Cascade Views Podcast: Recent Episodes
Michael Sipe - Central Oregon Leadership Discussions
Cascade Views presents interviews with a wide range of Oregon - and especially Central Oregon - leaders, who come on the show to discuss timely issues, opportunities and solutions and the projects they are personally passionate about.
In this interview, Keri Lopez, Republican candidate for Oregon House District 53, shares her experiences visiting the southern border of the United States. Prepare yourself for the sobering realities of what she witnessed.
Donna Kreitzberg spent several years reading legislation and case law from across America concerning School Choice. She then spent time with School Choice Advocates, Policy Folks, Litigators, Constitutional Attorneys, and Think Tank Directors from 17 states gathering materials to use to draft two School Choice Amendments. Using the best features of existing legislation and Think Tank Model Legislation Ms. Kreitzberg drafted the Open Enrollment Amendment and School Choice Amendment as an “of the people, by the people, for the people” effort empowering parents with constitutionally protected rights and giving them back their voice in the education of their children.
So we’re here today to talk about education in Oregon, school choice and the Oregon Constitutional amendments being proposed by her organization Education Freedom for Oregon. You can learn more about this at educationfreedomfororegon.com
Soorin Backer studied at Fuller Theological Seminary for a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a Masters in Biblical Studies. Currently, she’s enrolled at Global Awakening Theological Seminary for a Doctorate of Theology degree.
Soorin recently planted a church in Eugene, Oregon, called OARS and continues to host Power and Hope Conferences, workshops and teachings through media. She’s the author of Women In Jesus’ Life that has been used by churches and groups for weekly study. Her ministry continues to be featured on multiple TV platforms and radio stations around the globe and is the Keynote Speaker for the upcoming 8th Annual Central Oregon Prayer Breakfast on May 12, 2023.
Keri Lopez is currently running for a second term on the Redmond School Board of Directors, position 4, in the May 16th, 2023 special election. Her website is: kerilopez4redmondschoolboard.com
Keri is speaking on behalf of herself, personally and entirely.
David Harms is a radio veteran who has focused his attention on funding ministries through radio and other media, David has founded two companies and currently serves as President of both. i58:10 Media was founded in 1997 and has used radio and other electronic media to raise millions of dollars each year for homeless shelters, pregnancy centers and international ministries such as World Vision, India Partners and Shepherd’s House in Bend. In 2019 David launched a radio network called Worship 24/7 with its flagship signal on 93.7 FM in Bend, but now with signals in Tacoma and Spokane, Washington and Amarillo, TX. The online streaming of Worship 24/7 has added listeners in over 190 countries and every state … all in less than 4 years.
You can find out more about David at worship247.com and i5810media.com. That’s worship247.com and i5810media.com
Cathie is the founding director of New Each Morning, which is a non-profit organization that works with women graduates of alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs. The New Each Morning team of volunteers provides connection and positive accountability to clients, while championing the women to thrive as healthy productive members of the community.
You can learn more about the organization at www.neweachmorning.org.
Nicole Fitch is currently running for Bend La Pine School Board, Zone 7. She is currently a Real Estate Broker with John L. Scott Realty, but she has 15-years-experience in the field of education. Her career has been dedicated to educating students in public schools as an elementary school teacher, an elementary assistant principal, and an instructional specialist, helping to evaluate instructional materials for a statewide English Language Arts/ English Language Development curriculum.
You can learn more about Nicole at nicoleforblpschools.com, that’s nicoleforblpschools.com.
Laurie is the President of Central Oregon Community College. You can find out more about COCC at cocc.edu.
Prior to joining COCC, Chesley was provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan. Her administrative and leadership experience spans 18 years and includes both two- and four-year colleges. Chesley served as interim dean of learning at Northwestern Michigan, assistant vice president for academic affairs at Ferris State (Michigan) University, dean of humanities at Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Community College, and associate dean and dean of arts and sciences at Grand Rapids Community College. As a recipient of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Faculty Excellence Award and a past winner of the Michigan Chapter of the American Council of Education Network's Distinguished Woman in Higher Education Leadership Award, Chesley is passionate about mentoring the leaders of tomorrow.
Laurie is here to talk with us today about higher education in general, and COCC in particular.
Jon Stark, CEO of Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO). EDCO is a regional organization with community offices in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, and Sisters. You can learn more about EDCO at EDCOInfo.com.
Jon is responsible for leading the organization in accomplishing its mission to create a diversified local economy and a strong base of middle-class jobs in Central Oregon. EDCO accomplishes this by helping companies: Move. Start, and Grow. Jon’s work also includes numerous strategic initiatives to sustain and improve the business climate across Central Oregon including but not limited to education and workforce development, statewide legislative concepts and legislation, infrastructure and air service development, and business resource development.
Jon is here to talk about EDCO overall, and his perspectives on the regional business community and economic prospects in the year ahead.
Patti Adair is a fourth generation Oregon native who grew up on a ranch near Heppner. She's a proud University of Oregon Duck who graduated with a degree in History. Patti later completed her CPA in Washington State. Commissioner Adair's current memberships and affiliations are many but just a few include Association of Oregon Counties, Legislative Committee District 2 Delegate, Central Oregon Health Council, Central Oregon Area Commission on Transportation, Deschutes County Behavioral Health Advisory Committee Liaison and Project Wildfire. Patti is running for re election in November.
Ben Schimmoller. Raised in Central Oregon, attended St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School and Mountain View High School. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. In 2018-2022 Ben joined the office of State Senator Tim Knopp, where he aided the people of Central Oregon in navigating their state government. He briefly transitioned from his legislative work to join the family real estate and development business but has since stepped back into politics and is running for Mayor of Redmond.
Tune in to hear RL Garrigus interview Michael Sipe, Republican Candidate for State Representative in House District 53.
"I'm definitely not a career politician and I'm not a lawyer. I'm a business guy. With billions of dollars of your tax dollars on the line, we need more business people and fewer politicians and lawyers in Salem. Being self-employed for nearly all my life (since 4th grade, actually), I've pretty much relied on results as a resume."
Dave Markham has worked at Central Electric Cooperative for 25 years with 16 of those years as the President/CEO. He has 38 years of electric utility industry experience.
For 25 years he has advocated for the treasure of the Northwest, the carbon free, renewable, low cost, federal hydropower system. He has also testified three times in Washington D.C. in front of Congress about the significant delays electric utilities experience when requesting permits from federal land agencies to conduct routine maintenance and mitigate against wildfires. Following several years of effort, federal legislation was passed to hold the federal land agencies accountable for delays.
He holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Southern Oregon University and a Masters of Business Administration from Colorado State University. He has lived in Bend for 32 years and has been married to his wife Danelle for 38 years and has three children and three grandchildren.
Kate Fitzpatrick is the Executive Director of the Deschutes River Conservancy. You can find out more about the Deschutes River Conservancy at deschutesriver.org
Kate assumed her position in 2021 after 16 years of experience at the organization managing and directing programs to collaboratively restore streamflow in the basin. She is skilled in water rights transactions, negotiation, collaboration, and innovative problem-solving around complex issues. Kate has a degree in geology from Colgate University and a graduate degree in environmental studies from the University of Oregon. She believes in both rivers and in the power of community to work together to find solutions to potentially divisive natural resource issues.
Kate is joining us today to talk about the Upper Deschutes Basin and the water issues we are facing as well as what can be done to best conserve what we have.
Rachel Cardwell is the Executive Director of Friends of the Children, an organization that connects children – all of whom have unique talents – to a paid, professional mentor called a Friend. You can learn more about the organization at friendscentraloregon.org
Friends of the Children is the first and only long-term professional mentoring program in the country with specialization in working with youth who have faced a lot of adversity. Rachel has dedicated her career to removing barriers for youth as they work to unlock their own futures. Friends of the Children has shown her the importance of communities rallying around their children, building systems of support, and cheering them on as they move into opportunities that wouldn’t have been attainable for them otherwise.
Danny Looney went from homeless meth addict to local pastor, and now runs a nationwide non-profit called Rock Bottom Hope. He uses his story, experiences, and passions to lead a team that brings hope to people experiencing rock bottom all over the US. Whatever rock bottom moment they may be experiencing his team provides hope-filled conversation, individualized road map to recovery, and partners with therapy clinics, detox center, and rehabs to help people find the best resources for them. Since the launch of 2020 they have had over 1,000 conversations with people and see life-changing miracles happen from coast to coast.
So today, you’re going to learn a bit of Danny’s story, hear incredible testimonies, talk about the 4 C’s of Rock Bottom Hope, and hopefully gain a little more hope yourself for those in our community who are struggling to live life to their fullest capacity.
Jillian Taylor is principal and business strategist of Jillian Taylor Consulting, and an affiliate with NXT Consulting. As a planning strategist and organizational development consultant, Jillian works with public and private leaders to gain clarity on their vision, mission and values. She also leads clients through a process to identify strategic priorities and guides them to implement complex initiatives. Jillian is known for helping groups navigate conflict and difficult topics to seek alignment with common priorities.
Jillian is passionate about community visioning and planning, and immediately upon moving to Central Oregon reached out to join the Bend 2030 (now Envision Bend) board. She served as Board Chair and interim Executive Director before transitioning back to full-time consulting work. She is now leading the Bend Vision Project with the NXT Consulting team. You can learn more about this at bendvisionproject.org
This project will span 2022 into 2023 and seeks to engage as many community members in the greater Bend area as possible. The results of this effort will include a community-drive Vision for the future of Bend, and a 5-year action plan.
Jillian has served on numerous local boards and committees, and her clients include City Club of Central Oregon, EDCO, Housing Works, Family Kitchen and Oregon Adaptive Sports.
Eric King began his career in local government working for the City of Portland. In his 10 years there, he worked on a variety of projects and programs focusing on economic development and program management. He began working for the City of Bend as Assistant City Manager in April, 2007 and accepted the position of City Manager in May, 2008.
Eric was born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He has a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development from Portland State University. Eric currently services on the KIDS Center Board and has served on the Visit Bend and Oregon City/County Managers' Association Boards as well as volunteered with SMART- promoting early childhood literacy.
Nick Lelack was hired as Deschutes County Administrator in September 2021. Nick previously served as the Deschutes County Community Development Director.
He also serves on the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission. He has masters degrees in Public Administration and Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
Previously, Nick served as Deschutes County's Planning Director and the City of Redmond Community Development and Planning Director. He also has a variety of other experiences that spans the public, private and non-profit sectors. You can find out more about him at deschutes.org/administration.
E. Werner Reschke is a life-long Oregonian who serves in the Oregon Legislature and has excelled as State Representative in serving the rural communities of South-Central Oregon since 2017. He is currently running for re-election in the newly re-drawn Oregon House District 56, which now includes some of the southern portions of Deschutes County.
Representative Werner earned cum laude honors from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on International Business and Marketing and minors in Economics and German. Rep. Werner has 30 years of business experience. He owned a technical online marketing agency for 18 years, prior to his position in the state legislature.
Werner currently serves on three House Committees in the Oregon Legislature including: Vice-Chair of House Revenue Committee, Member of Joint Ways & Means Committee, member of Joint Emergency Board Committee.
He stands for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. He champions free markets, education excellence and free speech.
Mike Krantz joined the Bend Police Department as chief in August 2020. Before coming to Bend, Mike served 27 years at the Portland Police Bureau, finishing his service there as the acting Assistant Chief of the Services Branch and responsible for the business operations of the largest police department in the state. Previously, he was the Commander of Central Precinct, leading a team of more than 160 sworn and 15 professional staff members in the heart of Portland.
Krantz holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Administration from Western Oregon University, is a graduate from the PERF Senior Management Institute for Police, holds a master’s degree from the University of Charleston in Strategic Leadership, and holds an executive certificate from the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards Training.
Lori Chavez-DeRemer was Mayor of Happy Valley from 2010-2018 where she led Oregon’s fastest-growing community, as its first female and Latina mayor. As Mayor, Lori presided over important changes in the city, making it more business-friendly, offering more affordable housing options for families, and a safe place to build a career and raise a family.
She is the granddaughter of a woman whose family legally immigrated here from Mexico to achieve the American dream. Her most important job, she’ll tell you is a mom and a small businesswoman. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, and supported the couple as he finished medical school. Later she helped Shawn found Anesthesia Associates Northwest and they now run several medical clinics throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Lori is now the Republican candidate for U.S. House Oregon Congressional District 5, which includes Central Oregon. I thought it would be valuable to hear her thoughts on the future of Oregon and the issues facing our country that need strong leadership.
Having witnessed her family lose their home, property, and retirement plan during the 2008 recession, Layla McGlone vowed to help others avoid this fate. As the CEO of Building Excellence, this veteran coach champions construction companies to grow their teams and profits. She empowers owners to optimize their resources, simplify processes and run a "rinse and repeat" business with a thriving team.
The majority of Layla’s career has been in communication, including different fields from broadcast news to radio; corporate team development; the mentoring of nonprofit teams and ultimately to coaching and consulting of business owners. She has been coaching since 2007 and consulting within the construction industry since 2017.
Layla is joining us today to talk a bit about business growth, and challenges within construction companies so it’s my pleasure to welcome her to the show.
Erik Tobiason began his career in the financial services industry with Morgan Stanley as a financial advisor and senior portfolio manager. In 2016, he made the decision to move his business to RBC Wealth Management.
Erik is also the creator of two non-profits, Bend Heroes Foundation, which focuses on helping veterans in Bend.
Erik started the Bend Heroes Foundation nearly 13 years ago with his father, a Purple Heart veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam, with the goal of supporting and giving back to local veterans. Over the last few years, Erik led the creation of a transitional community of 15 tiny homes for homeless veterans called the Central Oregon Veterans Village which will be our topic of discussion today.
Melissa Williams is the Local Director of Every Child, an organization that partners with Oregon’s Department of Human Services (ODHS) to aide vulnerable children in foster care and to support foster families. You can learn more about the organization at everychildcentraloregon.org
Last year, 11,238 children spent time in the foster care in Oregon. 66.1% spent time in more than one foster home. Many were split from their siblings. ODHS works to care for children and families in crisis but is often left with few resources for volunteer and foster parent recruitment efforts. That is where Melissa and her team come in.
Micaela Guthrie has loved the Pacific Northwest since attending the University of Puget Sound and is thrilled to have called Bend home for the last 10 years. Micaela has been drawn to immigration law since college where she majored in Comparative Sociology and discovered the power of the personal narrative. Micaela graduated from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri.
Prior to attending law school, Micaela worked in Alaska driving tour busses, volunteered in Nicaragua at a microcredit financing organization, and studied Spanish in Ecuador. She was a member of the Jessup International Moot Court Team and was awarded the Order of the Barristers for her outstanding trial advocacy skills.
Micaela has worked in all facets of immigration law, starting as the Managing Attorney representing asylum seekers and unaccompanied minor in El Paso, Texas; representing companies in employment-based immigration matters; served as an Assistant Chief Counsel for the Office of the Principal Legal advisor; and has worked in Central Oregon representing families and asylum seekers for almost a decade. Her passion for immigration law comes from the joy of bringing families together and giving a voice to those whose stories need to be told.
When not working, Micaela spends as much time as possible in the outdoors with her husband, three children, and their two pups. She is an avid soccer mom, camper, hiker, and runner who enjoys all things that Central Oregon offers.
Stephanie Alvstad is the CEO and President of J Bar J Youth Services. She started with J Bar J in 1989 and began working with teens and families providing mediation, shelter, groups, and individual case management at Cascade Youth & Family Center. In 1997 she became CEO and over the past 30 years, Stephanie has developed the organization with the addition of multiple programs serving youth. These include the Academy at Sisters, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon, Street Outreach, the LOFT Transitional Living Shelter for Homeless Youth, the at: project providing services for human and sex trafficking survivors, and J5 Parole and the Revocation program.
Stephanie’s focus has been on building the capacity of the organization through a continuum of services, to assure youth are prepared to be productive adults. She believes in the potential of young adults and has committed her career to support them.
Stephanie has served on many Boards and is a state resource for legislation. She is at the table for important issues related to kids and families. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for First Story, the Oregon Alliance for Children, a member of the Governor appointed Interstate Council for Juveniles, the Oregon Youth Authority Partner’s Advisory Council, and a member of the Rotary Club of Greater Bend.
Sheriff Nelson has been in law enforcement since 1993 and is in his second term as Sheriff. The Deschutes County Commissioners unanimously appointed Nelson as the 9th Sheriff of Deschutes County in July 2015. He was voted in by the citizens of Deschutes County in November 2016. He was born and raised in Bend and graduated from Mountain View High School in 1988. After graduating from Oregon State University in 1993 he moved back to Bend and began his years of service in the Bend Sheriff’s department.
Sheriff Nelson is an active member of the community; as Sheriff of Deschutes County, he serves on the Board of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, where he holds the office of President; he’s a board member of the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and past Chair, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Finance Subcommittee; serves on the Board of Oregon Accreditation Alliance as Vice Chair and is a past Secretary/Treasurer; he serves on the Board of Directors for Pilot Butte Partners and has served on the Board of Directors for the Redmond School District.
Shane has pulled away from a demanding schedule to share a few thoughts on some important county-wide issues and on public safety.
Megan Martin is “in the house” today. Megan serves as the Executive Director of Furnish Hope, which is a local nonprofit organization that collects, warehouses, redistributes and delivers donated home furnishings and household essentials to individuals and families transitioning into stable, affordable housing.
Furnish Hope operates on a referral basis, working with over 54 community partners consisting of organizations such as churches, school programs, social service agencies and more. Once referred, Furnish Hope connects with the family to better understand their needs; the family pays nothing, and in turn, receives the gift of hope, a sense of belonging and a furnished place to call home. You can learn about the organization at www.furnishhope.com.
Megan is one of our heroes and the story of Furnish Hope is one that will inspire you.
Brad Porterfield serves as the Executive Director of the Latino Community Association here in Central Oregon. The Latino Community Association, or LCA for short, has a mission is to empower Central Oregon Latino families to thrive, creating opportunities for advancement and building bridges that unite and strengthen everyone in our region.
LCA is an essential connecting point for our immigrant community to ask questions, have letters translated, get help making phone calls and negotiating payment plans
LCA helps families pay their bills, file their taxes, work through legal issues, find work, improve their English, and connect to new opportunities. It gives clients the time to be heard and understood. It also provides volunteer opportunities that bring people together across cultures to build a more cohesive community. You can learn more about LCA at www.latinocommunityassociation.org.
Most recently I bumped into Brad at the Bend Chamber of Commerce Excellence Awards, where the Latino Community Association received the prestigious Community Stewardship Award. That led to a coffee conversation where I learned more about LCA and it became clear that everyone in our region should know about this organization.
I believe, like me, you’re going to really enjoy learning from Brad.
Josh Lair is the Community Outreach Coordinator for Ideal Option which covers the State of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Ideal Option is one of the nation’s largest outpatient providers of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment for addiction to opioids, alcohol, methamphetamine, and other substances. Founded in 2012 by two emergency medicine physicians, Ideal Option’s mission is to provide underserved populations with low-barrier access to evidence-based addiction treatment – saving lives, healing families, and helping communities.
Josh is also the Chief Operating Officer of Be Bold Street Ministries, which serves the US, Costa Rica, and Philippines, bringing the love of Christ to the streets every day. After 20 years of addiction, Christ met Josh in E Block cell 288 at the Oregon State Penitentiary. Through the grace and power of Christ, Josh has been free of addiction since January 11, 2011. He was called to go back into the darkness that Christ saved Him from and is now a certified counselor, works with the Salem Police to deescalate interactions with the homeless community, and has been with Be Bold Street Ministries since 2016.
So today, you’re going to learn a bit of Josh’s story, get some insight into the reality of life for those on the street, gain understanding of the drug, alcohol and mental illness crisis that’s growing in our state and hear some of Josh’s perspectives on what can be done to help.
Our guest for this episode is Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone. Commissioner DeBone will discuss the challenges, opportunities and strategies for managing a multitude of county-wide issues in this season of great change. In this far-ranging discussion, you’ll hear Tony’s ideas on housing, apprenticeship programs, homelessness, and regional growth. You’ll also get a sense for the magnitude of the County Commission responsibilities and the budget it administers. The Commissioner’s job is HUGE. Tune in to understand better how our county works.
Leanne serves as the Executive Director of Pregnancy Resource Centers of Central Oregon, which has been serving our region for over 25 years.
As indicated by the name, Pregnancy Resource Center serves as a place for free pregnancy counseling and support – whether the pregnancy is planned or unplanned.
The Pregnancy Resource Center understands that the decisions surrounding a pregnancy can lead to a wide range of emotions. When a woman suspects that she might be pregnant, or even if she’s had a positive pregnancy test, she may be needing answers and feeling pressure to make a decision quickly. Pregnancy Resource Center is there to assist her throughout her decision-making process. Its non-judgemental and confidential client advocates are trained to provide support and resources to help women in just that circumstance.
And the service is not just for women. There are services for fathers, as well. Whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned, the man plays an important role in the decision of whether or not to parent a child. Regardless of the relationship now or in the future, both parents should be involved in making the best possible decision for the current situation.
So in this interview, we’ll learn a bit about the services offered at the Centers and some of the options that potential parents have, including many they may be unaware of in the stress of the moment. You can also learn more at www.prcco.org.
Tammy is the Executive Director of the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council; the region’s Council of Governments, referred to for simplicity as COIC. COIC provides services to the counties of Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson, the cities of Bend, Culver, La Pine, Madras, Metolius, Prineville, Redmond and Sisters, as well as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. It has offices located throughout Central Oregon and employs about 100 people.
Tammy spent many years in the hospitality and real estate industries prior to her time on the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners. During her time in elected office, Tammy emerged as a leading voice on healthcare reform and overall health system improvement. Her leadership has been recognized by organizations throughout Oregon and nationally. The Oregon Business Association recognized her as an Oregon Statesman of the Year for her work in this area.
If we took the time to list all of Tammy’s accomplishments and all the ways she works to participate to improve our community it would fill up all our time, so let’s just say that Tammy arguably knows more about Central Oregon and what’s working, and what’s not working, than any other single person in our region. So, you are in for a treat over the next few minutes as you learn from her about the important role that COIC plays across our region.
Gwenn serves as the Executive Director of Bethlehem Inn since 2010. Before joining the nonprofit world, she served as a member of the Inn’s board of directors for a year and a half. The organization currently has two facilities (one in Bend and one in Redmond) that offer emergency shelter and supportive services for men, women and families. It has as its mission to transform lives together through shelter, help and hope. You can learn more at bethleheminn.org.
Gwenn’s career spans more than 20 years in the hospitality industry working as a Human Resources professional, as well as an Operations Manager. She earned her BA in Business Administration from Washington State University.
She is a native of the Pacific Northwest and moved to Central Oregon in 2007. Since arriving in Bend, she has been active in service and volunteering on various boards and committees for local organizations such as Homeless Leadership Coalition (HLC), Redmond Service Providers, City Club, Rotary, Volunteers in Medicine (VIM), and Start Making a Reader Today (SMART). In 2016 she was recognized by the Bend Chamber as Citizen of the year.
She enjoys living in Central Oregon for the natural beauty and peaceful mountains and rivers it offers. Her passion is inspiring people to do better and help her fellow humans. Tune in and learn about the impact Bethlehem Inn has in our region.
Ranae is the Executive Director of the Giving Plate. In my view, the Giving Plate is one of the most heroic organizations in Central Oregon. It’s the largest food pantry in Central Oregon, serving about 2700 people a month.
Since opening in 2010, The Giving Plate has helped 76,000 families with a week’s worth of food – equating to 5.75 million pounds of food! You can learn more about the Giving Plate at thegivingplate.org.
This organization has an awesome backstory and an exciting future, so let’s get right to it and discover more.
Jason has extensive experience as a police officer on the street – and as such he’s had to deal with all manner of human behavior issues – criminal and otherwise, as you might expect. I invited him on the show specifically today to talk about issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, and homelessness – from the perspective of a street cop. It’s a perspective that, as ordinary citizens, we rarely hear. I’m confident you’re going to find what he has to say absolutely fascinating.
Joni is a long time Central Oregon resident and marketing communications professional. Chances are if you’ve been around here very long you know of her firm Max Marketing.
I invited Joni on the show however, not to talk about marketing, but to talk about a topic that she calls Kissed by Cancer. She’s joined by her daughter and partner in the Kissed By Cancer Project – Lauren Nelson. I’m not going to steal their thunder because they can tell their story so much better directly.
Chris is the General Manager at Technology Design Associates, here in Bend, which is a full services technology integration firm. In his current role and in his business career, Chris has excelled at developing and executing business strategies using strong business acumen, team building, decisive problem-solving and enduring partnerships built on trust.
Chris is currently serving as a Board of Director with three Bend non-profit associations which are The Council on Aging, The Downtown Bend Business Association, and Family Kitchen. When he served as City Councilor he was on the Bend Economic Advisory Board (BEDAB), Bend MPO, Landmarks Commission, Downtown Bend Business Association, Chair of the City Stewardship Committee, he was an Alternate to the Central Oregon Cities Organization (COCO), and was liaison to the Old Bend Neighborhood Association and the SW Bend Neighborhood Association. What that says to me is that Chris knows Bend.
He’s running now to become the mayor of Bend. I thought it would be valuable for us all to hear his thoughts on the future of Bend and the issues that need strong leadership.
Alison Perry is a Licensed Professional Counselor and military-family member who has worked with veterans for over 15 years in government, private, and nonprofit settings. Her passion is healing combat trauma across the lifespan. After six years' clinical counseling in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Alison left to pursue her vision of "a place where veterans could work on the land, sleep under the stars, and be in a community of other veterans".
She founded Central Oregon Veterans Ranch (COVR) in 2014 and currently serves as its Executive Director. You can learn more about the ranch at COVRanch.org. Alison taught for four years at Oregon Department of Public Safety in the Behavioral Health program, co-facilitating Veterans' Awareness for law enforcement students. She has been the recipient of the Red Cross Hero Award (2009) and the Bend Chamber of Commerce's Community Hero Award (2017).
I invited Mike on the show because he’s one of my Central Oregon heroes. All of us who live here know how special this region is, and one of the things that makes it special is the international impact people from Central Oregon can have. Mike Silva is one of those people.
After losing his father in a tragic car accident when Mike was only six years old, he found the forgiveness and comfort he longed for when he accepted Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 10. By the time he was 19, the Lord had clearly called him to do the work of evangelism.
Mike’s clear calling for evangelism ultimately led to the launch of Mike Silva Evangelism International in 1994. The Lord has gifted Mike with divine passion and incredible opportunities to bring Jesus’ hope to desperate souls in the hidden corners of the world. “We are driven,” Silva says, “to reach the forgotten cities of the world.”
Mike has had the privilege of sharing the Gospel with millions of people in at least 35 countries of the world. In addition to his evangelistic festivals, Mike has been a featured speaker at numerous high-profile conferences, Ivy league and college campuses, and the largest men’s events and music festivals in the nation. Silva says of himself, “If God can use me, He can use anyone!”
Mike loves to convey Biblical truth in print and broadcast media as well. He’s authored spiritual journals for the purpose of driving followers of Jesus more consistently into Bible engagement. He also wrote #1 Man: What Every Dad Desires, What Every Daughter Needs. Mike has been a guest on Moody Broadcasting Network, Focus on the Family, TBN, and NeedHim broadcasts.
My guest today is my longtime friend Andi Buerger. Andi is a lawyer, community leader, author, speaker and nationally known advocate for homeless teens and the victims of human trafficking. She has two books to her credit so far: A Fragile Thread of Hope and Voices Against Trafficking. Both books are available on Amazon.
Andi knows of what she writes, as she survived 17 years of sex trafficking by immediate and extended family members before that term even existed. In A Fragile Thread of Hope, Andi recounts her remarkable journey to healing and personal triumph, her fierce determination to rescue others like herself, and the desire to give all victims of sexual predators a genuine voice. A Fragile Thread of Hope explores the epidemic of teen homelessness and sex trafficking pervasive throughout America, even in its smaller towns. When it comes to child abuse in particular, Andi asserts, “The vast majority of homeless youth are not runaways by choice." “Someone knows. Someone always knows. It’s whether they have the compassion and courage to step up for what is right, what is necessary to save that victim.”
And after today, we’ll all know a little more – and may be changed forever. I’ve asked Andi on the show today to share her perspectives on abuse, homelessness and human trafficking in Oregon and in Central Oregon in particular.
Judge Vance Day has enjoyed a distinguished career as an attorney, and as a Circuit Court Judge in the Third Judicial District. While serving as a Circuit Court judge, Vance started a veteran’s treatment court in Salem, Oregon. The goal of this innovative court was to target the root causes of veterans’ criminal behavior through a program tailored to address their needs that is created by the prosecutor, the defense attorney, the judge, other veterans, treatment providers, mentors, and support teams. While Day was running the program, there was a zero rate of recidivism.
Most recently, Vance served for a couple years as the president of Promise Keepers, leading the largest annual gatherings of Christian men. His new initiative is representing the James Madison Center for Free Speech. The James Madison Center for Free Speech was founded in response to a concerted attack on political speech which is at the core of the First Amendment and is essential to our democracy. Its purpose is to promote, through educational activities, respect for the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and to defend the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of association by providing legal representation to those persons and entities whose rights are threatened by government action.
This is obviously a timely topic in our current social and political climate, so expect to learn a lot as Vance explains the scope and importance of the First Amendment.
Jeff Eager is a business attorney and former mayor of Bend. He has amassed a loyal following for his blog and newsletter "Oregon Roundup" which blends political commentary with his experience as a lawyer to provide a conservative synthesis of the prominent issues of our time.
I’ve asked Jeff on the show today to share his perspectives on the Oregon state political climate and our transition out of the state’s COVID response. Specifically, I’ve asked him to discuss the issue of homelessness in Central Oregon from the work he’s done with the Bend Humanity Coalition, which is a group of caring Bend citizens working to make our city safe and humane for the both the unhoused and the housed members of the Bend community.
Expect to learn a lot about the homeless issue that most people don't know.
This interview with Alex was recorded in the summer of 2020. Although some of the discussion reflects that time period, the lessons Alex shares about life, about Uganda, and about community transformation are timeless. Alex's message will move, shock, inspire and encourage you greatly.