Penny has volunteered for MRG Foundation since 2000 as a general fund grantmaker, critical response and travel fund grantmaker, and a development support advisor. Penny has lived with her family at “The Hill,” a managed forest in Lookingglass, Southwest Oregon for over 40 years. She was a founder of Umpqua Watersheds and served as the first executive director for over 14 years, retiring from Umpqua Waterseds in 2007. She continues as a volunteer on the organization’s Outside In Corps of Advisors. When she’s not at “The Hill” Penny resides in Cahuita, Limon, Costa Rica with her husband John.
Connie has been concerned with issues of social and economic justice since first working with homeless Latina immigrants in the late 1980s. With the Rogue Valley chapter of Oregon Action, she worked on single payer, living wage, and affordable housing campaigns. As a founder and current board member of the Multicultural Association of Southern Oregon, she advocates around issues of discrimination and spends most of her volunteer time supporting MASO’s independent community radio station, KSKQ, and developing it as a viable tool for local communication and social change.
A native Oregonian, Diem is the Membership Coordinator at the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, a state-wide organization uniting Asians and Pacific Islanders to advance social justice, where she leads grassroots fundraising efforts and builds membership relations. Diem is also passionate about leveraging art as a tool to build social and cultural capital. She studied planning, public policy, and arts administration at the University of Oregon and was engaged in the Sustainable Cities Initiative program and the Oregon Bach Festival.
“I believe in the process of MRG’s Grantmaking Committee to make powerful change. To be amongst a diverse and passionate group of people is incredibly motivating and grounding.”
Michelle is the Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Southern Oregon Chapter of Oregon Action, a statewide, multi-issue social justice organization. By working on the frontlines of social justice organizing, Michelle gets to engage her passion for empowering people and rural communities and challenging social structures that perpetuate inequality. Michelle brings an impressive background in rural organizing, women’s rights, healthcare, green jobs, and housing to the Grantmaking Committee.
“As a grantee, I’ve experienced first-hand the powerful role that MRG plays in the support and development of social justice groups. I am honored and excited to give back to the social justice community that I love by working with MRG.”
Patricia was born in El Salvador, and is the first in her family to earn a university degree. Her indigenous roots taught her to fight for social change early on: starting at just nine years old! Patricia volunteers for social change groups in El Salvador, California, and Eugene and is the co-founder and of Juventud FACETA, a leadership development program for Latino youth. Patricia has been recognized by Causa Oregon and Latino Club at the Oregon State Penitentiary for youth engagement work.
“My grandma always taught me to work hard for what I want. Being part of MRG’s Grantmaking Committee reminds me of those words and keeps my passion for social change vibrant.”
Israel is the executive director of Street Roots, which creates opportunities for income for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Portland by producing and distributing media that are catalysts for social change. He has been working in the street newspaper movement for more than a decade. He has worked for Seattle’s street newspaper, Real Change, and for the North American Street Newspaper Association. Israel is an award-winning journalist and community activist and loves photography and the arts.
“I’m excited to be on MRG Foundation’s team of grantmakers. Being able to contribute to helping foster grassroots social change throughout Oregon is an honor and I love being part of the team.”
Sirius Bonner is dedicated to being an agent of change; taking on the hard task of making the world more equitable and socially just. Sirius’ work focuses on the intersections between social justice issues such as racial oppression, marriage equality, educational equity, poverty, sexism, and sizism; recognizing that as we begin to untangle one issue, we can untangle them all. Sirius received her MA from Reed College and currently works at Planned Parenthood as the Director of Equity and Inclusion, bringing her leadership on equity initiatives. Sirius joined MRG’s Development Committee in 2010, served as Board Chair 2015 – 2017 and continues as a dedicated board member. (Currently, on leave from the Board)
After attending seven elementary schools and three middle schools throughout the Northwest, Diego Hernandez developed a passion for social justice, racial equity, an youth organizing. The first in his family to attend college, Diego went on to earn a Master of Social Work from Portland State University. In 2012, Diego became the youngest person and first Latino ever elected to the Reynolds School Board. Diego brings broad social justice experience, including work with the Community Alliance of Tenants, OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, and Western States Center. He is the Co-Executive Director of Momentum Alliance and sits on Oregon’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs.
Experiencing racial injustice firsthand at an early age, Jeff Selby joined the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in 1976. JACL is the oldest Asian American Civil Rights organization in the United States. Serving four years as the president of Portland JACL, Jeff built and fostered relationships among the Arab-Muslim, Latina/o, LGBTQ, and Japanese American communities. Jeff is the Communications Coordinator for the City of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights and is a volunteer with Muslim Educational Trust, Japan-America Society of Oregon, Oregon Nisei Veterans, and Oregon Nikkei Endowment. Jeff chairs MRG’s Justice within Reach event planning committee.
Dissatisfied with the state of public education and its widening achievement gap, Kimberlin Butler joined Teach For America as a middle school Social Studies teacher in Atlanta and has dedicated her life to youth development and educational equity. Raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Kimberlin received her MPA from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and has over a decade of experience in public education, public affairs, and philanthropy. Kimberlin is one of 10 national fellows with the Association of Black Foundation Executives, sits on the Urban League of Portland and Friends of the Children boards, and serves with the City Club of Portland‘s Research Board.
