Sarah Spangler, based in Corvallis, Oregon, is the Director of Nonprofit Education at the Nonprofit Association of Oregon. Throughout her career, Sarah has embraced various opportunities to serve nonprofits—from a hands-on volunteer to executive director to board member—each contributing to her comprehensive understanding of nonprofit management. Since coming to NAO in 2022, Sarah has leveraged her deep knowledge and diverse experience in the nonprofit sector to empower and educate nonprofit professionals, enhancing their capacity to serve and impact their communities effectively. Sarah has a proven track record of empowering teams and leading successful initiatives. Her journey through the sector has equipped her with a deep understanding of what it takes to drive an organization's mission forward, particularly through developing the internal capacities of staff and board teams. Most recently, Sarah was the executive director of a nonprofit wildlife hospital and nature education center that cares for more than 2,000 animals annually. In her time there, she led the organization through the retirement and transition of its founding executive director, a more than doubling of the organization’s budget, the acquisition of property and capital improvements, the creation of new programs and service area expansions, the expansion and development of the staff team, and the professionalization of its board of directors. All of these exciting changes required careful and strategic planning, a firm grasp on change management principles, and the implementation of effective financial, human resources, operations, fundraising, and other systems. Sarah is enthusiastic about building strong, inclusive teams and creating an environment where nonprofit professionals can improve both their confidence and competence. Her approach is hands-on and community-focused, always aiming to foster environments where passionate individuals can come together to make a significant impact.

Tabitha Eck, a native of Lane County, has spent her professional career exploring various fields, from business ownership to nonprofit management. With a passion for strategic planning, coaching and leadership, and effective communication and relationship-building, Tabitha has become a respected figure in the local operational landscape. Having honed her skills over the years, Tabitha brings a wealth of experience to her role as the Director of Operations at Community Supported Shelters. Her unwavering commitment to bringing people together around common goals has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and driving success in her previous positions. Tabitha's dedication to making a difference in her community shines through her work with organizations such as the Eugene Mission and St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County. During her tenure, she played a vital role in serving the unhoused population in Eugene, leveraging her operations and communications expertise to create impactful programs and initiatives. Beyond her professional endeavors, Tabitha finds joy in exploring the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. She embraces family time and cherishes moments spent with loved ones. Tabitha's creativity extends beyond her professional life, as she takes pleasure in creating beautiful things that add a touch of beauty to the world.

Molly (they/them) is one half of the leadership duo for at Five Oaks Museum, overseeing the museum’s guest curator program, exhibitions, grants, communications, and learning. Molly Alloy (b.1981, St. Louis, MO) is an artist and social change agent based in Portland, OR. As Co-Director of Five Oaks Museum, on unceded Kalapuyan land, they orient their work towards the protection of body, land, truth, justice, and community through tactics of anti-supremacist organizational design and integration of art, archive, and movement building. Alloy’s solo artwork uses material and color vocabularies to invoke healing and trans/non-binary ancestral/descendent presence towards collective queer immortality. Their collaborative artworks respond to urgent socio-political moments such as an intervention on colonial/slavery themed restaurant signage. Alloy is the recipient of a Precipice Grant, artist residencies with PLAYA Summer Lake and the Art + Science Initiative, and the Marguerita Mergentime Award for Excellence in Fiber Arts. They completed their BS in Studio Art at Skidmore College in 2004 and their MFA in Visual Studies at Pacific Northwest College in 2018. They were a founding member of queer curatorial collective First Brick, and have collaborated with a divergent collection of organizations over the past 20 years including Tang Teaching Museum, City Museum, Self Enhancement, Inc., Vestas global, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Alloy’s work has been exhibited nationally including solo shows at Chachama NYC, Beverly Gallery St. Louis, and Gallery 3 in Portland.

Rachel (she/her) is one half of the leadership duo at Five Oaks Museum, overseeing community-centered development and stewardship, operations, and cultural resources.

Rhianna Simes, M.S.Ed. (wry-anna sims) often introduces herself as a recovering Texan, because she was raised on a vineyard and peach orchard in rural, Central Texas. Since then, Rhianna worked for 10 years at the Oregon State University Extension Service where she developed and ran several educational volunteer programs including the Master Gardener program. Rhianna has also served the nonprofit sector for over 20 years in a variety of capacities from Co-Executive Director, to development director, program coordinator and board member. She owns and operates Verdant Phoenix Farm & Nursery that is a diversified, certified Organic farm in Southern Oregon. Rhianna is the founder and lead consultant with Growing Assets for Nonprofit Excellence where she supports nonprofits through facilitation, education, fundraising, and planning for action. She is a “cup half full” thinker that takes an asset-based approach to helping organizations create diverse income streams. Rhianna likes to lead interactive and fun classes where folks are encouraged to participate and share their experiences.

Brooke embraces community-driven organizing and collaboration passionately to manifest inclusive and positive change for nonprofits engaging diverse stakeholders.

Andy provides training and consulting for nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. Over the past 28 years, Andy has worked with clients in 47 US states and across Canada. Since pandemic began in March 2020, he has designed and facilitated nearly 175 online meetings, webinars, and remote workshops covering a variety of topics, including fundraising, board development, marketing, leadership development, facilitation, planning, change management, and train-the-trainer programs. Andy is the author of six books, including Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money, www.trainyourboard.com. His latest is What Every Board Member Needs to Know, Do, and Avoid. He lives in Plainfield, Vermont.

Kassia joined VRC’s staff in 2021, bringing with her nearly two decades of experience at state and national conservation nonprofits, where she’s worked to inspire people to invest in protected lands and waters. As development and operations director, she leads efforts that make each of our conservation successes possible — from writing grants to secure funds for dam removal, to connecting donors with opportunities to protect riverside wetlands and forests, to overseeing the organizational systems that support all VRC’s efforts. Across all of our communications, Kassia helps us share the stories of our projects and the impact Vermont River Conservancy has on wildlife, families, and communities. Kassia’s basecamp is in Montpelier, VT, from where she heads out paddling, backpacking, XC skiing, and traveling, getting to know some of the world’s wildest places alongside her husband, daughter, and black lab.

Erin brings a deep knowledge of Vermont waters and watersheds from previous experience as a watershed and lake education coordinator and state wetlands ecologist. She is a people-person dedicated to building awareness and partnerships that benefit communities and their health, our environment, and the economy. As Conservation Director, Erin enhances conservation partnerships and leads strategic visioning for the public access sites and riverlands the organization will conserve and restore. She also writes proposals, baseline documentation reports, and management plans when she isn’t out in the field working with landowners, watershed partners, and municipalities. Erin’s work mantra is respect, relate, protect, conserve, restore, celebrate, repeat. Erin, her husband, and two active and curious kids along with their mountain dog live in Essex, bordering the Winooski and Lamoille watersheds. Erin and her family love to hike, create beautiful backyard gardens, explore swimming holes, cook with friends, bake pies, and travel to new and old familiar places.