Location: Eugene, OR

Grady Goodall serves as Senior Director of Development for the Division of Arts and Sciences at the OSU Foundation. In addition to his work in fundraising, Grady is an attorney who has worked exclusively in the Oregon education and nonprofit sectors. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Oregon Nonprofit Organizations Law Section and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Nonprofit Stewardship, the Lane Arts Council Board of Directors, and the Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council. He is a frequent presenter on philanthropy and nonprofit management topics.

Location: Portland, OR

Amory Zschach, an enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, currently works as the National Indian Child Welfare Association’s (NICWA) Communications Director. As a communications professional, her experience spans media relations, crisis communications, content strategy, and brand management for nonprofits. She’s served in organizations that combine her knowledge and expertise to promote health equity and social justice. She has a degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing from the University of California, Irvine.

Location: Springfield, OR

Noreen has served as President and CEO of United Way of Lane County since February 2012 and has over thirty-one years of experience with United Ways across the country. In addition to her work with United Way, Dunnells serves on a variety of community boards including: Oregon Medical Group, Poverty and Homelessness Steering Committee, Connected Lane County, the Lane Workforce Council Board, the Eugene Chamber Economic Development Council and a member of the downtown Rotary club. She also serves as the Board chair of the United Ways of the Pacific Northwest.

Location: Warm Springs, OR

Chris Watson, WSCAT’s Executive Director, has worked at WSCAT since April 2013, leading WSCAT’s 10-person staff and works with the WSCAT board, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS) tribal government, and community partners to promote community development on the reservation. He is also responsible for strategic planning, fundraising, reporting, and ensuring proper financial management of the organization. Before coming to Warm Springs, Chris served as a senior analyst at the Administration for Native Americans (ANA) in Washington DC. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in history and government from Claremont McKenna College and Master’s degree in sustainable development from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT.

Location: Bend, OR

Kecia has been the Executive Director of Camp Fire Central Oregon for six years. She is also active in Bend as a co-facilitator of an Executive Director “mastermind” group through Opportunity Knocks and as part of the leadership team for Community Conversations: supper events for community members of all backgrounds to share stories and discuss issues that matter. Kecia returned to her passion for youth development work after over 20 years in the business sector focused on Operations, Finance, Sales and Marketing. Kecia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Hawaii and a Master’s degree in International and Intercultural Management with an emphasis on Training and Human Resource Development from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT.

Location: Portland, OR

Mercedes Elizalde was born and raised in Hayward, California, a small city in the San Francisco Bay Area. She relocated to Seattle, WA in fall of 2010 and then to Portland, OR in the summer of 2018. She carries a passion for social justice, equal opportunity and compassion throughout her personal and professional endeavors. Mercedes started working when she was 14 as a peer educator and summer camp counselor. She brings a unique set of perspectives and knowledge to her work having experience in direct service as a social worker and program coordinator, a legislative aide to an elected official and as a community activist. Mercedes was the first in her family to attend college and now holds a BA in Psychology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, and a MA in Non-profit Leadership. She is currently the Director of Advocacy, Latino Network Portland.

Location: Portland, OR

Madalyn Bach is the Development Director of The Rosewood Initiative. A purpose driven organization in Outer East Portland that works with the community to create the conditions that make it possible for everyone in the Rosewood neighborhood to thrive. Over the past 18 years her work experience has included managing, analyzing, and improving the organization of city-wide programs to reduce barriers and provide better access to resources. Madalyn enjoys finding new places to eat (especially spicy food), cooking for friends and family, and finding weekend adventures to go on.

Location: Portland, OR

Vanessa Briseño serves as the Communications Officer, The Lemelson Foundation. A seasoned and successful fund development and communications professional, Ms. Briseño brings more than two decades of experience in diversified funding strategies; contract and grant writing and management; board and leadership development; capacity and team building; targeted and strategic communications and marketing; and, partnership building. With experience in the philanthropic, nonprofit and corporate sectors, she shares and applies a unique perspective to her work —one that has demonstrated tremendous success in revenue growth and brand recognition. She frequently teaches fund development strategies and partnership building with the Willamette Valley Development Officers, and spends her free time helping smaller organizations grow.

Location: Grants Pass, OR

Quin serves as the Executive Director of the Redwood Foundation for Education, bringing over a decade of experience in nonprofit administration, asset building, and public policy. She is passionate about investing in local schools, students and communities to ensure young people have the opportunity to thrive. Quin received her undergraduate degree from Oregon State University and went on to earn a Master in Management with a focus in Nonprofit Administration from Southern Oregon University. In addition to her leadership role at the Redwood Foundation for Education, Quin serves as a Director on the Boards of Neighborhood Partnerships, the Rotary Club of Grants Pass, and the Three Rivers Community Orchestra.

Location: La Grande, OR

Lisa is the founder of NEON and served as the Executive Director from its inception in 2004 until 2017, when she stepped back from that role to expand the business development and training programs. She has a 28-year history of clinical practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, specializing in the dynamics of behavior change. In addition to serving as NEON’s director, she has trained, mentored, and supervised public health and community mental health leadership staff for over 24 years. As part of NEON’s Consulting Services Program, Lisa provides organizational consulting, grant writing and management, program evaluation, and technical assistance services to health-oriented organizations, both in the region and the greater Western United States. She has presented at both the state and national levels on Network Development and Sustainability, Rural Community Health Assessments, and Community Health Workers in Rural Settings.

Location: Baker City, OR

Beth is retired for six years from a 40-year career developing and supporting non-profits, as well as government, sole proprietorship and partnership businesses – mainly in the fields of human services and education. She spent most of her life living in the Columbia Basin, Central and Eastern Oregon, and has recently taken responsibility for the start-up and sustainability of the Baker Relief Nursery as Vice Chairperson in Baker County and southern Union County. During her years as Wasco County’s Commission on Children and Families Executive Director, she specialized in building community capacity by delivering technical assistance and grants to many non-profits, such as fiscal, research and strategic planning, grantsmanship, direct service design, best and promising practice, internal controls and technical reporting.

Location: Portland, OR

Raziah Roushan is a professional fine artist and executive-level arts administrator. Her fluent knowledge of nonprofit management comes from her multifaceted experiences having worked at both the staff and board levels. Along with serving the nonprofit sector as a consultant, some of Roushan’s most notable positions include being the Grant Writer and Foundry Art Studios Manager for New Village Arts Theatre; Director of Marketing at Oceanside Museum of Art; Managing Director for Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre/Northwest; Chair of Beaverton Arts Commission, and Executive Director for Tualatin Valley Creates.

Location: Hermiston, OR

Zaira was the first in her family to go to college, graduating from Clackamas Community College where she received an Associate’s degree, and Warner Pacific University where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development. In college, Zaira was exposed to organizing and leadership by being involved with community-based organizations like Causa Oregon, Unite Oregon, and Latino Network. Six years later, Zaira decided it was time to move back to her hometown to start shaping it into a more welcoming and inclusive community. Zaira brings nearly 10 years of experience in organizing and working directly with underserved communities throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Location: Corvallis, OR

Janet joined Shangri-La in 2013, bringing an extensive background in organizational strategy development and talent management. Before becoming CEO, Janet was a member of Shangri-La’s executive team, primarily focused on creating and implementing a full strategic management cycle, big-picture leadership development strategies, succession planning, and executive coaching. Additionally, Janet’s experiences as a business owner working as a trusted advisor for nonprofits, family owned and closely held businesses, and educational institutions, provides her with a well-rounded foundation for her role as CEO. Janet holds an MBA as well as art education and fine arts degrees.

Tia Bangura is a nonprofit professional and arts administrator with experience in programming and development. She has a passion for art museums, lifelong learning, program/project management, and community engagement. These interests and values are central in Tia’s work as she helps nonprofits build their capacity. She has worked at the Nonprofit Association of Oregon since 2021 and enjoys learning from dedicated, knowledgeable nonprofit leaders across the state.

Tia grew up in Portland and received her BA in Anthropology and Black Studies from Portland State University. She holds an MA in Arts Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, where she studied the arts nonprofit business model, museum education and ethics, and Black art and artists. Tia has worked in various museums and performing arts organizations which helped build her knowledge of the nonprofit sector.

Erica Briggs is a learning facilitator, DEIB consultant, community caretaker, creative artist, and writer. In each capacity, she is a storyteller, sharing connections that equip, inspire, and support healing and growth.

Born and raised in Oregon, Erica has traversed the globe, living and working in various locations. Currently, she is a Nonprofit Education Specialist at NAO, the owner and residential manager of a co-operative living community, and the founder and CEO of a small arts and nature nonprofit based in Troutdale.

As a single mother, she earned a BA in Communications at Mills College in Oakland, CA, and a Master’s in Africana Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where she studied the social construction of race in America through literature.

For over 25 years, she has served various roles in nonprofits, and both traditional and alternative learning environments from elementary through college. When she is at play, you will likely find her wandering in her garden, making a mess in her art studio, or hiking with her children to the nearest body of water.

In her role as Program Coordinator at NAO, Natalia supports capacity-building initiatives and convenings across the state. She coordinates all event logistics and provides exceptional customer service to members in need of support or troubleshooting. Being born and raised in Portland, Oregon, her experiences in the Pacific Northwest have profoundly shaped her outlook. Natalia graduated from Portland State University with a concentration in fine arts, literature, language, and a certificate in Chicano Latino Studies. Beyond her professional commitments, Natalia has a deep-seated dedication to social justice and environmental sustainability.

At the start of her nonprofit career, Natalia served nearly two terms as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, acting as a Volunteer Organizer at the Native American Family Center and later as a VISTA Leader in Colorado at Spirit of the Sun. In these roles, she collaborated with Indigenous and Tribal communities across the US, including Hawaii and Guam, prioritizing cultural arts programming, culturally specific education, social justice, and equity for underserved communities.

Her educational background, combined with immersive experiences like AmeriCorps VISTA service, has equipped Natalia with practical skills in community organizing, cultural advocacy, and equitable development. She leverages these experiences to support NAO members and promote inclusivity and empowerment. Outside of work, Natalia enjoys vintage shopping, foreign film, art, and spending time with her daughter, Paz Luz.

Lauren Fairshter, NAO’s Membership Manager, is a lifelong nonprofit advocate with experience in volunteer management, event and program management, and database organization. Lauren has a passion for social justice and DEI work and strives to connect every nonprofit to the best resources and information to make them successful and help fulfill each mission.

First hailing from a small suburb in north Los Angeles, Lauren made yearly trips to Oregon to visit family, spend summers at the Josephine County Fair, and enjoy the Applegate River in Grants Pass. She moved full-time to the state in 2014 to attend the University of Oregon and knew immediately that she wanted to migrate to Portland to support the nonprofit sector. While being a lifelong West Coaster, Lauren has a high value for travel and enjoys getting to experience and learn from different cultures and people.

Lauren earned a BS in Planning, Public Policy, and Management with a triple minor in business, music, and arts administration from the University of Oregon, where she focused on nonprofit administration. She also played tenor saxophone in the University of Oregon Marching Band, eventually becoming a section leader. While in the band, Lauren pioneered the band’s sexual harassment policy, which stands to this day, and managed over 100 volunteer band members to help put on the Championship Festival of Bands Competition for high school marching bands around Oregon. She began her full-time career working for the Multnomah Bar Association, where she managed volunteer committees, helped put on programming, and converted and led the organization’s educational program through the pandemic without any interruptions in service.

Lynette Heiden serves in the background of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, managing the day-to-day operations and all things related to People Resources. Lynette is an Administrative Professional who brings extensive experience in operational support and human resources management. Additionally, Lynette spent over a decade in hospitality, many years as a caregiver to both children and the elderly, and holds a degree in Psychology from George Fox University.

Lynette is a native Oregonian who has resided in the Willamette Valley for most of her life. She has volunteered with a wide range of organizations over the span of more than three decades and cares deeply for Oregon’s inhabitants and its causes. Lynette feels passionate about making meaningful and positive contributions to others’ lives. In particular, she has a strong commitment to whole-person health and wellness and finds great fulfillment in supporting the growth journeys of others.

Lynette is the mother of two children and one highly entertaining Bengal cat. When she is not managing things behind the scenes for NAO, she can be found volunteering at her children’s schools, watching their sporting events, paddleboarding on the Willamette River, and enjoying time with family and friends.

Phillip Kennedy-Wong is a public policy professional with over 20 years of experience lobbying at the state, local, and federal levels. He has worked for several nonprofit organizations throughout his career and served on nonprofit boards. He brings a strong understanding of nonprofit lobbying and planning advocacy programs.

Phillip brings a perspective that is not shared by many public policy professionals in Oregon: lived experience as a person of color and a child of immigrants that informs his work in this profession. His parents had no formal education, spoke very little English, raised his autistic brother, worked hard in low-skilled, low-wage jobs all their lives so their children could pursue a better life. As the result of their sacrifices, he was blessed to be the first in his family to go to college, pursue enriching life experiences including military service and graduate school; build a career as a successful, senior level professional public policy advocate and give back to his community.

Phillip served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves while earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Lewis and Clark College. Upon graduating, he went to work right away as a field organizer on a political campaign during the 1992 presidential election. Getting the political bug, he proceeded to earn a Master of Science in public policy from Rutgers University and has never looked back in his public service career. Phillip lives in Portland with his wife, two daughters, and two cats.

Originally from Eugene, Jennifer has dedicated 17 years to Development. Her journey in fundraising began after witnessing the struggles of those unable to pay their medical bills while she worked in patient financial services. Compelled by this distress, she ventured into the realm of development with Volunteers in Medicine in 2007. Over the years, Jennifer has bolstered her development work with organizations such as FOOD for Lane County, Cascades Raptor Center, and Ophelia’s Place.

Jennifer harbors a profound commitment to social justice and equity. She firmly believes that nonprofits across Oregon can flourish through collaboration, partnerships, and ongoing professional development. As a mother to many, she cherishes spending her downtime surrounded by her extensive family, beloved pets, and friends.

Susan Parsons has served at NAO since 2017, most recently as the Resources and Referral Manager. In this role, she has the honor of supporting nonprofits in fulfilling their vital mission work with trusted information, best practices, and referrals to service providers in NAO’s business member network. Susan is a proud Oregonian with extensive knowledge of the nonprofit sector in our state and a mission to serve and build connected, caring relationships with integrity.

Born and raised in Oregon, Parsons grew up in Beaverton and has lived and worked in the Portland-metro area her whole life.

With a BA in Communications from Marylhurst University and over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Susan is driven by a desire to make a difference every day. She firmly believes in the power of collective action to bring about positive, transformative change in our communities – a belief that resonates with the work of nonprofits. Her favorite saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” (African Proverb), encapsulates her vision of collaborative progress.

Brad Ramos, the Digital Design and Communications Manager at the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, is a key player in developing, managing, and implementing all aspects of the organization’s design, website management, and social media production. Since joining in 2014, Brad has been instrumental in building and enhancing NAO’s value proposition, impact, and reputation. His efforts to amplify and educate the sector have resonated across Oregon and earned recognition from leaders nationwide.

Brad, originally from Hawai’i, relocated to Oregon to pursue his undergraduate degree in Graphic Design and Arts and Letters from Portland State University. His commitment to diversity and multiculturalism led him to serve as a founding board member of PSU’s Diversity and Multicultural Student Services Alumni Alliance. Brad further honed his marketing skills by earning a Nonprofit Technology Professional Certificate from NTEN.

Through his time in the nonprofit sector and his work, Brad is constantly impressed by nonprofits and the value they bring to their communities. This inspires him to find ways of getting involved and engaged in his own community outside of his professional work.

Tim Rusk brings over 30 years of nonprofit work experience to his position as Nonprofit Education Specialist at NAO. He was executive director of an early childhood program in Central Oregon and led the organization from start-up, to a well-respected, tri-county program, and through a successful leadership transition when he left after 20 years. He loves learning, helping people succeed, applying best-practices, and being a part of a strong team. He graduated from UC Santa Cruz (go slugs!), has a Masters in Organization Development from Sonoma State University, and believes in the transformative power of working together for the common good.

Sarah Spangler, based in Corvallis, Oregon, is the Director of Nonprofit Education at the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. Throughout her career, Sarah has embraced various opportunities to serve nonprofits—from a hands-on volunteer to executive director to board member—each contributing to her comprehensive understanding of nonprofit management. Since coming to NAO in 2022, Sarah has leveraged her deep knowledge and diverse experience in the nonprofit sector to empower and educate nonprofit professionals, enhancing their capacity to serve and impact their communities effectively.  

Sarah has a proven track record of empowering teams and leading successful initiatives. Her journey through the sector has equipped her with a deep understanding of what it takes to drive an organization’s mission forward, particularly through developing the internal capacities of staff and board teams. Most recently, Sarah was the executive director of a nonprofit wildlife hospital and nature education center that cares for more than 2,000 animals annually. In her time there, she led the organization through the retirement and transition of its founding executive director, a more than doubling of the organization’s budget, the acquisition of property and capital improvements, the creation of new programs and service area expansions, the expansion and development of the staff team, and the professionalization of its board of directors. All of these exciting changes required careful and strategic planning, a firm grasp on change management principles, and the implementation of effective financial, human resources, operations, fundraising, and other systems. 

Sarah is enthusiastic about building strong, inclusive teams and creating an environment where nonprofit professionals can improve both their confidence and competence. Her approach is hands-on and community-focused, always aiming to foster environments where passionate individuals can come together to make a significant impact. 

Jim White joined the Nonprofit Association of Oregon as the Executive Director in October 2012. He is deeply committed to the social change through private action and has worked in the nonprofit sector both domestically and internationally for more than 25 years. Jim has a passion for affecting systemic change in the way that the public, private and nonprofit sectors work together to support and strengthen our communities and civil society. He believes that one of the purest democratic values is having private individuals identify needs and solutions, and lead change in their communities for the greater good. Through NAO, Jim is proud to help build the capacity, leadership and voice of Oregon’s vibrant nonprofit sector.

Before joining NAO, Jim worked for Mercy Corps both overseas and in Oregon. He has also worked for the International Organization for Migration and the American Red Cross.

He has a M.A. in Eurasian Studies from Indiana University and a B.S. in Engineering Technology from Temple University.