COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
If you want to make a difference you must be involved in the process. I have always made it a priority to get involved in my community, volunteering my spare time to causes that I find important.
52ND ST. PROJECT
New York City (1992-1998)
For 6 years in New York City I was the head volunteer prop-maker for this community theater project for kids in the projects of NYC. I designed and fabricated over a thousand props for kids that were being taught how to write, direct, act and produce theater productions. Many of the kids were kids from troubled backgrounds and needed a grounded space to provide direction in their lives and an opportunity for a better future.
BENDFILM
Bend, Oregon (2004-2010)
BendFilm is a film festival occurring in October each year with a focus on independent film. I served as Director of Selections from year 2 through year 7 and served on the Board of Directors from 2006 - 2010. The festival was founded in 2004 and continues to grow. As VP of the Board of Directors I have the honor of being part of a small group that brought this festival back from the brink of extinction after near financial and personnel collapse in 2007. After the founder and Executive Director left the organization suddenly, 4 of us sat in a room and formed a plan to carry on with a new board and a new fiscal model. The festival lives on today because of this reinvention and a ton of hard work from a crew of volunteers and a hands-on board.
CITY COUNCILOR
City of Bend - Bend, Oregon (2010-2014)
ARTS CENTRAL
Bend, Oregon (2012-2013)
I sat on the Board of Directors for this artistic non-profit with a focus on art education for children. Their mission was to raise money for the promotion of art in our community and within the schools for children of all ages. Unfortunately Arts Central ceased opperations in 2016.
EDCO
Bend, Oregon (2011-2014)
I served on both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee for Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO). EDCO's mission is to promote the business attributes of Central Oregon and recruit companies that might want to do business in the Central Oregon region.
BEND ECONOMIC ADVISORY BOARD
Bend, Oregon
BEDAB Advocacy Committee (2014-2018)
I provided small business ownership and operation perspective to the Advocacy Committee for BEDAB. The Advocacy Committee decides which local governmental policies impact business in the community and whether they should be addressed by the larger BEDAB Board and be discussed before City Council.
BEND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Bend, Oregon
Advocacy Committee (2014-2020)
Legislative Review Committee (2016-2020)
Chamber PAC Board (2016-2020)
I gave insight and perspective as a community business leader to the Advocacy Council for the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, deciding what issues should be brought before the Chamber Board and board members. In addition, I sat on the Legislative Review Committee to track statewide and local legislative matters that have an effect on business opportunity. My third committee with the Chamber was the Political Action Committee, where we reviewed and supported local business-friendly elected officials and fund-raised to support efforts to get business-friendly candidates elected to local public office.
TOWER THEATRE FOUNDATION
Bend, Oregon
Board of Directors (2019 - 2021)
As a board member of this historic downtown theater, I gave insight as a business leader to the operations and long range planning. The Board of Directors contributes financially and guides the Executive Director in managing the facility and finances of this local artistic non-profit.
