Netarts, Oregon-raised, retired Army vet, Paul Peterson knows the Oregon coastal waterways well. Having spent the bulk of his life devoted to creating a livelihood by shrimping, crabbing, fishing, and kayaking, lovingly referred to as ‘Captain’ Paul, he knows the ins and outs of the coastline of Oregon and the West. Paul is a father and grandfather and shares his love for the beachline with his grandchildren. Paul also has experience with autism long before the name was commonly used and when supports were vastly limited. Paul likes to relish the human connection with his family and friends and has an infectious ‘can-do’ spirit. Today he can be found on his sailboat seeking the next catch.

Leah knows affordable housing in the Pacific Northwest Region. She has worked at Vancouver Housing Authority and previously, she worked as a private consultant assisting nonprofit, for-profit, and public agencies, including Sammy’s Place, to develop strategic plans and affordable housing throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. The consulting work allowed Leah to use skills she developed while serving as an executive director of Affordable Community Environments, a small nonprofit housing agency in Vancouver, and the housing policy manager for Portland’s urban renewal agency. Leah spent her childhood years watching her father run a nonprofit serving adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. With nearly 30 years in community development work, Leah’s passion is affordable housing and the role it plays in vibrant, healthy communities, families, and individuals.

Vicki is a true homegrown Oregonian. After graduating from David Douglas HS she began her career at Standard Insurance Co. where she worked in investments, earned a B.S. in Business from Portland State University with a 12-year-old at home, and eventually retired as Vice President. Now she lives on the north coast of Oregon with her husband, Brian, 3 dogs, and her two grandchildren close by. She and Brian travel internationally when it is not the salmon fishing season. They are both very involved grandparents and understand the importance of caring for a child with Down syndrome and looking out for the future.

Chantelle spent her early years exploring the west including Utah and Alaska before settling on the Oregon Coast where she and her husband love living with their children. They run a successful and busy local service business that allows them to see most parts of the north Oregon Coast regularly. When the boys were diagnosed with autism, early on, she became absorbed by everything autism, including supporting individuals experiencing disability, advocacy, and inclusion work. Chantelle works hard throughout the community to open doors to important and necessary human connections for their boys and others like them, and never looks away from a challenge if it means improving someone’s life. She enjoys being a Girl Scout troop leader, reading, cooking, crafting, downhill skiing, and hiking our coastal forested trails.

Dan Haag is passionate about access to outdoor recreation and grew up hiking the woods and paddling the waters of Minnesota. Along with his wife and a series of rescue Labradors, Dan has lived on the north coast since 1991, migrating from Cannon Beach to Nehalem in 2001. After nearly 10 years operating the Manzanita Visitors Center, Dan transitioned to his current role as Trails and Outdoor Recreation Manager at Tillamook Coast Visitors Association in 2021, where he works on ways to improve access to the outdoors for people of all abilities. Dan holds a Bachelors in History from Linfield College and a Masters in writing from Pacific University.

Julie is a native Oregonian that took the route of the Hawaiian islands, after college, to land on North Coast of Oregon so she could live out her reverence of the ocean, mountains, river, and the bay. Early on, she ran a small kayak/surf shop providing eco-tours for visitors imparting the knowledge of the importance of nature’s required interdependence for its health, vitality, and sustainability. She then spent 10 years at the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership sharing with adults and kids the importance of healty waters and helped create the Tillamook County Water Trail – a National Recreation Trail. Julie is active in the local and regional community currently serving as a City of Nehalem Planning Commissioner; and as a member served in many committees, boards, and councils including:  Oregon Council of Developmental Disabilities; Oregon State Marine Board Non-motorized Advisory Committee; Oregon Parks & Recreation Dept. Trails Advisory Committee; and Tillamook Wellness. She and her husband have two sons – their oldest experiences Down syndrome. She advocates to bring a regional voice to the coastal disability communities and works to ensure that the Coast embraces the idea that disability is natural. She continues to use, to this day, the example of nature’s brilliance in its connectivity and diversity in order to thrive.

Stephen Hodges is the CEO and founder of BosonHub, a niche digital marketing agency that has served 350+ clients across the U.S. and 10 other countries since 2012. In addition to managing BosonHub, Stephen is an esteemed Instructor at the Oregon State University College of Business, blending academic insights with real-world business expertise. He also is the founder of Nerds Abroad, an organization that refurbishes technology for nonprofits and students in the Willamette Valley, and serves as a board member for the Oregon Fire Service Museum.

Jigsaw Consulting Services, founded by Teri Fladstol in 2018, offers bookkeeping, administrative support, and consulting services to non-profits and Special Districts. Teri is an adviser/instructor with the Small Business Development Center at Tillamook Bay Community College and serves as a Board Member for the Tillamook County 4-H Association and Heart of Cartm Boards. Jenni Ybarra joined the team in 2023, providing HR administrative support and event coordinating.

Jana Cole is a professional fundraising consultant and IFC Certified business and personal coach, with more than 30 years of financial development and non-profit leadership experience. She has been responsible for or influenced more than $100M in philanthropic support for Oregon non-profits.  

 In 2017, she started J Cole Consulting and enjoys helping her clients develop strong strategies, build quality relationships, and implement best practices.

 Jana is passionate about service, especially about uniting the community to ensure people have every opportunity to succeed and thrive.

Andy Jenck is a professional accountant for PacifiCorp and on the side, a freelance
writer. He reviews newly released film and television while commenting on the film
industry as a whole.

Since 2022, he reflects on his experiences on the Autism spectrum and having ADHD
through editorials in the hopes of educating other neuroatypical people and their loved
ones for how to best handle their disabilities for a great life.