Our Team

Staff

Executive Director - 82nd Ave Coalition and Project Manager

Zachary Lauritzen

Before joining Oregon Walks, Zachary had a career as a high school educator: coach, teacher, and administrator. Part of his daily work focused on supporting students of color navigate and succeed within the school system. He worked to reduce inequitable disciplinary practices by eliminating exclusionary discipline and implementing restorative practices. He partnered with Safe Routes to School on walk and roll days and the creation of a bike shop at the school. Zachary believes deeply in engaging community members and his doctoral work at the University of Oregon focused on monitoring and increasing student interest and engagement in the classroom. He believes profoundly in the transformational power of public education in a thriving democratic society. Similarly, Zachary believes that equitable access to safe, environmentally and community friendly transportation is a cornerstone of a thriving neighborhood and society as a whole. He is excited to lead Oregon Walks while continuing to work along side community members as Portland reimagines 82nd Avenue.

Community Events Manager, Multnomah County

Marian Mumin

A dedicated advocate for community empowerment, Marian (She, Her) brings a unique blend of passion and expertise to the public service realm. With a background in International Relations and Global Health from the University of Oregon, Marian has demonstrated a commitment to breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity throughout her career. Fueled by a passion for health justice, immigrant rights, and community-centered work, Marian strives to reach underserved communities. As a multilingual individual, Marian navigates linguistic diversity seamlessly, ensuring effective communication with a wide range of communities. Beyond the professional realm, Marian is known for her commitment to personal well-being, often embarking on hikes that end in breathtaking views (literally!). A lover of literature, Marian finds solace in reading, creating a harmonious balance between her impactful professional endeavors and the simple joys of life. Marian is thrilled to venture on a new adventure as the Community Events Manager for the Multnomah County area at Oregon Walks, bringing her enthusiasm and experience to contribute to the organization's vital work in pedestrian safety. Marian is excited to join a team dedicated to making a positive impact on community well-being and fostering safer, more accessible public spaces for all.

Community Events Manager, Washington County

Sara Westersund

Prior to joining the Oregon Walks team, Sara had a career in public education as a teacher, district coordinator, and school administrator. After teaching in the classroom and seeing the direct impact that health and wellness has on a students ability to engage with and find success at school, Sara became an advocate for health in education. She worked on the committee to adopt and implement a health curriculum that was comprehensive, affirming, and inclusive of all students. She also coached teachers in health and wellness instruction, and partnered with community organizations such as Safe Routes to School to create safe and healthy experiences for families. As a school leader, Sara took an interest in restorative practices as a way to build social and emotional skills in students while helping them to feel a greater sense of belonging and commitment to their community.

Sara cares deeply about serving and believes wholeheartedly in the power of building strong, supportive communities. She is honored to support the mission at Oregon Walks of helping to create a safe and healthy Oregon.

Speed Kills Campaign Lead

Ian Cunningham

Originally from Minnesota, Ian is excited to join the Oregon Walks team as the Speed Kills campaign lead! Previously a middle school social studies teacher, Ian has worked in classrooms in one form or another for the past ten years, most recently as a substitute teacher for the Beaverton School District. Before teaching, he studied history and youth studies at the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, where he also obtained his Master’s in Education. He is excited to bring his passion for working with young people into the nonprofit space, and to empower them to inform their communities on the dangers that driving at high speeds poses to pedestrians. As often unheard members of their own communities, it is essential for young people to have their views and opinions recognized and listened to, and the Speed Kills campaign aims to do just that. In his free time, Ian enjoys hiking, watching movies, and exploring Portland with his wife.

Board Members

Eric

Claire Vlach - Chair

Claire Vlach grew up in Portland, where she enjoyed taking Tri-Met downtown after school rather than hanging out at the mall. In 2016, after stints in New York, Michigan, and San Francisco, Claire moved back to Portland, joined the Oregon Walks Plans and Projects Committee, and reluctantly bought her first car. Claire is an urban designer who likes to rethink public space by taking auto-dominated places and reallocating them to people-centered uses. She also enjoys dancing, biking, taking walks with friends, and teaching her two kids words like "diverter" and "induced demand."

Jasmine Gordovez - Vice Chair

Jasmine Gordovez works as the Client Services Coordinator at Community Warehouse. Her work allows her to engage with lots of different families and individuals who live in East Portland and Washington County. She comes to this work bringing her perspective as a parent, a woman of color, and as a daughter whose parents live in East Portland. In her spare time, Jasmine likes to go on long runs, explore different parks with her kiddo and partner, Matt, and start craft projects that she only half finishes. Board liaison to Equity and Communications Committees.

Holly Querin - Secretary

Holly Querin is currently a student in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at Portland State University and is specializing in transportation planning because it allows her to combine her passions for equity, accessibility, sustainability, and public health. Her background in sociology informs her intersectional approach to centering racial equality, class equality, and gender equality in her approach to transportation planning. She is currently interning at Metro on the 82nd Avenue Project and is eager to get involved in the community organizing side of imagining a more liveable and equitable 82nd Avenue. In her free time, she enjoys riding her bike, weightlifting, swimming, and reading.

Matthew Hall - Treasurer

Matthew Hall comes to Oregon Walks with a varied background where he dabbled in education, renewable energy and public policy before making the transition into transportation planning. A 2022 graduate of Portland State University’s MURP program, he has previous experience advocating to make Portland more walk-friendly as a member of the city’s Pedestrian Advisory Committee and working to increase economic opportunities for People with Disabilities with Disability Rights Oregon. As a Person with a Disability himself, he’s keenly aware that the path to a better world for everyone comes from making the places we live more inclusive, accessible, and affordable. When he’s not out on a walk or staring dreamily at the FX-2 rolling by, he can be found reading, gardening, cooking, and playing boardgames.

Timur Ender

Timur Ender has been involved with Oregon Walks in various capacities since 2015 and joined the board in 2019. Timur is passionate about livable streets and worked with Better Block PDX to pilot temporary, low-cost improvements on SW 3rd in Old Town and Better Naito. Ever since Timur successfully infiltrated city government in 2015, he has been working diligently to make Portland’s largest public space, its streets, safer and healthier for everyone. Timur is a 2011 graduate of NC State University and 2015 graduate of Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Timur lives with his family in East Portland and enjoys watching the Thorns, cooking, and playing soccer. Board liaison to Legislative Committee.

Je Amaechi

Je Amaechi is a healer, transformative justice activist, and harm reduction advocate. Having received a Masters in Philosophy with concentrations in philosophy of mind and critical race theory, Je is passionate about healing trauma in service of liberation. As a systems thinker, she excelled in the tech world but left to do more impactful work. For the past five years she has been an organizer for Freedom to Thrive, a non-profit focused on divesting from systems of harm (like the police and prison industrial complexes) and increasing community safety by investing in people and the planet. She is also the Reimagining Community Safety Manager for Unite Oregon, a statewide organization fighting for the rights of Black, Indigenous, immigrant and refugee communities. She is currently on Portland's Police Accountability Commission, working to create a community-based oversight system. As a community leader, Je has spent almost a decade studying and teaching various healing modalities, and is working on being certified to be a licensed psilocybin facilitator.

Brendon Haggerty

Brendon Haggerty is a Northwest native, having moved to Portland from Seattle in 2007. As a research analyst for Multnomah County Health Department, Brendon spends his time analyzing the ways that neighborhoods shape health. Trained as an urban planner, he brings expertise in policy and data analysis to his role on the board of Oregon Walks. He also brings the experience of two decades of car-free living, getting around primarily on foot. Board liaison to Fundraising and Plans/Projects Committees

Gregorio Benavides

Greg grew up in Southern California spending weekends and summers at the beach, camping, and at public parks with family and friends. Hence, Greg has been a lifelong advocate of public spaces as being safe and important places for residents and visitors to recreate, travel, and socialize.

He studied marine ecology and evolution traveling to remote locations such as French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. Greg has created outreach campaigns for public works conservation programs in Los Angeles; guided families towards homeownership in McMinnville, OR, at Habitat For Humanity; expanded a permitting program for activating the public-right-of-way for residents in underserved areas in Portland; and he currently manages Multnomah County’s Vote-By-Mail program. He’s also an accomplished forklift operator and speaks several languages.

A resident of Oregon since 2012, he enjoys Portland’s public spaces with his son and their 13-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, Henle. They’re frequent campers, park- and beach-goers, and maintain a secret list of Portland’s best Ramen eateries.

Carrie Robersone

Carrie Robersone works as a Community Health Specialist with the Multnomah County REACH team specializing with the Black and African communities. In this capacity, she helps plan and implement efforts to eliminate chronic diseases through referrals to existing community health resources. She also supports the REACH Healthy Heart Ambassador program, leads classes in the National Diabetes Prevention Program, and other engagement opportunities to promote health and wellness. She is a community health educator and advocate that conducts outreach related to chronic diseases prevention including tobacco cessation, health education in order to increase health literacy, and drive better health outcomes in previously underserved communities.

Lise Ferguson

Lise Ferguson is passionate about making active transportation more accessible and safe, as well as strengthening communities by making public space more enjoyable for people outside of cars. She does not drive and will not rest until all activities are doable and all destinations are reachable by people either walking or rolling. After graduating with a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington in 2014, she moved to Portland because it was so much easier (and more fun) to get around without a car. Currently, she is working towards getting her Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University, which she will use to expand walkability in the region. Lise wants to apply concepts she learns in her education to respective problems in her community, and is excited to get involved with real world projects through Oregon Walks. If she's not at school or work, she is probably out bikepacking, at home cooking, or reading in the hammock.

Danielle Walker

Danielle Walker has worked at the intersection of health, equity, and active transportation for the past decade, including positions at the local, state and national level. Dani is currently working as a Senior Engineering Technician for the City of Hillsboro, where she oversees the Safe Routes to School Program and works to center equity and health considerations into policy and practice.

Dani is passionate about working with diverse partners and community leaders to facilitate policy, systems and infrastructure changes that increase access to multimodal options for all ages, races, incomes, and abilities.

Dani loves to be outdoors: in the snow, ocean, and on mountain bike trails. When she isn’t advocating for bike and ped improvements you can find her out exploring the mountains and beaches with her husband Max and their pup Harper.