(Registration is now closed for these events)
This summer North Star is hosting speakers on a range of topics – in the fields of public policy making, governance and research work. We've asked them to provide an informal 'intro' to their field and work to our summer fellows, and we're inviting nonprofit interns, early career staff and the like to join for free.
We're hosting these chats in-person at our collaboration space in downtown Portland. View the list of speakers below and please RSVP so we know how many people to expect.
Contact Autumn if you have any questions, autumn@northstarcivic.org
Wednesday, June 7th
10 AM: Challenges and Opportunities in State Budget Policy
Christian Gaston – Former budget director and policy advisor for Governor Kate Brown, was also a policy advisor for both Governor John Kitzhaber and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury.
11 AM: Stakeholders in Oregon Public Policy
Laurie Wimmer – Leads the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, previously worked for the Oregon Education Association teachers union, has more than thirty years of experience working in Salem.
1 PM: Land Use Policy, Affordable Housing, and Equitable Community and Economic Development
Lorelei Juntunen – President and CEO of ECONorthwest, the leading west coast economic and policy research firm; specializes in land use and redevelopment policy, planning, and finance; led the State of Oregon’s first Statewide Housing Plan and the development of the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis.
3 PM: Passing Policy in the Oregon Legislature
Phillip Kennedy Wong – Director of Public Policy at The Nonprofit Association of Oregon, has over 20 years experience lobbying at state, local and federal levels.
Wednesday, June 14th
10 AM: The Role of Non Profits and Community Based Organizations in Policymaking
Felicita Monteblanco – Public Affairs manager at Northwest Health Foundation, supporting advocacy campaigns in partnership with community based organizations.
Katrina Holland – Community advocate with experience at Urban League of Portland, Join PDX and Community Alliance of Tenants.
11:30 AM: Advancing Policy Through Equity Approaches, Collaborative Design, and Applied Research
Mary Li – Director of Multnomah Idea Lab (a learning lab within the Multnomah County Department of Human Services that seeks innovative policy approaches at the intersection of poverty and racism), has worked at the County for over 30 years, is also a founding board member of APANO.
1 PM: Community Engagement and Qualitative Research
Sol Mora – Advocacy Director at Coalitions of Communities of Color, working to build coalitions with meaningful community input, also served as the campaign manager to the successful 2022 charter reform ballot measure.
Wednesday, June 21st
10 AM: Oregon Tax Policy Overview
Laurie Wimmer – Leads the Northwest Oregon Labor Council, previously worked for the Oregon Education Association teachers union, has more than thirty years of experience working in Salem.
11 AM: Informing Economic Justice Policy with Research and Data
Lebaron Sims – Associate Director of Economic Justice at Demos (a think tank with a mission to power the movement for a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy), has a decade of experience researching policy interventions to support wealth growth in low income households.
12:15 PM: Local Government Budgets
Marina Kaminksy – Research Manager at North Star Civic Foundation where she leads research in the fields of economic inequality and democracy reform. She also has experience researching migration and agricultural economics.
Wednesday, June 28th
10 AM: Translating Research into Policy in the Oregon Legislature
Misty Mason Freeman – Director of the Legislative Policy and Research Office at the State of Oregon, previously worked as as a researcher and instructor at Oregon State University where she earned a Ph.D in Public Policy.
11 AM: Role of Research in Program Design at Portland Public Schools
Dr. Liz Gilkey – On a mission to close the opportunity gap between historically underserved students and their more privileged peers, has worked in educational research since 2005 and currently serves as Manager of Research and Evaluation in the Office of Research, Assessment, and Accountability at Portland Public Schools.
Wednesday, July 5th
10 AM: Public Opinion Polling Research
Dave Metz – Partner and President at FM3 Research, has provided opinion research and strategic guidance nonprofits, government agencies, businesses and campaigns in all 50 states, including numerous political candidates and state and local ballot measures in Oregon.
11:15 AM: Intro to Communications for Non-Comms People
Diane Goodwin – Communications and public affairs strategist and founder and trainer of Movement Communications Academy, formerly worked at Brink Communications, Basic Rights Oregon and TriMet
Wednesday, July 12th
11 AM: From “Good Idea” To “Good Policy” – Introduction to the Legislative Campaign Plan
Debbie Koreski – Partner at Mahonia Public Affairs, formerly the Budget Director for Governor Kate Brown, has over 20 years of government relations and communications experience in Oregon politics.
Wednesday, July 19th
10 AM: Career Focus on Racial and Economic Justice
Raahi Reddy – Principal at Estolano Advisors, former Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program at Metro, has over 20 years of experience as community leader, policy advocate and educator.
12:30 PM: Building Capacity for Economic Research in Community Based Organizations
Duncan Hwang – Community Development Director at APANO where he leads small business support, affordable housing development programs, and public planning. He also serves as a Metro Councilor representing District 6, which includes SE and SW Portland.
2 PM: Deliberative Democracy: Citizens' Assemblies and Collaborative Practices for Strengthening Our Democracy
Grace Taylor – Director of Operations at Healthy Democracy, has experience with organizational development and strategic planning for numerous nonprofits in Oregon, as well as grassroots social justice organizing and solidarity activism.
Clarissa Theiss – Intern at Healthy Democracy, Presidential Scholar at Penn State University, where she studies political science.