Email: karen.perez@ode.oregon.gov

Dr. Karen Pérez brings more than 25 years of experience in education and community advocacy, teaching, and district level administration.  As a highly skilled bilingual educator, Karen specialized in early literacy, Spanish Language Development and Supports for Emergent Multilingual/English language learners. When in the classroom, Karen developed student and parent supports from kindergarten to college in Latino majority communities. As a district level HR and Multilingual department TOSA, Karen mentored new Dual Language teachers and co-led HR diversification efforts. Karen has also served as a district administrator for Equity and Multilingual Programs, developing budgets for more equitable student outcomes.  At the university level, Karen has served as an adjunct professor in the Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, where she has taught Culturally Responsive Teaching in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms and co-facilitated Leadership Retreats for the Educational Leadership Doctoral Candidates.  

Dr. Pérez has earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lewis and Clark College, a Master of Education in Elementary Education, Special Education, and ESOL and Bilingual Education K-12 endorsements from Portland State University. Karen currently hold an Oregon administrative and a teaching license. As a community member, Karen is serving on the Beaverton School Board and has recently served as the President of the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators, and as a COSA equity board member.  Most importantly, to her, Dr. Pérez is a mother, a daughter, a partner and an multi-lingual educator who now serves and collaborates with her community in creating spaces for others to thrive.

Email: emily.mccaffrey@ode.oregon.gov

Emily McCaffrey has over a decade of experience as an educator, program leader, and researcher in K-12 and higher education organizations. Prior to joining the EAC team, she worked with national and regional education organizations to conduct equity-focused evaluation projects on adult learning, school improvement, and personalized learning initiatives in California, Nevada, and Washington. She also serves as an advisor to the youth-led Central Valley Scholars, a community-based organization providing resources, guidance, and support to first generation college-going students. Emily grew up in rural, upstate New York and now lives in Central Oregon, where she enjoys getting outdoors with her family and her dog.

Email: michelle.peace@ode.oregon.gov

Michelle Peace is a dedicated community advocate with a passion for fostering positive change through volunteer work. With experience organizing schools supply drives, community projects, and outreach programs. Michelle has become a trusted leader in supporting underserved populations. Through partnerships with local organizations and schools has coordinated initiatives that provide essential resources to families, creates learning opportunities for children, and strengthen community bonds. Known for their hands-on approach and commitment to inclusivity, Michelle continually seeks new ways to make a lasting impact. In addition to their work on various community projects, Michelle also mentors others, inspiring a new generation to give back and engage in meaningful community service.

Email: eoin.bastable@ode.oregon.gov

Dr. Eoin (Owen) Bastable has worked in K-12 education, higher education, and non-profits offering training, staff development, supervision, and program evaluation. Eoin most recently worked as an Administrator in Portland Public Schools where he led a district team providing individualized support for students with complex needs. At the University of Oregon, Eoin served as a Research Associate, leading research projects to help educators address school discipline disproportionality. Prior to working in K-12 schools, Eoin held a variety of roles in non-profit organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Eoin enjoys playing music, podcasting, writing, and traveling anywhere warm in the world. He is excited to be part of a team focused on supporting and elevating the voices of educators statewide.

Email: bree.bender@ode.oregon.gov

Bree Bender, a lifelong Oregonian with a deep passion for education, brings over a decade of experience across various roles in the K-12 continuum to her work with the Educator Advancement Council (EAC). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Writing and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Beyond her role at the EAC, Bree is a skilled freelance writer, editor, and graphic designer. In her free time, she enjoys immersing herself in great books, teaching creative writing to middle and high school students, and spending quality time with her horse, Magic.

Email: lynne.gardner@ode.oregon.gov

Dr. Lynne Gardner has over 24 years of experience in education. Prior to joining the EAC, Lynne served as a classroom language arts and social studies teacher for Portland Public Schools and instructor at the University of Oregon. As a teacher, Lynne focused on redesigning and rethinking curriculum and instruction to better support students’ learning experiences. She earned a Ph.D. in Critical and Socio-cultural Studies in Education and her research explored the tensions between educators and youth leadership in racial equity work at a predominantly white school. Lynne grew up in Florida and before becoming a teacher, was an archaeologist in the Four Corners region. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time playing music, paddling, hiking and traveling with her dog.

Email: renae.guenther@ode.oregon.gov

Renae Guenther is a citizen of the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians. She graduated from Southern Oregon University with her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2018. Prior to her joining the EAC, Renae served the South Umpqua School District as a Tribal Advocate on the Tribal Attendance Promising Practices program, in collaboration with her Native tribe, for six years. Being a Native American student herself, who experienced a public education that lacked positive representations, contemporary strengths and struggles of Native communities and true perspectives of Indigenous peoples, Renae aspires to contribute to implanting Indigenous educators and values within all areas of Oregon public schools. Renae enjoys gardening, cozy campfires and being a mom to two rambunctious and curious boys!

Email: mercedes.jones@ode.oregon.gov

Mercedes Jones is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and is the Director of Professional Learning for the Educator Advancement Council (EAC). Prior to her role at the EAC, Mercedes served as the Curriculum Specialist for seven years for her Tribe developing tribe-specific curriculum and professional development that was historically accurate and culturally relevant. Mercedes has served on several boards and committees including the Oregon American Indian/Alaska Native Advisory Group, the University of Oregon Sapasikwala Advisory Council, and others that strive to improve learning conditions for Native students in Oregon. Having a young child herself, Mercedes is glad to be part of a team that prioritizes high-quality teaching and learning that is equitable for every student.

Email: jen.lindwall@ode.oregon.gov 

Dr. Jen Lindwall has twenty years of experience in youth development and education as a researcher, technical assistance provider, program director, and educator.  Prior to joining the EAC team, she spent 10 years at Portland State University leading cross institutional workforce development programming aimed at building a more diverse and representative workforce in key sectors including healthcare, education, biomedical research, and technology.  Jen has a PhD in Applied Developmental Psychology with a focus on research methods for diversity and inclusion.  Her scholarship has focused on how systemic contextual factors in educational institutions shape students' participation and professional trajectories.  Jen grew up in the Midwest and now lives in Portland, OR with her partner, two teenagers, and pup Juniper.

Email: myrna.munoz@ode.oregon.gov

Myrna A. Muñoz is an anti-racist, professional educator focused on building systemic foundations toward affirming and serving all, with a focus on prioritizing the needs of culturally, linguistically & neurologically diverse communities. For over 20 years, Myrna has participated in building an understanding of culturally responsive strategies, and building collective capacity for cross-cultural understanding in a variety of PK-Postgraduate settings across the United States. Myrna has consistently been a part of teams and communities that strive to create accessible, inclusive educational systems where all students are empowered without limits. 

Email: april.negrette@ode.oregon.gov

April Negrette is a member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada. For the past three years she has been a middle school science and high school math teacher on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation and prior to that she graduated from the University of Oregon’s UO Teach and Sapsik’ʷałá programs, earning her Masters in Education and teaching credential. She has a passion for environmental and community work and has held various positions over the years working for her tribe, nonprofit organizations, universities and the federal government. April enjoys traveling and water days with her son.

Email: alyssa.nestler@ode.oregon.gov

Dr. Alyssa Nestler has 16 years of experience in education. She has taught in early learning, K-12 education, and higher education. Alyssa comes to the EAC team from the Western Regional Educator Network, where she was a Continuous Improvement Specialist working alongside local educators to build systems of support to recruit and retain a diverse educator workforce prepared to achieve equitable outcomes for students. She earned a Ph.D. in Education and Leadership. Her scholarship focuses on policy, decision-making, and power in district systems. Alyssa lives in Eugene, Oregon where she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Email: ashley.wilson@ode.oregon.gov

Ashley Wilson has over 11 years of experience in early childhood education (ECE), including seven years as an ECE educator working directly with children ages 0-5 in classroom settings and four years in ECE program management. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia-University Portland and a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from Portland State University. Ashley is passionate about ensuring all children have access to high-quality learning environments and is committed to supporting educators in their professional development and providing the tools and resources they need to be successful in their roles. She was born and raised here in the Pacific Northwest. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and exploring the outdoors and hiking when the Oregon weather allows.