Staff + Volunteers – Oregon Pride in Business

ORPIB Staff and Volunteers

Staff

Bella Miller (she/her)

Partnership Development Intern

Bella is an in-home childcare provider, doula, and student at Portland Community College. She started working with ORPIB in early 2024 to support our Partnership Development Committee while learning and practicing new business skills.

janine winters (she/her)

Office and Volunteer Program Manager

janine is a values-motivated generalist who dreamed of pressing important buttons at NASA's Mission Control as a kid. At ORPIB, she's found a much lower-stress environment in which to help keep the mission aloft.

Michael Jonas (he/him)

Executive Director

Michael Jonas, JD, MBA, has a background in business, law, and advocacy. As ORPIB’s first Executive Director, he is dedicated to expanding ORPIB's strong foundation and enhancing its impact on the LGBTQ+ business community across Oregon and SW Washington.

As the Founder and former owner and Principal Attorney of Rational Unicorn Legal Services, Michael provided accessible legal services to underserved communities, demonstrating his commitment to social justice and community empowerment. His experience as a business owner himself equips him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by entrepreneurs.

Michael's vision for ORPIB includes strengthening the organization's foundational and financial stability to further provide opportunities for LGBTQ+ businesses and making sure that business owners in both rural and urban areas have the valuable resources they need.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Michael enjoys spending time with his husband Andy and their two dogs, Edison and Ginsburg. He is also an avid follower of politics and has recently taken up gardening.

Volunteers

Volunteers are listed our webpage after 6 months of continuous service.

Adrienne Akin (she/her)

Events Logistics Specialist

If you've enjoyed the venue or the catering at an ORPIB event in 2024, you can thank Adrienne for working behind the scenes to source BIPOC- and/or LGBTQ+ owned venues and food and beverage providers to contract with for ORPIB's mixers and other celebrations.

Amanda Evrard (she/her)

Email Marketing Coordinator

Amanda is the President of JTE Communications, a marketing agency specializing in digital marketing strategy and nonprofit communications.

Ashley Collins (she/her)

Social Media and Graphic Design

Ashley is a print and digital designer. She creates almost all of ORPIB's graphic communication, and manages social media scheduling as well!

Brandon Giles (he/him)

Panel Moderator and Facilitator

Brandon is a Human-Centered Facilitator and Leadership Coach who has served in various capacities as an ORPIB volunteer since April 2023. Co-founder of LB Collaborations, Brandon has 16 years’ experience leading interdisciplinary teams and portfolios of complex projects spanning operations, change management, employee development, and innovation.

Charlie Hersman (he/him)

Membership and Programs Volunteer

Charlie is the CEO of IT Assurance. He works with ORPIB developing Member and Partner outreach strategy and process, offering resume review and interview coaching in our Career Readiness Program, and consulting with our Office Manager about internal tech practices.

Dan Cushing (he/him)

Advocacy Committee Chair

Dan leads the ORPIB Advocacy Committee, creating and maintaining the ORPIB Bill Tracker and issuing Member Calls to Action during the Oregon Legislative Sessions. Dan also serves on the ORPIB Board of Directors.

Danielle Morris (she/her)

Advocacy and Communications Volunteer

Danielle Morris is a global speaker, educator, business coach and she integrates her years of experiences in working with global enterprises in the areas of pricing, value consideration, total quality service, tax strategies, and accounting.

Elliott Orrin Hinkle (they/them)

NGLCC and Supplier Diversity Program Coordinator

Elliott is our primary liaison with NLGCC the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, performing virtual site visits with LGBTBE® applicants, assisting with member certification. Elliott is a Consultant, Facilitator, Speaker, and 2022 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Award for Health Equity Winner. They also serve on the ORPIB Board of Directors.

Jeana Hooker (she/her)

Programs and Events Committee Chair

Jeana is leading program development throughout Oregon Pride in Business, most recently with the launch of our virtual Thrive in Business Education Series, offering invaluable resources for small business development around finance, human resources, legal fundamentals, marketing, and more. She also chairs our Events Committee, producing more than 1 event on average per month in 2024. Jeana is also ORPIB's Interim Board President.

Jeremy Favors (he/him)

Sponsorship Coordinator

Jeremy is ORPIB's Sponsorship Coordinator, serving on the Events and Partnership Development Committees. Jeremy is also active in ORPIB's expansion efforts into SW WA, where his NGLCC-certified business, Peak Promotions, is headquartered.

Jill Nelson (she/her)

Partnership Development Team Lead

Jill lends her decades of business expertise all over ORPIB, particularly in leading our Partnership Development team, which works to recruit, engage, and retain our corporate partners. She's the owner and Operations Director of Hot Diggity! Pet Sitting and Dog Walking, an LGBTBE® serving the Portland Metro and Vancouver areas. Jill also serves on ORPIB's Board of Directors as Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair.

Kellen Moody (they/them)

Events Committee Advisor

Kel serves on ORPIB's Events Committee, helping to plan more than a dozen events annually and bringing playfulness and their invaluable triple-bottom-line lens to event planning. Kellen is the Founder of Alluvium Gatherings, an LGBTBE® that produces movement-building events, and Co-Founder of Place to B, a hub for mission-driven folks to work, connect and collaborate. Kel also serves on the ORPIB Board of Directors.

Okima Amaranthis (she/they)

Membership Committee Member

Okima serves on our Membership Committee, ever diligent to provide valuable resources and connection to our Members, while reaching out to business owners throughout Oregon and SW Washington to bring them into our community. She also serves on ORPIB's Executive Committee as our President Emeritus, as well as the ORPIB Foundation's Board President.

Rae Hardy (they/them)

Pride Planning Chair

Rae serves on our Events Committee, both helping to plan and produce ORPIB-hosted events throughout the year, and leading our Pride Festival Planning, activating ORPIB's presence throughout Oregon and SW Washington at Pride Festivals throughout the region. Rae also serves on ORPIB's Board of Directors.

Paul Reed (he/him)

Events Support

When he's not greeting you at an ORPIB event, Paul is a Real Estate Agent at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices based in SW Washington.

Sarah Giffrow (she/her)

Website Support

Sarah is always quick with a fix in our domain settings, email hosting, or whatever other internet-ty mystery is slowing us down. Sarah is the owner of Portland creative agency Upswept Creative, which specializes in websites & online marketing that builds your abundant business and life.

Dr. Yaritza E Cruz-Rivera (she/her)

Career Readiness Program

Yara designed and built ORPIB's Career Readiness Program. She is the the CEO at OnCourse Design, which creates custom e-learning for large corporate clients.