Connecting Awesome People

Edgar's LinkedIn ProfileInventing Latino's by Laura E. GomezMexican-American War wikipediaEdgar J. Palacios is the President & CEO of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC), an organization that dutifully works to increase and retain the number of quality Latinx education professionals in K-12. Edgar previously owned a nonprofit consultancy (EJPKC, LLC) and has had the privilege of working with organizations such as Community Builders of Kansas City; Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City; El Centro, Inc.; Show Me KC Schools; and the Kauffman Foundation.

Shawna's LinkedIn profileFor more than a decade, Shawna has worked in Positive Youth Development, bringing expertise in program innovation in out-of-school-time settings, organizational strategy, civic engagement, and scaling national partnerships. Shawna joined Camp Fire in June 2013; during her tenure, she has led culture change efforts and leadership transitions at the national office, as well as designed and launched diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) efforts across the network, including creating an equity task force to address and end cultural appropriation in the organization. Previously, she worked at Thrive Foundation for Youth and Global Kids in New York City. Shawna also spent time in the Middle East, developing and facilitating educational material for various organizations promoting conflict resolution among teens in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, including Seeds of Peace, Just Vision, and Parents Circle-Families Forum. Shawna earned a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Education and Applied Psychology from University of California Santa Barbara. She lives in Seattle with her wife, Stef, their two children, Raffi and Crosby, and their two dogs.

Jenn's LinkedIn profileGoogle Pixel advertising about "the most inclusive camera" (from Nov 2021)CASA program detailsJenn Klotz is a dynamic accomplished leader focused on building relationships and forging connections to get work done together. She is the Senior Community Relations and External Communications Lead for Genentech in Oregon and has been at Genentech for over 15 years in various roles. During her time at Genentech Jenn has been a leader in creating and implementing strategies that impact the workforce, the community and Genentech’s patients through the lens of equity.Jenn is the Executive Sponsor for an employee led employee resource group focused on fostering belonging and transforming society. As a leader Jenn has specifically focused on mentoring women of color early in their career to provide representation that often was not available to her. She has extensive experience as a speaker, moderator and panelist on various topics. Jenn is a Portland native now residing in Hillsboro. She is a mom of two grown sons, a lover of all things wine country and a professional musician. Jenn has been a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster youth through CASA for Children of Multnomah, Washington and Columbia counties since 2017 and a member of the CASA board since 2020. Jenn’s superpower is connecting ALL people to help improve their lives.

(the recording tool we used shifted the timing of our recording so that at times we talk over each other. There's still a lot of great content from Ulric so we're releasing the episode anyway, but we were not talking over each other while recording.)Ulric's LInkedIn profile (pronounced "YOUR-Rick")Henry Horner wikipedia pageRudy Lozano wikipedia pageHarold Washington wikipedia pageUlric Shannon currently serves as the Executive Director at Surge Chicago, drawing on more than 15 years of leadership in education management. His career in education began as a Chicago Public School teacher, and most recently, he held the position of Director of Purpose at LiberatED Way (AUSL). In this role, he led initiatives to dismantle systemic barriers, working towards providing equitable opportunities for K-12 students. Ulric's commitment to mission-driven leadership is evident in his efforts to develop and manage strategic partnerships on both local and national levels.As an alum of the Surge Institute (Class of 2020), Impact Fellow at the Chicago Urban League, Posse Scholar through the Posse Foundation, and Civic Leadership Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ulric has consistently demonstrated a deep dedication to fostering positive collective impact. Chicago Scholars recognized his contributions, honoring him as one of the city's impactful professionals under 35. Academically, Ulric holds three Master’s Degrees in Political Science, Education, and Business Administration from the University of Illinois and National Louis University, showcasing his multidimensional expertise.Outside of his professional endeavors, Ulric embraces the spirit of Chicago, savoring the city's tavern-style pizza and upholding culinary traditions—no ketchup on hot dogs. He also immerses himself in the local dance scene, enjoying stepping and footworking. During moments of relaxation, Ulric's adventurous spirit comes to life through global travel and culinary explorations, complemented by the simple joys of Law and Order: SVU marathons. Ulric's impactful journey is defined by his dedication to education and a zest for life's diverse experiences.

Shawna's LinkedIn profileCampFire.org websiteFor more than a decade, Shawna has worked in Positive Youth Development, bringing expertise in program innovation in out-of-school-time settings, organizational strategy, civic engagement, and scaling national partnerships. Shawna joined Camp Fire in June 2013; during her tenure, she has led culture change efforts and leadership transitions at the national office, as well as designed and launched diversity, equity, inclusion, and access (DEIA) efforts across the network, including creating an equity task force to address and end cultural appropriation in the organization.Previously, she worked at Thrive Foundation for Youth and Global Kids in New York City. Shawna also spent time in the Middle East, developing and facilitating educational material for various organizations promoting conflict resolution among teens in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, including Seeds of Peace, Just Vision, and Parents Circle-Families Forum. Shawna earned a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Education and Applied Psychology from University of California Santa Barbara. She lives in Seattle with her wife, Stef, their two children, Raffi and Crosby, and their two dogs.

Blaire's linkedInMultipliers by Liz WisemanThe Business of Belonging by David SpinksSee Blaire speak at the CMX Global event on Sept 25, 2024Organization Talk a MileBlaire G. Hervey epitomizes dynamism and impact. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, and shaped by Louisville, Kentucky, she forged her path in Atlanta, Georgia, before settling in Portland. With a robust background in sales, revenue enablement, and executive coaching, she honed her skills at tech giants like Salesforce, AWS, and ZoomInfo, where she earned a reputation as a revenue booster and culture shifter.Transitioning to entrepreneurship, Blaire founded The Corporate Strategist, a thriving agency specializing in DEIBA (diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging & allyship) strategies. Her adeptness in keynote speaking, training, and coaching has empowered countless clients to foster inclusive cultures and drive sustainable change.In her latest role as Vice President of Community Engagement for Girl Scouts of Oregon & Southwest Washington, Blaire harnesses her sales acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for female empowerment. Her mission is clear: to forge connections, amplify visibility, and advance the Girl Scout mission in underrepresented communities, developing character in confident and courageous girls & women. A committed advocate, Blaire dedicates her time to serving the community. For five years, she has served as a member of the Junior League of Portland and has led as Co-Chair of the DEI Committee, championing equity and inclusion initiatives and now serves on the Portland NAACP board as a member-at-large. Ever the learner, Blaire pursues continuous growth as an MBA candidate at Willamette University, embodying her commitment to lifelong education and growth.

Brett's LinkedIn ProfileBrett graduated in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University, and has worked in supply chain management for over 30 years in multiple industries. For a few years during that journey, he was the creator and President of Flashback Games, a patented, award-winning board game about sitcoms and movies from the 70's, 80's, and 90's.Brett is a native of Newport, RI and has lived in Portland, Oregon since 1995 with his wife and 2 daughters, ages 23 and 16. Brett enjoys working with and meeting new people, but there is nothing more important in his life than his family and friends. Tomorrow is never promised, so he looks to make the most of each day with them.Brett's Youtube channelBrett's LLS Day of Action fundraiser

Children's book "A Tree of My Own" will be released on October 19th at Powell's. We're doing a 10:30am storytime event. https://www.powells.com/book/a-tree-of-my-own-9798990803404/1-1Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito (she/her) is a Chinese American judge, mom, writer, and publisher in Portland, Oregon. Prior to her appointment as a patent judge, her legal practice focused on helping clients secure and maintain intellectual property rights across a broad spectrum of technologies including medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and biotech. On the literary side, she is the founder of game and book publisher Demagogue Press and the nonprofit, Qilin Press, which publishes community-based stories. Frances also co-chairs the Young Willamette Writers program that provides free writing classes for high school and middle school students. You can find her on IG @francespaippolito, FB Frances Pai, and at www.demagoguepress.com/about Gigi Little is a freelance book designer and the staff designer for Portland’s Forest Avenue Press. Her cover for Forest Avenue’s novel Froelich’s Ladder won the gold medal in the jacket/cover design category of the PubWest Book Design Awards. She's also the editor and illustrator of their popular short story collection City of Weird: 30 Otherworldly Portland Tales. Her writing for adults can be found in journals and anthologies including Portland Noir, The Pacific Northwest Reader, and Dispatches from Anarres. She has a middle-grade short story forthcoming in the anthology The Magic We Miss, and she wrote and illustrated two published picture books, Wright Vs. Wrong and The Magical Trunk. More info can be found at gigilittle.com.

Nanci Luna Jiménez has committed to her own healing for more than 30 years to be a transformative guide, heart-centered listener, and authentic companion for leaders and change-makers committed to racial healing and social justice. Since founding the Luna Jiménez Institute for Social Transformation in 1994, she has reached tens of thousands of people with her core message of human goodness and connection as a transformational approach to social change.Nanci works from the premise that systems are made up of humans, and unhealed humans perpetuate harm and injustice. Her approach centers healing and authentic relationships as the foundation for sustainable systems change and accountability. She gently reminds people what they already know: oppression can only end with their healing, and, with support, they can completely heal!Nanci coaches and consults with individuals and intact groups who are ready to be lovingly challenged and held with compassion as they unwind patterns which no longer serve their most whole vision for themselves, their work, and their world. Certified as an IAF Master level process facilitator, she expertly speaks to and works with what is unnamed, unspoken, and invisible in the room. Nanci guides organizations, boards, and communities to deal with unaddressed emotions that can block creativity and collaboration necessary for transformative culture shifts.As a sought-after TEDx speaker, Nanci’s vulnerable, insightful, and experiential keynotes leave audiences feeling seen and inspired to take the next step on their healing journey. Nanci imparts new language, fresh ways of thinking, and tangible practices that renew and reinvigorate through her numerous ground-breaking in-person, virtual, and on-demand programs, and courses.Nanci’s approach honors the legacy and teachings of Dr. Erica “Ricky” Sherover-Marcuse, who coined the term “unlearning racism,” and Lillian Roybal Rose, M.Ed., an expert in cross-cultural communication. From them, she learned that ending oppression means coming home to ourselves, each other, and the planet.Nanci was a Fellow with the Presidio Institute’s Cross Sector Leadership Program. She completed the Executive Leadership Program through the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Center for Creative Leadership in Brussels, Belgium as a National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) Fellow. In August 2001 she attended the United Nations World Conference against Racism Non-Governmental Forum in Durban, South Africa as a delegate with United to End Racism (UER) and served as an international observer for the Haitian presidential elections in 1995. She was a Ford Foundation Fellow and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and received her BA cum laude from Yale University. She also attended the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras and completed El Programa Interdiciplinario de la Mujer at the Colegio de México in Mexico City.Of Afro-Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, Nanci was born in Detroit, MI, and raised in Detroit and Tucson, AZ. When she isn’t innovating on the groundbreaking work of her mentors, Nanci enjoys planting native habitat and making meals with the harvest from her Portland, Oregon garden. She loves lifting weights, forest bathing, walking, hiking, cycling, warm ocean swimming, and a very restorative yoga practice. For her spirit, she dances and drums Bomba in Borikén (Puerto Rico) whenever she can!

Vashti's Linked In profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vashtina/Vashti's Bio:Vashti holds a Masters in Humanistic Psychology from the University of West Georgia (UWG) as well as an MBA in Healthcare Administration. Vashti has been in the field of mental health for over 7 years across clinical, research, and administrative realms. Vashti has spent 20 years volunteering and leading in Delta Phi Epsilon (DPhiE), an international women’s organization, as an advisor to members and serving on multiple committees. Vashti was DPhiE's first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair and is a current member of the International Governing Board. Vashti also serves on the board of The Living Room for Youth, an agency in Oregon that serves the needs of LGBTQ+ youth.  

Aaron Kier's LinkedInDouglas Rushkoff's book Team HumanContinuum of Becoming an Antiracist Organization

Cinder's next Connect & Learn event is scheduled for July 24th. You can register for that event at this link.Marcus Carter is back, this week discussing the problems with "Assume Good Intent" as a group agreement.

Krystal's LinkedInKrystal has spent over 10 years at organizations in various stages of growth, including start-up, nonprofits, governmental, established, and turnaround settings. She brings her understanding of the interconnectedness of the lives of people, and her strength in facilitating the connection of diverse groups of people that allows for the cross-pollination of ideas and unlikely sparks, to foster an environment of creativity and community for organizations to thrive. Most recently, Krystal has led community engagement and equity and inclusion projects for area nonprofits, and served as the Executive Director for a culturally specific nonprofit. Prior to that, she managed recruitment and hiring at the City of Portland. Krystal earned her Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) from Portland State University and a B.S. Ed. in Learning and Organizational Change from Northwestern University. Krystal enjoys spending time with her family, harvesting fruits and vegetables from the garden, and making healthy desserts. She loves sports, especially fútbol, and is a self-proclaimed “foodie”.

Mancin's LinkedIn profileMancin grew up between Portland and CA. He started his work in an executive training program at US Bank and then moved on to Workforce-focused efforts at WorkSource, Urban League, and then WorkSystems.

Shakunda's LinkedIn profileConstructing HopeShakunda Murphy-Wilson has over 15 years of experience in Human Resources, and she considers herself more than just a "trainer" or "recruiter." She is passionate about people and takes pride in helping them showcase and develop their skills, goals, and accomplishments. With her diverse background and experience across multiple industries, Shakunda is competent in leading, managing, and coaching teams. She has a heartfelt interest in helping companies create a healthy, high-performing team culture and developing programs that enable employees to reach their full potential. Shakunda is open to discussing Human Resources, Coaching, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion opportunities. If you're interested in connecting with her, don't hesitate to contact her via LinkedIn.

Connect with Dana at @Oregonbrewlab (https://linktr.ee/OregonBrewLab)Dana Garves received her Chemistry degree from the University of Oregon in 2010, and jumped right into testing water quality for her first post graduation job. Feeling unfulfilled by water QC, Garves set her sights on the beer industry and joined local Eugene beer giant, Ninkasi Brewing Company in 2011. She started providing Oregon Brewers with free alcohol and bitterness analysis while building the quality control laboratory and sensory program at Ninkasi. Recognizing that free science was unsustainable, and affordable science was in rare supply, Garves created Oregon BrewLab in 2014 – a beer lab dedicated to providing fast and accurate testing for brewers and homebrewers. Since 2014 Oregon BrewLab has removed the cost barrier and headache of beverage analysis for over 600 breweries nationwide. While other labs will still be sitting on samples for weeks, Oregon BrewLab takes pride in offering quick 2 day turn around on TTB certified, affordable beverage testing. Check out the website at oregonbrewlab.com or find OBL on Instagram for the weekly Science Friday posts."

Cinder's Connect and Learn event - this week! (May 22) - Eventbrite linkDaelynn's LinkedIn profileDaelynn Moyer is a Software Engineering Manager at Indeed where she helps people get jobs. Prior to moving into a leadership role several years ago, she spent 20 years as a self taught software engineer, building systems in support of industries as diverse as transportation, heavy manufacturing, FinTech, LegalTech, Aerospace, and semiconductor manufacturing. She's built networks of electric vehicle charging stations, flight deck software for commercial jets, programming and configuration tools for heavy trucks, and control interfaces for electron microscopes. That deep technical background works in her favor as she builds and guides diverse, equitable, and high-performing software engineering teams on a foundation of empathy, trust, and authenticity. She and her wife live in the Portland, Oregon area where they obsess over their 1963 ranch home and all things mid-century modern. While Daelynn is proud to be a woman of transgender experience, her life's greatest achievement is teaching her cat to stand on his hind legs and turn a pirouette.

RSVP for Cinder's Connect and Learn event on May 22ndZhou Fang's LinkedIn profileZhou Fang is the founder and principal consultant of Intersectional Group LLC, a leadership practice with a focus on intersectionality, empathy and compassion, as well as curiosity.  Zhou is an advocate for pay transparency and equity, immigration reform and climate justice, as well as a committed ally for the LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities. Currently, Zhou serves on the board of Portland HR Management Association. She also hosts The Intersection, a podcast program about identity, personal journey, and leadership.  Outside of work, Zhou is a proud dog and plant parent and a comedy and horror movie enthusiast. She appreciates good food and loves to travel.  The Immigrant Story (local non profit)Intersectionality Matters! (podcast)The 3 Body Problem (book)

RSVP for Cinder's Connect and Learn event on May 22ndHeather Cox Richardson - Letters from an AmericanRobert Hubble - Today's Edition newsletterSimon Rosenberg - Hopium ChroniclesYes MagazineSylvia's LinkedIn profileSylvia was born in Colombia and moved to the U.S. when she was 18. She worked as a Computer Engineer for almost 12 years and is now obsessed with US politics; she loves learning about what’s going on in DC and how different policies might affect us. Sylvia's main goal is to help Latinos in the U.S. feel less overwhelmed by politics and to help change Latino representation in politics and the media. By sharing what’s going on, why it matters, and how it affects us all, she shows her audience how and why to get involved and create change (in their own way).

Nick's LinkedIn profileRSVP for Cinder's Connect and Learn event on May 22ndNick Card is a 5th generation Oregonian and is the Vice President of Operations at Combined Transport Inc, where he oversees the operations of the company's shop, yard, and 500 trucks and drivers.Nick is an active advocate for the City of Medford and the greater Rogue Valley, and today serves as the Vice President of the Medford City Council.  Nick has committed himself to making Medford a strong and vibrant community, championing solutions to help create jobs, improve education, and reduce cost of living.In addition to his work on the council, Nick serves on the Executive Committee for the Medford & Jackson County Chamber, the Executive Committee for the Oregon Trucking Association, the Board of Directors for the American Trucking Association, and multiple Scholarship Selection Committees with the Oregon Community Foundation.