lessons of experiences growing up in Alaska, competing as a wrestler, pursuing and creating a vibrant career as an engineer, and relishing in the great opportunity of raising a little girl.
She has a deep drive to serve her community. When she branched out to start her own office with KCL Engineering in 2020, the mission arose from a season of exploring where she wanted to invest her emotional energy. Her office was birthed from a vision of building a team of engineers that is community-centered, connected to projects at the personal level, rooted in the ‘why’ behind each project. And she has found that living this message, and leading by example as an engineer driven by the greater context of her work, has created an environment for her project teams that is rich in personal connection.
Having recently achieved success in building a thriving local team of consulting engineers with KCL Engineering, Shyla is seeking opportunities to broaden the scope of her vision. She’s seen how aligning herself and others with their unique strengths ignites the heartfire of a team. What fibers make up a thriving community like Springfield/Eugene, one that seems driven by individuals passionate about helping curate the quickly approaching rapid growth of their beautifully woven neighborhoods? She’s here to find that out, and discover more ways to lead through service alongside her team and her family.
Sylvia Kakyo Ryan | Global Tours and Travel
Sylvia Kakyo is a certified travel advisor with American Society of Travel Advisors and co-director of Global Tours & Travel – USA, a tour and travel agency that provides travel and tourism-related services targeting travelers and tourists both local and international. They are established as a company that signifies dedication, quality, and commitment in offering ideal travel solutions to meet the market needs. Being a personally-managed company with absolute control allows them continuity in all projects and accountability. They are a company that believes that business is about building relationships – this, they consider to be one of their biggest strengths. They understand the value of repeat business and endeavor to send every traveler “happy.”
Sylvia is a Rotarian and member of Eugene Southtown Rotary Club in Eugene, Oregon. She’s passionate about social change, and become an advocate for education serving as United Nations Global Youth Ambassador with A World at School, 2016-2021.
Tiffany Roddy | Roseburg Forest Products
Tiffany Roddy is Manager of Government Affairs at Roseburg Forest Products in Springfield, Oregon, where she manages policy strategies for Roseburg’s growing integrated footprint across North America and represents the company on legislative, regulatory, and political issues. Prior to this position, Tiffany worked as a forester for over a decade, sustainably managing hundreds of thousands of acres of timberlands here in Lane County to produce a wide array of forest products in addition to environmental and social benefits. She has also worked across the northwest, southeast, and northeast United States, and earned an AS in Forest Technology as well as a BS in Forest Science from Penn State University.
Tiffany lives in Cottage Grove with her husband, Eduardo, who also has a Forestry background. In her spare time, she can be found tending to her ever-expanding garden, or hiking and mountain biking on local trails with her border collies.
Learn more about the Leadership Eugene Springfield (LES) program.
