Erin Anderson has been a political organizer and public policy advocate for over a decade. Erin considers herself lucky to have worked at the state, local and national level to advance policy agendas for reproductive rights, public education, and the environment. After nearly 5 years as a Campaign Manager at M+R Strategic Services, Erin is currently working for M+R as a contractor while she devotes time and energy to raising her son, Nico.
Sarah Allsbrooks got her start in politics while studying political science in Michigan at Grand Valley State University where she joined a State Senate race as the volunteer coordinator and deputy field director. She went on to work with a city commission race and later accepted a position with EMILY’s List, which brought her to Oregon. Part of the winning Yes for Oregon campaign in January of 2010, Sarah is here to stay. Sarah has experience as a field director, legislative assistant, outreach organizer and policy associate. She now works with the Oregon Health Authority in the Office of Healthy Kids.
Shauna Shindler Ballo has provided strategic media relations, message development and graphic design for progressive causes and organizations for longer than she cares to admit. She has served as Communications Director for the Kansas Democratic Party, the Kansas House Democratic Caucus, the Oregon House Democratic Caucus, the No on 36 Campaign, and Service Employees International Union, Local 49. A native Kansan – and avid Jayhawk basketball fan, Shauna adopted Oregon as her home in 1999. She lives in NE Portland with her husband, their three-year old daughter, an extremely large lap dog, and a cranky cat who has seen her through 17 years of political campaigns.
Libby Batlan cut her teeth in Oregon politics while finishing her last year of college, interning for former State Senator Vicki Walker during the 2009 legislative session. After graduation, she began working for former Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt and served as his legislative aid and campaign manager in the Speaker’s Office and the House Democratic Caucus Office through the 2011 legislative session. In August, she was hired by Basic Rights Oregon (BRO) to lead fundraising for its public education campaign on marriage equality. Currently, she serves as the Development Manager for BRO, overseeing corporate fundraising and working with its accomplished staff to furthering its racial justice and alliance building, freedom to marry, and trans-justice core programs. Libby received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications and Political Science from Linfield College in 2009 and plans to pursue a graduate degree after the 2012 election cycle.
Mari Borden was born and raised in Portland and heads up Economic Fairness Oregon’s community organizing and coalition-building efforts as they fight for a new era of consumer advocacy. In addition to her passion and commitment for economic and social justice , Mari brings with her a background in political organizing and campaign management and a strong vision for helping Oregonians be part of the political process.
Samantha Clemans works for the political consulting and media firm, Winning Mark. In her role there, she consults, leads and trains national organizations and statewide campaigns to use new media as a tool for online organizing. In 2008, she traveled to Colorado where was a field manager campaigning for President Obama and other progressive candidates. Samantha was an attendee of the 2010 Oregon Women’s Campaign School and is proud to be serving on the board this time around.
Andrea Cooper serves as a lobbyist for the Oregon Education Association, a union of 47,000 educators in Oregon’s public schools and community colleges. In this position, she advocates for issues around educator-led professional development, public employee retirement system (PERS), community college funding and federal education initiatives. Prior to her role with OEA, she was the Campaign Services Director for Future PAC, the campaign arm for the Oregon House Democrats, where she was a part of the team that successfully captured a super majority in the Oregon House. Cooper has also worked as a Legislative Aide to State Representative Betty Komp, as the Democratic National Committees Constituency Director for Oregon, and as the Program Coordinator for NEW Leadership Oregon. In her volunteer life, Cooper is honored to sit on the board of Bradley Angle, a domestic violence agency that empowers survivors of domestic abuse. She is also serves on the board for the Oregon BUS Project and travels the nation as a Campus Camp Wellstone Trainer.
Stacy Cowan graduated from Portland State University in 2004 with a degree in Psychology. Shortly afterward, she and her partner moved to Nevada, where her political career began. Stacy has worked on numerous statewide and local political races doing everything ranging from field to fundraising. In 2007, Stacy had the opportunity to serve as the Political Director for SEIU Nevada. Most recently, she worked on the Yes for Oregon campaign, successfully passing Measures 66 and 67, worked as the Legislative Coordinator for Health Care Programs for the Oregon Health Authority and is currently a Political Organizer for SEIU, Local 503. Stacy lives in Portland with her husband.
Courtni Dresser is the Associate Director of Government Relations for the Oregon Medical Association. Courtni has been on the Campaign School Board since 2000, serving as co-chair for three cycles. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Emerge Oregon and has over 15 years of Oregon political experience including work on federal campaigns and statewide ballot measures. She worked her first legislative session in 2001 as an aide to a state senator. Prior to joining the OMA, Courtni worked on public policy for the American Cancer Society in Oregon. Courtni was born and raised in Tigard, Oregon and is a graduate of Carroll College in Helena, Montana.
Jennifer Keenan was born in Southfield, Michigan and is a graduate of Michigan State University. Her experiences organizing have taken her all over Michigan, Washington DC, Honolulu, Chicago and Oregon. Her career in Oregon politics began in 2008, working with Defend Oregon to defeat Kevin Mannix’s mandatory minimums. Her work and volunteer experiences have included grassroots organizing and fundraising, human resources and administration, and the training and development of young leaders. After attending the last Oregon Women’s Campaign School, Jennifer joined the staff of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and helped a elect a pro-choice Governor and support other states across the country during one of the worst attacks on Women’s Healthcare in recent history when the Pence Amendment threatened to completely defund Planned Parenthood. In addition to political work & volunteering, Jennifer is active with her church in the Hollywood District and a Big Sister with Big Brothers and Sisters of the Columbia Northwest.
Rachel Loskill is currently the Equal Rights Organizer for the Oregon Student Association. She works with LGBTQ students and allies across the state to eliminate barriers and create safe spaces for all students. Rachel’s previous work and passion has focused on engaging young people in democracy, with organizations such as The Bus Project. Her strengths include the wide range of knowledge she brings to campaigns and her social justice lens. She’s in Oregon thanks to EMILY’s List Campaign Corps, a program that sends young people across the United States to help women get elected into office. In her spare time you can find her volunteering for LGBTQ organizations, creating art and hiking in the mountains.
Amelia Porterfield has been involved with the Oregon Women’s Campaign School since attending in 2002, and has served as Co-Chair of the Board since 2008. She has worked in Oregon politics for over a decade as a legislative staffer, campaign manager, policy wonk, lobbyist and grassroots organizer. Amelia has worked for the Oregon House Democratic Caucus on and off since 2007, and is currently Chief of Staff for House Democratic Leader Tina Kotek. She has also recently served as the link between elected officials and the Yes for Oregon Campaign and advocated on behalf of working Oregonians as a political organizer at SEIU Local 503. When not in the capitol, Amelia is often deep in her crazy jungle of a garden in North Portland.
Michele Rossolo finished serving her second election cycle as Executive Director for Future PAC, the Oregon House Democrats campaign committee in 2010. Under Michele’s leadership, the Oregon House Democrats achieved an historic five legislative seat win in the 2008 cycle—including defeating three incumbents in route to creating a Democratic controlled super majority. Although the country saw many strongly held House caucuses flip the legislative make up in 2010, Michele’s team kept the Oregon House Democrats from returning to the minority. As a seasoned veteran of the legislative process, Michele has worked as the Senior Policy Advisor for the then Speaker of the House and previously for the House Majority Leader. Before making her mark in politics Michele worked for a national fraternal organization consulting with university and colleges around the nation. Michele now works as a public and community relations consultant. In her spare time Michele can be caught in her backyard entertaining friends, while her husband camps out by the BBQ and her son chases and tackles the cat.
Samantha Shepherd joined the Oregon Women’s Campaign School Board in 2009. She currently works for the Oregon Health Authority constructing and implementing health coverage outreach and enrollment campaigns. Previously, she worked with non-profits, political action committees, and coalitions managing campaigns to target local, state, and federal health policy. She graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and resides in north Portland with her partner, cat, and two dogs.
Melissa Unger is Executive Director of Future PAC and has a range of diverse campaign experiences. She directed the field campaign for Governor Kitzhaber in the last election cycle. Before that she coordinated statewide voter registration drives, was a key part of the successful field operation for Measures 66 and 67 and directed the campaign of Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle.
Maggie Weller has been active as a pro-choice advocate ever since she discovered the (very small) Women’s Studies program at a (very small) college in Southern Minnesota. She began her focus on political organizing during graduate school, where she worked with Camp Sheila Wellstone. Maggie became involved in Oregon’s political scene in 2008 when she began work with Our Oregon and the multitude of Defend Oregon ballot measure campaigns that followed. She currently works with the Oregon Health Authority and focuses on medical eligibility and enrollment transformation.
