The purpose of the VOIS Advisory Council is to offer support and guidance to the VOIS Board and Executive Director as needed in a manner that ensures progress toward the Vision and Mission while requiring of the Advisors minimal time commitment and focusing on the unique skills and experience that these community leaders have to offer VOIS.
Andrea Durbin is executive director of Oregon Environmental Council. In 2010, she was recognized by the Portland Business Journal as one of Portland’s “Fabulous Under 40″ leaders. She sits on the Oregon Global Warming Commission and is a founding member and president of the Oregon Living Building Initiative. Before moving to Oregon, Andrea worked as an independent consultant based in Brussels, Belgium and Washington, DC, focused on establishing environmental and social standards for the financial sector. She has authored articles on the topics of globalization, finance and trade issues as they relate to the environment, testified before Congress and served as an NGO Representative on the US delegation to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). She received her degree from the University of Washington, and has completed Harvard’s Executive Management Program. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she lives in Portland with her husband, two children and a cat. Oregon Environmental Council is a sponsor of VOIS.
Ron Paul is a charter member of VOIS. Although he’s never technically been on the board, he’s been a close advisor to the board, participating in development of the VOIS mission and vision. For over two decades as a chef and restaurateur, the artistry and sustainability of food defined his professional identity. In the public sphere, his work with the City of Portland engaged him at the intersection of politics and policy. As chief of staff to then-Commissioner Charlie Hales, he convened a diverse group to develop a year-round, food-focused Public Market that would re-connect with Portland’s historic tradition of shopping locally. He also participated in shaping the city’s arts policies and funding decisions; in that role he coordinated the city’s lobbying for the creation of the Oregon Cultural Trust and now serves as immediate past chair of the Oregon Arts Commission. In the city’s Bureau of Planning and then in the Office of Sustainable Development, he continued to advocate for the Public Market as well as citywide arts and culture planning. Now as a private consultant and self-described civic entrepreneur, he continues his efforts to create The James Beard Public Market and to help Marylhurst University develop an interdisciplinary Master in Food Policy and Culture. His bias is for food systems and cultural planning to advance to the same level that environmental planning has already achieved. He calls it “habitat for urbanity.”
Colin Sears leads the Clean Tech Team in the Business & Industry division at the Portland Development Commission. Since 2007, he has been at the forefront of the agency’s work to grow this sector of the economy, with an emphasis on the electric vehicle/energy storage, green development, and wind energy clusters. Since his arrival at PDC in 1999, he has worked closely on economic development projects and programs within several industry sectors including: activewear, bioscience, creative services, manufacturing and medical technology. His previous career experience includes economic research consulting in Maine and several years as a professional musician. His musical career includes stints as the drummer in punk bands Dag Nasty and the Marshes, and was a founding member of Fugazi. Mr. Sears holds a B.A. in history and a M.S. degree in geography with a specialization in economy and the environment, both from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a founding board member of VOIS.
David Forman is a partner at the law firm of Tonkon Torp LLP. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Finance Practice Group and has served as the co-chair of the firm’s Sustainability Practice Group. David works with investors and companies who use their resources to promote the development of renewable energy and sustainable practices and products. He also advises emerging, small and mid-market private companies in their general corporate, financing and transactional matters and guides private business owners to recognize and achieve their strategic goals. David is an active civic volunteer, and serves on such diverse boards as the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, BodyVox, and the Robison Jewish Health Center. He has also participated in numerous sustainability-related events and forums. In 2004, David was recognized by The Portland Business Journal as one of the forty most influential community and business leaders under the age of forty. He is a founding board member of VOIS.
Amanda Blake, MSC is the founder of Stonewater, an Executive Coaching and Leadership Development firm and a Charter Member of VOIS. Stonewater supports those creative and dedicated people who have a vision for a better world and are running up against the challenges of changing the status quo. Using a unique neuroscience-based, holistic approach, Mandy helps her clients embody a more compelling leadership presence, align their actions with their deeply felt cares, handle high-pressure situations with more equanimity, and develop more satisfying and effective relationships with colleagues and loved ones. As a Master Somatic Leadership Coach, Mandy draws upon a wealth of experience to support her clients, including nearly two decades of experience in the sustainability movement, business experience as both an entrepreneur and a Fortune 500 manager, a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University, and her history as an internationally competitive athlete, yoga enthusiast, and mountaineering guide. Prior to serving on the Advisory Board, Amanda was the leader of the VOIS Community Engagement Team.
Patsy Feeman is a senior strategist with Brightworks’ Enterprise Solutions Group, bringing change management practices to help integrate sustainability as a strategic initiative in organizations. She also serve as the co-chair of the Portland branch of Cascadia Green Building.
Jonathan Poisner is an independent consultant specializing in organizational development for non-profits. From 1997-2009, Jonathan served as Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, leading OLCV through dramatic growth in the size of its budget, volunteer base, and campaigns.
Johanna Brickman is Manager of the Sustainable Built Environment Program at Oregon BEST (Oregon Built Environment & Sustainable Technologies Center). In her role at Oregon BEST, Johanna connects Oregon businesses with Oregon BEST’s shared network of laboratories and expertise across the Oregon University System to transform research related to the sustainable built environment into on-the-ground products, services, and jobs that power Oregon’s green economy. Johanna leads development of the Oregon BEST Sustainable Built Environment Program, including prioritization of research and investment agendas to achieve economic strength in Oregon. She leads working councils, assembles applied research teams, acts as a liaison to complementary regional and national organizations, and serves as an advocate to policy makers, industry and university partners, nonprofits and the media. Prior to joining Oregon BEST, Johanna served for nine years as Associate Partner and Director of Sustainability at ZGF (Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects), a nationally-recognized architecture, interiors, and urban design firm. At ZGF, Johanna provided experienced leadership to the firm’s Sustainable Design Team. She has become a respected consultant and presenter on issues of sustainable design in the U.S. and abroad. Johanna’s passion for sustainable built environments extends to volunteer efforts with non-profit advocacy, including two terms as an elected board member of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council, where she serves as Chair. Johanna is a founding board member of VOIS.
Glenn Montgomery is the Executive Director of Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group exclusively focused on Oregon’s solar industry. With over 20 years of experience spanning the private, public and non-profit sectors, Glenn most recently served as a consultant promoting the solar industry through outreach, education and “cluster” development initiatives for Energy Trust of Oregon and Portland Development Commission. Previously, Glenn worked for the State of Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (now Business Oregon) where he developed new initiatives to support “green development” in the built environment and energy arenas. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in the software industry and 5 years in the non-profit sector wearing most every hat imaginable. Among his other volunteer posts, Glenn is a Director of the Pacific Center for Global Justice and a choir member at First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland. And though not a volunteer position, Glenn is also the father of two teenage girls. Glenn has served on the VOIS board since September 2009.
Amy Hillman is an Area Manager for ECOtality and the EV Project serving the Portland Metro area. She is responsible for promotion and sales of commercial charge infrastructure, public charge infrastructure and fast charge infrastructure. In this role she works with commercial businesses to maximize the federal credits under the EV Project and with all parties through EVSE installation and support. Prior to her work with ECOtality, Amy led and helped transform business team at Sustainable Industries. Amy holds an MBA from Bainbridge Graduate Institute.
Ericka Dickey-Nelson is the President of Social Enterprises, Inc., an event management company originally created in 2007 to raise funds for Bay Area charities, and the founder of the GoGreen Conference. She uses her passion for events and expertise in driving revenue to help important social causes raise money through special events. Ericka created the GoGreen Conference in 2008 to help business owners like herself become more sustainable. In its third year, the GoGreen Conference is now in Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington and Austin, Texas. Ericka’s team at Social Enterprises, Inc. manages a variety of sustainability-focused and social cause events including the 2009 and 2010 City of Portland Ecoroof Fair, Cascadia Green Building Council Living Future Conference, the EcoDistricts Summit, Within Our Reach – New Partnerships for a Healthier Willamette and many more. Social Enterprises, Inc. is a charter member of VOIS. As a VOIS Advisor, Ericka brings her event and fundraising experience to support VOIS and its mission.
Kristen Connor is vice-president at Capital Pacific Bank, where she specializes in serving nonprofits and sustainable-mission driven organizations and businesses. She also serves as the co-chair of Capital Pacific Bank’s internal green team and has been instrumental in the bank’s move towards more sustainable business practices. In addition to her 10 year banking career, Kristen was co-owner of a small business which gave her a chance to experience many of the same challenges facing her clients. In addition to her work with VOIS, Kristen volunteers for several of the bank’s nonprofit clients, including coordination of an annual Thanksgiving dinner for at-risk students at a local alternative high school. Kristen holds a degree in international economics from the University of Colorado with a minor in business administration from the Colorado University Leeds School of Business. A native of Colorado, she is an outdoors enthusiast and avid skier, hiker and camper. She lives in Portland with her husband and young daughter.
Diane Dulken is owner of Diane Dulken Strategies, a sustainability and communications consultancy that works locally and nationally with mission-driven businesses and conservation organizations. She creates innovative strategies that have lasting impact: catapulting Ecotrust’s Natural Capital Center to national attention and launching its popular events center; creating Art Rack Media to place artistic bicycle racks in Portland and elevate the profile of bicycles; helping Farm Stay U.S. grow to become the national leader in connecting travelers with farm and ranch vacations. She is a former award-winning journalist, and graduate of the University of Michigan. Diane has served the city/county Sustainable Development Commission and on the advisory councils of several non-profits in addition to being a proud member of VOIS. An expert in social media, she blogs about innovative sustainability ideas for the influential Huffington Post. Find her on Twitter at @DianeDulken and in real life bicycling around Portland.
