Our Team
We Work Together to Make a Difference
Our staff, board of directors, and partners all work collaboratively to create opportunities and prepare youth for their lives beyond high school. Learn about our dedicated staff, board members, and committed partners below.
Our team is full of passionate individuals who bring various lived experiences, expertise, and skills.
Our board includes local school district leaders, higher education officials, and local industry representatives.
We collaborate with local school districts, institutions of higher education, the local workforce board, and industry innovators.
Our Dedicated Staff Members
Our team is full of passionate individuals who bring various lived experiences, expertise, and skills.
Jesse Nelson
Executive Director
Justin Thibedeau
Program Director
Becky-Jo Samples
Marketing Director
Lizzie Brown
Operations Manager
David Ross
Program Manager
Iliana Lang Lundgren
Development Manager
Mary Bell
Finance Manager
Michelle Martin
Administrative Specialist
Annie Dropek
Program Lead, Navigate
KB Burwell
Program Lead, Spark
Grace Chollar-Webb
Program Lead, Elevate
Shannon Pocan
Development Coordinator
Samm Cobiskey
Program Coordinator
Jessie Arrowthwack
HR Generalist
Indigo Amarys
Event and Data Assistant
Matt Nelson
Tech Coordinator
Jade Luther
Graphic Designer & Marketing Assistant
Shimea Jordan
Youth Outreach Coordinator, Elevate
Ryan Chamberlain
Industry Outreach Coordinator
Jared Tarr
Youth Outreach Coordinator, Excelerators
Sasha Chang
Youth Outreach Coordinator, Spark
Tom Kaczmarek
Facilities Maintenance
Mónica Reynoso
Community Outreach Coordinator
Olivia Goodheart
Resource Navigator
Hailey Johnston
Resource Navigator
Adriana Santiago
Resource Navigator
Meg Watson
Project Coordinator
Desireé Marquez-Pacheco
Resource Navigator
Rae Salgado
Resource Navigator
Grace Rathbun
Program Assistant
Yazzie Chee
Projects Assistant
Parker Bracy
Projects Assistant
Sam Hamilton
Career Navigator
Amber Kotvis
Program Assistant
Our Board of Directors
Our board of directors includes local school districts, institutions of higher education, the local workforce board, and industry representatives.
Colt Gill, Interim Superintendent, Eugene School District 4J
Ashley Espinoza, Executive Director, Lane Workforce Partnership
Dianna Carrizales-Engelmann, Assistant Dean for Administration, Director for Equity and Inclusion, University of Oregon College of Education
Grant Matthews, Associate VP for CTE & Workforce Development, Lane Community College
Jenna Cusimano, Interim Manager, Community & Economic Development, Lane County
Judy Newman, Co-Director, Early Childhood Cares
Heidi Brown, Superintendent, Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District
Kraig Sproles, Superintendent, Bethel School District
Laura Lee McIntyre, Interim Dean, University of Oregon College of Education
Matt Sayre, Executive Director, Collaborative EDO
Skip Newberry, President, Tech. Assoc. of Oregon
Todd Hamilton, Superintendent, Springfield Public Schools
Tony Scurto, Superintendent, Lane Education Service District
Renee Francis, Manager of Career Development and Retention, PeaceHealth
Carmen Xiomara Urbina, Eugene School District 4J
Our Partners
We collaborate with local school districts, institutions of higher education, the local workforce board, and industry innovators.