Staff and Board
StaffInstructorsKimberly Allain
Carol Leek
Ana Rubio
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Board of DirectorsTeri Alexander, Board President Community Programs, Catholic Community Services Marcia Bagnall, Board Secretary and Treasurer Director, Chemeketa SBDC Summer Keightley, Board Member ESHA Research Chuck Fisher, Board Member Executive Director, Salem-Keizer CDC Rita Grady, Emeritus Board Member Executive Director, Polk CDC Marie Trucco, Board Member Director, Greater Independence Business Incubator Jose Gonzalez, Board Member President, Tu Casa Real Estate Humberto Sanchez, Board Member Owner, Bee Clean Janitorial Services |
Board of Directors Bios:
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Summer Keightley, Board President, is a Salem resident and has served on the MERIT Board since 2003. Summer has written a vegan cookbook, owned her own vegan baking business, and currently works for a local small business software company. Summer enjoys using her skills to help microentreprenuers grow and prosper in the Willamette Valley and beyond.ESHA Research 4747 Skyline Dr, Suite 100, Salem, OR 97306 summer@esha.com |
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Marcia Bagnall, Board Secretary and Treasurer, is the Director of Chemeketa Community College’s Small Business Development Center. She is also the founder and owner of Bryce Vineyard, a winery located in Yamhill County. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education and another in Business Administration.Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry 626 High Street NE, Salem, OR 97301 503.399.5088 www.bizcenter.org/salem marcia.bagnall@chemeketa.edu |
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Chuck Fisher joined the MERIT board in 2009. He recently became Executive Director of Salem Keizer Community Development Corporation after serving on the Board of Directors for three years. He brings with him over 20 years of community development experience to the organization.Salem Keizer CDC, Executive Director 945 Columbia St. NE Mailing: PO Box 7364 Salem, OR 97303 503.856.7077 www.salemkeizercdc.org chuck@salemkeizercdc.org |
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Rita Grady is the director of Polk Community Development Corporation. She has been on MERIT's Board of Directors since MERIT was founded in 2005.Polk CDC, Executive Director 657 Main St. Dallas, OR 97338 503.831.3173 www.polkcdc.org rgrady@polkcdc.org |
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Teri Alexander is program coordinator for community programs with Catholic Community Services. These programs are Lifespan Respite/Safe Families, Volunteer Services, Family Finders and tutoring/mentoring services for Foster youth. In addition to serving with MERIT she is a Board member for Woodburn Family Learning Center.Catholic Community Services, Community Programs 3737 Portland Road NE Salem, OR 97303 Mailing: PO Box 20400 Keizer, OR 97307-0400 503.540.2929 www.ccswv.org talexander@ccswv.org |
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Marie Trucco is the Director of the Greater Independence Business Incubator. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and has 18 years of corporate management experience including Management Development Training. Marie owned and operated a retail store, Corky’s Daughter in Salem, for 11 years and has worked for 5 years as a small business consultant for retail businesses, with clients in Oregon and Washington. She has been instructing MERIT classes in Independence since July 2009.Greater Independence Business Incubator, Director 414 So Main Street Independence, OR 97351 503.837.0783 bizincubator.wordpress.com incubatorinfo@minetfiber.com |
| Jose Gonzalez | |
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Humberto Sanchez |
Staff and Instructor Bios:
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Forrest Peck, Executive Director Forrest has worked for MERIT since 2007. His background in finance and community development is an asset to the MERIT program. Peck previously worked for USDA Rural Development, most recently as a Community Development Specialist. He is an active volunteer in his community, and has served on the Monmouth Legacy Forest board, the Polk SWCD budget committee and as coordinator for the RiverRave concert in Independence. Forrest is the former owner and operator of a retail leather crafts business. Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry || 626 High Street, NE, Salem, OR 97301 || 503.399.5088 || forrest.peck@chemeketa.edu |
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Kristen Mozian, Resource Development Coordinator Kristen is a recent graduate of Messiah College in Grantham, PA with a degree in Finance. Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry || 626 High Street, NE, Salem, OR 97301 || 503.399.5088 || kmozian@chemeketa.edu |
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Mona Edwards, Program Coordinator Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry || 626 High Street, NE, Salem, OR 97301 || 503.399.5088 || medwar44@chemeketa.edu |
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April Simmons, Americorps VISTA April is a recent graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with a degree in Organizational Communication and Philosophy. Chemeketa Center for Business & Industry || 626 High Street, NE, Salem, OR 97301 || 503.399.5088 || asimmo14@chemeketa.edu |
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Lorie Bickford is the former owner of the Bead Garden, a retail craft store and part owner of an online retail business. She is currently the owner of JoyRide Cycling Studio. Lorie also has a Masters Degree in teaching from Willamette University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish. She has worked for Chemeketa Community College as a Spanish instructor and for the Literacy Volunteer Program as a literacy specialist and as a volunteer coordinator. Lorie also taught Spanish at North Salem High School. She has been instructing MERIT classes in English and Spanish since fall of 2009. |
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Tim Crosby is a self-employed musician and music instructor. He holds an MBA from Willamette University and has instructed marketing courses at the college level. Tim has over 20 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He has worked in commercial radio, is the former owner of Private Land Manager Magazine, has self published a book, and was nominated by RMA for Best Bluegrass Song of 2008. He has been instructing MERIT classes since 2006. |
| Dan Exstrom has owned and operated Tax Pros Northwest in McMinnville since 1997. He is a seasonal Wildland Fire Dispatcher volunteer for the Fire Protection Division of Oregon Department of Forestry. Dan has been instructing MERIT classes since February of 2010. | |
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Bob Myers brings a wealth of experience in education and business. He and his wife Nelda owned and operated Coast to Coast Hardware Store in Monmouth, Oregon for 19 years from 1978 to 1997. Bob taught for 19 years at Thurston High School in Springfield, OR, where he served as the Social Studies Department chairman and Curriculum Coordinator for many years. Bob has also instructed Bible Study at Foursquare Denomination for 28 years and has instructed at Canby Bible College for 5 years. He holds a Bachelors Degree from Western Oregon University and a Masters Degree from University of Oregon. Bob has been a MERIT instructor since 2007 |
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Anthony Veliz is the owner of IZO Marketing and Public Relations. He has been involved with the Latino community at the grassroots level for over 20 years. Anthony is a former school board member and city councilor in Woodburn. His experience as the Community Relations Manager for NIKE, Inc. to Director of Parent & Community Relations for the local school district gives him the US Hispanic national and local perspective. Anthony holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Rhode Island in Kingston, RI and a Bachelor’s Degree in marketing from Portland State University in Portland, OR. Anthony has been married to his wife Melinda for over 12 years. They have three children, Cristian, Selia and Ylianna. He has a passion for sports and at one time owned his own minor league professional basketball team. |
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Scott Sadler is the owner of Sadler Business Coaching and Adjunct Faculty and Business Advisor at the Chemeketa Small Business Development Center. Scott brings over 21 years of experience in business ownership, entrepreneurial skills, management, leadership, systems development, goal setting and team building. He has achieved his Professional Coaching Certification. He also co-writes the monthly column “Ask the Coach” for the Salem Business Journal which answers readers’ questions about balancing business and life. |
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Chris Scadden is the co-owner of Cwerks, Inc., a traveling theater company specializing in interactive entertainment for children and adults. It's a small business in which he and his wife wear most of the business hats, including marketing, budgeting, and development. Chris has a Masters degree in bi-lingual education and has taught first grade to the community college level. Chris taught in bilingual programs in California and Oregon for a total of 19 years and now instructs Spanish at Chemeketa. Chris completed the MERIT training in 2004 and has been instructing for MERIT since 2006. |
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Marian Scadden is the co-owner of Cwerks, Inc., a traveling theater company specializing in interactive entertainment for children and adults. It's a small business in which she and her husband wear most of the business hats, including marketing, budgeting, and development. Marian graduated in children's theater but has been teaching all ages–including adults–for three decades. |
| Marie Trucco is the director of the Greater Independence Business Incubator. She is a seasoned business manager and entrepreneur with a solid understanding of a diverse range of business applications including business plan writing, sales & marketing, trade show participation, branding, financing, facility management and operations. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and has 18 years of corporate management experience including Management Development Training. Marie owned and operated a retail store, Corky’s Daughter in Salem, for 11 years and has worked for 5 years as a small business consultant for retail businesses, with clients in Oregon and Washington. She has been instructing MERIT classes in Independence since July 2009. |
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