Staff
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Nancie Koerber - Executive Director
Executive Director and Co-founder of Project REconomy, Nancie has thirty years of experience in Real Estate, is a professional public speaker, trainer, and published writer. She has served on numerous non-profit boards over the decades and has extensive fund raising experience.
Nancie also knows what it’s like to struggle. She learned self-reliance at an early age due to her mother’s Asperger’s and her father’s alcoholism. By the age of 13 Nancie was homeless and on her own. Nancie’s determination to succeed and contribute drove her to an early completion of high school at 16 and then go on to college as a single parent.
As a homeowner who has experienced the shock, grief and emotional panic of facing a foreclosure, Nancie is passionate about challenging the fraudulent behavior of the banks and organizing homeowners to take back their power in our economy. Her lifetime of experiences through challenges and victories provide the vision and determination it takes to lead a small economic justice organization in tough economic times. Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Hisae Hougardy-Sato
Hisae has recently relocated to the valley from Portland, OR, where she received her BA in Music and MEd in Music Education from Portland State University. She is originally from Japan and fluent in Japanese and English (studying to add Spanish now.) Before becoming a public school music teacher, she volunteered with many non-profit organizations and at local events, including Quest Center for Integrative Health, Hands On Portland, Salvation Army, etc. She is excited to be here exploring the nature of Southern Oregon and discovering her new skills and talent as a part of the team. Contact:
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Cristian Salgado - Community Outreach
Cristian is a first generation immigrant dedicated to community building. Being raised in poverty motivated him to work with organizations that serve the community. He is currently working towards his Political Science degree with a Business Administration minor at the University of Oregon. Cristian's recent work experience includes empowering low-income Spanish speaking families to become self-sufficient. He is passionate about working for justice for all Oregon homeonwers. Se habla Espanol! Contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Board of Directors
Mark Thomas
Mark is proud to be a native Oregonian of one the original pioneer families that settled in the Rogue Valley. He was educated in the Oregon public school and university systems and went on to work in high level corporate environments and as a successful small business owner. He is trained and certified in Forensic Mortgage Loan Audits, expertise he brings to his work as co-founder and Director of Research at Project REconomy.
He is passionate about uncovering the widespread fraud by the mortgage servicing industry in order to empower homeowners to fight back against wrongful foreclosures
Joyce has lived and worked across the U.S. from New York City where she got her start in the garment district and radio to San Francisco where she became a real estate agent. She has owned and operated her own business, advocated for patient’s rights and healthcare reform, travelled abroad, and run for U.S. Congress in Oregon’s 2nd district. Her experience and travels have convinced her that the issues facing the housing market are affecting the entire economy and morale of the country. She is excited to use her strengths and skills to expand the vision that Project REconomy began four years ago.
Terry Scannell
Terry has been active in the Portland legal community for over 25 years. He believes that the "product" of a lawyer is their best advice and not a unit of time. He holds a B.S. from Lewis & Clark College, a Masters Degree from University of Southern California and a Law Degree from University of Oregon. Terry is a leading voice in foreclosure defense in Oregon.
David Bean
David Bean is a retired carpenter and Navy veteran. Founder of Wild Salmon Nation, David cares about this land and its people. A long-time Oregon resident, he contributed to the building of Portland from Intel to City Hall, from warehouses to churches and homes. David wants to see people in their houses with a secure future and genuine health. He looks forward to a time when banks help citizens in the support of opportunity, and beyond the time of insuring leveraged profits at the cost of us all.
Georgia Richmond
Georgia continues her lifelong dedication to service work in her board position with Project REconomy. She has served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and Honduras, was a board member of an international fair trade organization and a land-based non-profit. She currently volunteers as a mentor to Latino youth seeking higher education and works with bilingual families of preschool students in Oregon. A homeowner herself, Ms. Richmond has experienced the mortgage and foreclosure crisis personally. She is committed to creating a level financial playing field for all of her community neighbors.
Advisory Committee
Douglas James
As underwater homeowners who have faced foreclosure and chosen to fight back in court, Douglas and his wife Eileen are committed to helping others find solutions. When asked why he chose to fight and to help others, he says it's simple: "this is about standing up for what's right."
A published writer, artist, and a proud Oregonian, Chris grew up on the east coast and dreamed of living in the west. Her background includes running a design and marketing firm, publishing a magazine, and 15 years spent as a management consultant and public speaker. In 2004 she helped to open and establish Clarke Balcom Law, one of the leading bankruptcy, tax, and foreclosure firms in Oregon. In her every-day work she sees the devastating effects of foreclosure on real people. She believes strongly in the concepts of basic fairness and social justice and is incensed by the behavior of the big banks. Chris looks forward to working with Project REconomy to create necessary changes in the way that big banks and mortgage lenders are allowed to do business.
Margaret Gandy
Margaret comes to Project REconomy with extensive experience in grant writing and community organizing including 5 years with the Center for Third World Organizing. She serves Project REconomy through grant writing, strategic planning and the Donor Program.
Rich Rohde
Regional Director for Oregon Action - Rich brings over 40 years of social justice organizing experience and provides ongoing assistance in strategic planning and networking. Rich has been a valuable resource for leadership development and coalition building throughout the northwest.
Virginia Camberos
Outreach coordinator for Oregon Action and long-time leader in the Rogue Valley, Virginia contributes organizing and coalition building expertise as well as technical assistance with translation of materials and homeowner calls from English to Spanish.
Steve Barnes
Steve is a member of Project REconomy and of Occupy Cottage Grove. He works with his local Occupy to reach people in default on their mortgage and point them to REconomy. He helps facilitate regional and national Occupy teleconference calls on foreclosure and other topics. Steve says of his volunteer work: "I enjoy assisting Project REconomy, the thorn in the side of the financial industry’s sleasy lending and gambling operations."
Cara Shufelt
Director for ROP (Rural Organizing Project) - Cara brings 10 years of organizing experience at thr Rural Organizing Project and has been assisting us in non-profit development and strategic planning. She has also provided invaluable assistance in networking and coalition building with other non-profits, union leaders and new membership throughout Oregon.
Ron D'Alosio
Ron is currently the Southern Oregon coordinator for the Latino Partnership Program for Southern Oregon, a program of the Oregon Community Foundation. He brings passion and experience from a diverse background as an attorney, educator, social worker, and community organizer with Latino and Native American communities for over 40 years.
Lou Enge
Lou has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Department of Urban Planning at UCLA, a Bachelor’s Degree in International Development Studies, as well as eight years of experience developing housing in the nonprofit sector. She draws on extensive non-profit and volunteer experience on a wide range of issues with organizations from around the world in her work with the advisory council. Lou is currently working as a real-estate Broker with Equinox Real Estate and is happy to share her experience as a volunteer advisor to Project Reconomy.
Photographs by Kara Q. Lewis
To view Kara's photography and contact information, Click here
Project REconomy Non-Discrimination Policy:
Project REconomy does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all staff, members, and volunteers.
Project REconomy is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate and will take affirmative action measures to ensure against discrimination in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
In order to create a safe and productive space for our staff, volunteers, and members, Project REconomy does reserve the right to discontinue communication with, work with, or the provision of services to any individual who uses abusive language, threats, refuses to comply with the policies of Project REconomy or is repeatedly disruptive at meetings, on phone calls, or in email or phone communications. Anyone who engages in these behaviors will be warned and if the behavior continues we will remove the individual from further communication and participation as we deem necessary.
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