Ashley Russel
Cultural and Natural Resources
Coos Bay
Ashley Russel is the Interim Director of the Culture and Natural Resources Department for the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians (CTLUSI). She works to blend traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern science to safeguard the environment and preserve her tribe’s cultural heritage.
Jon Caponetto
Educator and Researcher
Eugene | Burns
Jon Caponetto, a proud member of the Burns Paiute Tribe, knows the challenges of being the first in his family to attend college. Growing up, higher education wasn’t a clear path for Jon. Now pursuing a PhD, Jon faces new challenges, but he stays focused on his goal: making college more accessible and supportive for BIPOC and first-generation students like himself.Â
Kola Shippentower
Advocate
Pendleton
Kola champions the cause of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). After her cousin’s death, she turned her grief into action, founding the Wisawca Project, a safety consulting initiative aimed at protecting her community and holding law enforcement accountable.Â
Kamiah Koch
Digital Journalist
Grand Ronde
Kamiah Koch is a social media digital journalist for Smoke Signals, the independent tribal newspaper of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. As a tribal member herself, Kamiah approaches her work with a unique perspective, striving to ensure that the stories she shares about her community are told with accuracy and respect.
Henry Rondeau
Tribal Administration
Chiloquin
Henry’s job isn’t just about answering phones; it’s about being the first point of contact, offering a warm and welcoming presence to everyone who steps into the administration building. But his work goes beyond the front desk. Henry is deeply involved in cultural preservation, helping to organize events, singing traditional songs, and ensuring that Klamath traditions are passed down to the next generation.
Elizabeth Bryant
Language Teacher
Roseburg
Elizabeth Bryant, the lead Takelma language teacher for the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, is dedicated to the revival of a language once thought lost. Through her work, she aims to inspire a new generation of speakers who can carry forward the traditions and values embedded in the Takelma language.
Cassandra Nava
Cultural Preservationist
Roseburg
Cassandra Nava is deeply committed to preserving and revitalizing the culture of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians. As a Cultural Resources Coordinator, she wears many hats—whether it’s identifying and gathering plants in the woods, coordinating cultural classes in schools, or planning events that connect her community to their heritage.Â
Nathan Kahler
Digital Marketing
Bandon
Nathan Kahler is a digital marketing producer and social media manager for the world-renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Resort on the southern Oregon coast. With his team, Kahler crafts messages about the resort to the public.
Michelle Fairchild
Dental Hygienist
Roseburg
Michelle Fairchild’s career path took unexpected turns before she found her place in dental hygiene. Through perseverance and a willingness to embrace change, she found a career that gave her stability, flexibility, and a deep connection with her patients.
Aileen Calletano
Synthetic Chemist
Eugene
Aileen Calletano is a synthetic chemist at Cascade Chemistry, a chemical manufacturing company in Eugene, Oregon. Like a cook perfecting a dish, Calletano makes compounds for clients and refines their recipes.
Brandon Larrabee
G.I.S. Specialist
Siletz
Brandon Larrabee is a geographic information systems specialist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Larrabee works to create digital representations of geographic areas to help with land restoration projects and environmental analysis.
Ayanna Richiliano
Graphic Designer
Hood River
Ayanna Richiliano is a freelance graphic designer in Hood River, working on creative projects for small businesses and the city of Mosier. From layout and illustration to branding and communication, her job doesn’t just check one box.
Nicole Rodriguez
Victim Services Advocate
Roseburg
Nicole Rodriguez is a victim services advocate for the Peace at Home Advocacy Center in Roseburg Oregon. She helps people who’ve faced domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking begin to overcome their experiences.
Brian Schaudt
Physical Therapist
Fossil
Brian Schaudt is a physical therapist for Wheeler and Gilliam Counties in Oregon. As the only physical therapist in the remote area, he’s proud to keep patients from making a four-hour round trip for care.
Miranda Allen
Park Guide
John Day
Miranda Allen is a park guide at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Eastern Oregon. With hundreds visiting daily, she’s ready to answer any question a curious visitor has about the area’s natural and cultural history.
Mariah Stacona
Tribal Liason
Madras
Mariah Stacona is the Native American community liaison at Madras High School in central Oregon. She works closely with students to bridge the gap between members of the Madras community and the Warm Springs Indian reservation.
Mahima White
Fisheries Biologist
Carlton
Mahima White is a fisheries biologist working to protect native fish populations across Oregon. With the encouragement from her teachers, she was able to channel her love of animals into a career in biology.
Connor Lysne
Educator
Prineville
Connor Lynse is a Lego robotics and technology teacher at Steins Pillar Elementary School in Prineville. He loves coming to work every day to see his students. In the summer, he leads a natural resources team in remote areas of Southern Oregon.Â
Emma Overmyer
3D Artist
Eugene
Emma Overmyer is an associate 3D artist at Pipeworks Studios, a video game developer in Eugene, Oregon. As a 3D artist, Overmyer works on a variety of creative projects with the goal of building immersive worlds.Â
Jake Blackburn
Real Estate Agent
Burns
Jake Blackburn is a broker at his family’s real estate business in Burns. Where he works hard helping clients find their dream property, whether it’s commercial, residential or recreational. He specializes in rural properties.
Jocelyn Garcia
Medical Assistant
Portland
Jocelyn Garcia knows the importance of healthcare, having grown up in an area with no nearby hospital. After moving to Portland, and visiting OSHU for an appointment, she knew one day she wanted to be helping people in the same place.
Jonathan Van Roekel
Non-profit Director
Lakeview
Jonathan Van Roekel is the interim executive director of Lake County Resources, a nonprofit in Lakeview, Oregon, that bolsters the resilience of rural communities to the impacts of climate change and economic hardship.
Lynn Tran
Transportation Engineer
La Grande
Tran developed a passion for robotics in high school. She then pursued an engineering degree – and through internships she gained a deeper understanding and interest in transportation and traffic design, before eventually working for ODOT.
Justin Huntley
Construction Manager
Eagle Point
Justin Huntley is a project manager for a home-building company, where he oversees the development of custom housing. From design to construction, he’s familiar with all aspects of the building process.
Daniel Garcia
Automotive Technician
Gladstone
Daniel Garcia is an automotive technician in Gladstone, Oregon. He leads a four-person crew that carries out repair orders for customer vehicles. Garcia loves working with his hands and helping his customers.
Madeline Lau
Hotel Manager
Wallowa
Madeline Lau is the general manager of the Wallowa Lake Lodge in scenic Joseph, Oregon. She wears many hats as she works to make this seasonal business – a community fixture for nearly 100 years – accessible to all.
Fabian Carter
Communications Strategist
Portland
Fabian Carter is a communications consultant for Portland General Electric. As a communications strategist, Carter tells stories about his organization and its goals. His strong writing background helps him excel in his role.
Cassandra Fleckenstein
BLM Officer and Wildland Firefighter
Vale
Cassandra Fleckenstein is a wildland firefighter, instructor, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officer in Vale, Oregon. She helps combat wildfires and runs a yearly camp aimed at educating young firefighting recruits.Â
Anabel Manzo
Caseworker
Salem
Anabel Manzo is a caseworker for developmentally disabled adults in Salem, Oregon. She helps her clients find transportation, jobs, and providers who can assist with their day-to-day life.
John Kish
Entrepreneur
Bend
John Kish is a horticulturist and owner of Somewhere That’s Green, an indoor plant shop in Bend, Oregon. He educates people about greenery and connects customers with plants. He also directs community theater initiatives.
Jared Robeson
Sheet Metal Worker
Hillsboro
Jared Robeson is an apprentice at Local 16 — the Sheet Metal Workers Union. On various construction projects, Robeson is welding, installing air conditioning units, and putting equipment together.
Jessica West
Health Sciences Teacher
Klamath Falls
Jessica West is a health and sciences teacher at Henley High School. She teaches students about opportunities in the health and medical field. West loves living in a small town where everyone knows each other and community ties are strong.
Derian Handfield
Police Officer
Monmouth
Derian is the first to admit his career journey wasn’t smooth. Growing up, he faced homelessness and struggled in school. But he remembers being inspired by his high school resource officer and wanted to follow a similar path.Â
Jordyn Coon
Agriculture Marketing
Shedd
Jordyn is a communications and marketing consultant for the agriculture industry. Whether it’s creating educational content or developing a website, Coon helps farmers tell and share their stories with customers. It’s work that’s close to her heart.
Eddie Ramirez, DMD
Dentist
Beaverton
Eddie is a dentist at the Virginia Garcia Memorial Hospital in Hillsboro, Oregon. He knew he wanted to be a dentist since he was eight-years old, but after learning of his undocumented status, he also knew the journey wouldn’t be easy.
Olivia Crowley
Product Designer
Springfield
Olivia Crowley is a product designer for Urban Lumber, a custom furniture shop in Springfield, Oregon. She creates designs for tables, chairs, and other furniture items on the computer, and helps translate them to the workbench.
David Van Hook
Director of I.T. (Information Technology)
Ashland
David Van Hook serves as the Director of Information Technology (IT) at Living Opportunities, a non-profit organization in Oregon. His role involves managing the organization’s technological infrastructure and exploring the use of technology in assisting people with disabilities.
Erica Carmona
Instructor at Talent Maker Space
Talent
Erica is the elementary education lead at Talent Maker City, a nonprofit in Talent, Oregon. Their goal is to provide hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) education to students and community members. She also teaches beginner courses on computer science and Spanish.
Dominic Herrera
Construction Teacher
Klamath Falls
Dominic Herrera is a CTE (Career Technical Education) teacher at Eagle Ridge High School in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Despite years in construction, he had never envisioned himself as a teacher. Yet, this unplanned shift opened a new avenue where Dominic found his true calling.
Ryan Demello
Construction Project Manager
Medford
Ryan Demello is a project manager at Outlier Construction in Medford, Oregon. His journey from a curious student to a skilled professional shows the passion, skills, and adaptability needed to thrive in the construction industry. Ryan wanted to find a career that balanced desk work and manual labor–this ultimately led him to a career as a project manager.
Hanin Najjar
Media Entrepreneur
Portland
Whether it’s at her desk managing livestreams or social media accounts at KPTV, or creating her own digital publications for Gen-Z women of color, Hanin Najjar understands the power of storytelling and the need for diverse voices in the newsroom.
Natalie Millar
CEO | Terminal Gravity
Enterprise
Natalie Millar is the CEO of Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise, Oregon, managing the small town’s popular brewery and supporting a staff of over 60 people. Her primary focus is working to build a strong company culture.
