Ana Molina joined MRG’s Board in April 2019, having worked through the MRG Capacity Building Initiative as part of Beyond Toxics. She is the Statewide Environmental Justice Liaison for Beyond Toxics where she advocates for environmental justice, climate justice, protections from toxic chemicals and pollinator protection – ensuring the voices of the people most impacted are at the forefront and leading our conversations. Ana lives in Eugene but grew up in South Lake Tahoe, California. Ana moved to Oregon after she graduated from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA where she was involved with student organizing with and for undocumented students on campus and in the community. Ana has a love for both the environment and people because we are resilient, strong and imaginative, and we can come up with solutions when we work collectively centering our communities. On her downtime Ana likes to hike, backpack, read and check out thrift stores.
Bruce (He/Him) has worked for the Central Oregon community and social justice groups as an organizer, executive, and developer since 2002. He has served as Executive Director for Human Dignity Coalition, coordinator at the Central Oregon Social Justice Center, and currently as Development and Programming Director at KPOV in Central Oregon. He has a law degree and practiced law for many years. After 15 years as a corporate attorney, the injustice he was facilitating became unbearable. He decided to devote his life to working for justice and supporting the inspiring people who have dedicated their careers to furthering community.
Mak grew up in Portland by way of St. Johns, North Portland. He has been student organizing since early in his college days. He is the founder of the Pacific Islander Student Alliance (PISA), which started in 2007 when he was an undergraduate student. He is also the founding coordinator of the Men of Color Leadership Program at Portland Community College, and before that, he was the coordinator of the Pacific Islander, Asian and Asian American (PIAAA) Student Center at Portland State University, the Manager of Continuing Education at the University of the South Pacific, Majuro Campus, and the Director of the Office of Student Activities and Leadership at Chaminade University.
Makerusa is a second-generation American Samoan from the village of Fogagogo. Mak started his college education at American Samoa Community College. He later received his BS from Portland State University, and a Master’s in Education from Chaminade University of Honolulu. Away from his day job, Mak is an organizer with the Pacific Climate Warriors of 350 Pacific, and is Chair of the Samoa Pacific Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) Organization for Samoans in Oregon.
Oblio is a former family therapist who turned social justice activist when they decided to follow their heart. Oblio holds a B.S. in Sociology and Women and Gender Studies, and a M.Ed. in Couples and Family Therapy.
Oblio is the Interim Executive Director, Grant and Training Director of the non-profit TransPonder, a support, resource hub and training organization based in Eugene, Oregon that works on issues of gender diversity. Oblio gives presentations all over the country on topics of gender, sexuality, sexual health, intersectionality, LGBTQIA+ communities, addiction, power and privilege, consent, couples’ therapy, alternative relationship models, and healthy communication. Oblio consults with numerous organizations to assess their environment regarding unconscious bias and conscious inclusion in policies and procedures, materials, infostructure, and physical space.
Oblio is the founder of Gender Camp, a week-long camp for intra and interpersonal growth and community building and is on the organizing committee of the International Gender Odyssey conference. They founded the Rainbow Village at the Oregon Country Fair, a LGBTQIA dedicated space and resource booth and The Rainbow Connection, an LGBTQIA+ affinity space. They also co-created the Queer Sanctuary at Beloved Festival and work in tandem allyship for the TBIPOC Sanctuaries at both festivals. Oblio teaches regularly for Lost Valley Educational Center and the University of Oregon on topics of identity, community building, and communication.
Jaylyn is a mother, educator, advocate for social justice and a member of the Confederated Tribe of Warm Springs (CTWS). She was raised in Simnasho, Oregon and is a traditional food gatherer for her Tribe. She is a mother of two beautiful children. Her Indian name is Alish (Ah-lish) which was given to her from her namesake; Margaret Suppah, her grandmother who raised her. Her passion is decolonizing education for herself, her children, her community, and always looks for ways to incorporate her culture into her home, classroom and programming.
Jaylyn works for the CTWS as the Community Planner for the Health & Human Services branch advocating and advancing health equity practices and policies. She currently serves on the Oregon Indian Education Association board where she uses her voice to work towards equitable education for all students. She developed the Papalaxsimisha program which incorporates historical trauma, healing, self-identity, cultural awareness, high school readiness, college and career readiness in a curriculum she and two other native teachers developed. Her background includes Cultural Awareness trainer, Traditional Health Worker, youth mentor, historical trauma facilitator, curriculum development and youth program development.
Esperanza Tervalon-Garrett is a queer, Afro-Puerto Rican woman, and a native daughter of Oakland, California. She is the founder and CEO of Dancing Hearts Consulting, LLC, a progressive consulting firm that curates innovative ideas, programs, and campaigns to challenge the status quo and test emerging strategies that change the political game to win long-term change for the people most impacted by systemic oppression. Esperanza was the first woman of color to lead a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) & PAC collaborative civic engagement formation focused on mobilizing progressive voters of color in the United States. Her ability to build grassroots power in neighborhoods, at the ballot box, and at City Hall has earned her a solid reputation as a savvy electoral strategist, a seasoned political organizer, and a power-building innovator among Social Justice activists and philanthropic leaders.
Esperanza is the co-chair of the Funders Committee for Civic Participation, a network of civic engagement institutions that move $170 million to the field each year. She is also serving as the Statewide Campaign Manager for the Oregon Hard to Count Census Campaign that aims to engage one million people.
Esperanza is married to wife Christine and her proudest accomplishment is her brilliant and tenacious son, Santiago. They live at Dancing Hearts Ranch, a 16-acre ranch in the Cascade Mountains of Southern Oregon.
Kim Thomas works as a consultant providing strategic advising and support for nonprofits and philanthropy. From 2006-2015, she was a program officer for Meyer Memorial Trust (MMT), where her personal interests were in seeding authentic funder collaborations and helping break down the barriers between philanthropy and the nonprofits and communities they serve. Prior to her work for MMT, Kim worked for 16 years at Oregon Food Bank (OFB), leading OFB’s advocacy and public policy work to address the root causes of hunger as well as supervising relationships with 18 regional food banks and over 800 local member programs across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
Buck Jones (Cayuse-Umatilla) is the Salmon Marketing Specialist at the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission (CRITFC), a technical and advisory arm of the four treaty tribes with treaty fishing rights along the Columbia River: the Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs and Nez Perce.
“Our people have been in the Gorge since time immemorial so to our people it has a special meaning. The salmon is sacred to our people. Myself, I actually started as a commercial fisher; I started salmon fishing back home in tributaries and I’d never fished on the Columbia, but I came to the Gorge a little bit in my young adult life and it’s since just grown on me. You know, when I used to travel or whatever, I’d be traveling late at night but once I got to the Gorge I was like, ‘Oh wow, I’m awake.’ So it means a lot to our people, and then working for CRITFC is just added on to that for me. Working for my people and learning some of the stories from the elders has been great.”
Dr. Shilo Tippett is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (Wasco) and of the Sealaska Corporation of Alaska (Tlingit). Dr. Tippett currently works as an integrated psychologist in the Madras Family Care Clinic where she provides care for a number of issues including major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and a range of medical concerns. Her previous work experience includes working as the director and Mental Health Authority for the Behavioral Health Care Center in Warm Springs Oregon and was on staff at the Seattle VAMC for several years. Her passion includes helping children and adults who have endured abuse and oppression of various forms. She has served on advisory committees and conducted research to change the course of future life experiences for indigenous and other underserved individuals.
Shilo was born and raised in Central Oregon and enjoys spending time with her three beautiful children and extended family.
Cleora Hill-Scott (Crow/ Sioux/ Pawnee) is the Executive Director of Potlatch Fund. Cleora, also known by her Apsalooke’ name Basssá Itchish (Good Leader), is from the Apsalooke’ (Crow) Nation of Montana and comes to Potlatch Fund with an impressive breadth of leadership experience in the Pacific Northwest. She has served with many notable tribal governments and organizations including the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Crow Tribal Administration, and Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.
