Meet the Oregon Staff
Patty Brandt, Administrative Assistant
(503) 292-2280, ext. 10 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Supporting wishes
Prior experience: Nordstrom Sales Promotion Director Oregon Region, Providence Health Plans Marketing Director, Community Director Parry Center for Children, Development Director Emanuel Children's Hospital, Foundation Representative Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundations
Education: Bachelor of Education, Seattle University
Personal accomplishment(s): Training my golden retriever for animal assisted therapy
Hobbies: Volunteering, cooking, reading, puzzles, pilates
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The mission
2) The children
Other tidbits:I am thrilled to be surrounded by my family, friends and neighbors and share their lives.
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Maureen Cahill Newman, Wish Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 17 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Grant magical wishes!
Prior experience: Donate Life Northwest, Program Associate at Greater Bay Area Make-A-Wish Foundation®
Education: University of Portland
Personal accomplishment(s): Successfully hiked to the top of Half Dome (Yosemite, CA) twice.
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, playing with nieces and enjoying the sunshine (when it's out)
Favorite food: Artichoke
Most precious item you possess: Family photos
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Being a part of magical wishes
2) Working with the incredible wish families
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Carynne Drake, Development and Communications Director
(503) 292-2280, ext. 18 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: To raise corporate resources to help make wishes come true!
Prior experience: Portland Trail Blazers, Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America
Education: B.S. Marketing, University of Arizona.
Hobbies:I love to travel, cook, hike with my family, sing with my daughter, play volleyball and volunteer!
Favorite foods: Tapas (because you get a little of everything!)
Most precious item you possess: Pictures of my family and friends
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Sharing the stories from our wish families with other people to inspire them to get involved however they can.
2) Working with such wonderful and inspired people!
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Jeannie Covell, Development and Database Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 27 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Manages all donations and lists, and donor, volunteer and wish databases to ensure wishes come true.
Education: B.A. English, University of Oregon
Hobbies: Playing mom and playing in general; gardening, reading, rafting and barbequing in the sunshine!
Favorite foods: Oregon berries, roasted chicken and coffee ice cream.
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The mission and how it’s meaningful and makes you feel worthwhile.
2) The people, they’re a wonderful staff and group of volunteers.
Other tidbits: Go Ducks! Go Blazers! Go Timbers! Go Beavs (unless you’re playing the Ducks!)
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Megan Hoy, Wish Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 28 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Managing the details to make wishes a reality.
Education: B.S. Marketing - University of Arizona, Eller College of Management
Prior Experience: Remember Nhu, Enterprise Holdings, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Hobbies: Traveling, hanging out at Starbucks, running, reading, road trips, anything with my friends
Favorite foods: Mexican food of all kinds
Most precious item you possess: Photo/memory album from the children I lived with in Thailand
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Feeling passionate about what I do.
2) Being able to use administrative skills to make dreams come true.
Other tidbits: I currently volunteer for Big Brothers, Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, and at Solid Rock Church. I am working towards completely filling up my passport with stamps before the expiration date. I LOVE fireworks!!!
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Jamie Kaltenbach, Accounting Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 31 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Administrative and accounting support.
Education: B.S. Fashion Merchandising, Oregon State University.
Personal accomplishment(s): Twenty-five years of marriage to my wonderful husband.
Favorite food: Cookies!
Most precious item you possess: Baby pictures of my two daughters.
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The wonderful staff
2) Hearing about the great wishes!
Other tidbits: I'm a native Oregonian!
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Kara Minkoff, Volunteer Services Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 26 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Recruit, train and place volunteers.
Education: B.A. Politics, Willamette University.
Personal accomplishment(s): Learning to speak in front of a crowd.
Hobbies: Sewing and crafts.
Favorite food: Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks.
Most precious item you possess: My high school senior picture of my twin sister and myself.
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The FANTASTIC volunteers
2) Watching wishes come true!
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Kelly O'Malley-McKee, Marketing and Communications Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 23 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Media relations, branding, marketing, and sharing powerful wish stories with the public.
Prior experience: Make-A-Wish Events Manager, The Brian Grant Foundation, Brian Berger Public Relations.
Education: B.A. Mass Communications, Linfield College.
Personal accomplishment(s): Bungy jumping and traveling solo in New Zealand.
Hobbies: Hiking, alternative team sports, book club, traveling, hanging out with my husband and my huge dog Barley.
Food: Ice cream!
Most precious item you possess: My wedding ring.
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Working for the kids! Our mission is amazing.
2) Collaborating with my fellow staff members on a daily basis - the are wonderful to work with.
Other tidbits: Camping in Yosemite for Thanksgiving is my favorite family tradition. I have worked at the Foundation since 2001.
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Helen Rabold, Wish Manager
(503) 292-2280, ext. 25 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Making wishes happen!
Prior experience: Oregon Donor Program, OMSI
Education: B.S. Behavioral Ecology and Marine Biology, University of Michigan
Personal accomplishment(s): Traveling from Guatemala to Chile on local buses, chickens and all.
Hobbies: Cooking, gardening, photography, training my untrainable pup.
Favorite food: Mashed potatoes
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The inspiring mission.
2) All the great people who make it all possible.
Other tidbits: I was an Irish Dancing prodigy as a wee tot. I even have medals to prove it.
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Laura Reunert, Finance Director
(503) 292-2280, ext. 32 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Financial Reports, Payroll & Human Resources
Education: B.A. Economics, St. Lawrence University; M.S. Accounting, Northeastern University
Personal accomplishment(s): Walked the Portland Marathon
Hobbies: Skiing, reading, playing with my girls
Favorite food: Chocolate
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Magical days
2) The wonderful people who make them happen
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Kemp Shuey, Wish and Volunteer Services Director
(503) 292-2280, ext. 29 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Oversee wish and volunteer programs, and coordinate wishes
Prior experience: Metropolitan Council, St. Paul, Minnesota
Education: B.A. Politics, Willamette University.
Personal accomplishment(s): Being a dad. The most challenging and rewarding job ever!
Hobbies: Playing soccer, gardening, anything outdoors
Favorite food: I don't like to play favorites, I love all food!
Most precious item you possess: My wedding ring.
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Making wishes happen
2) Never-ending flow of chocolate in the office.
Other tidbits: I'm a Virgo, I like long walks on the beach and sunsets.
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Catherine Spellman, Events Coordinator
(503) 292-2280, ext. 22 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Coordinating internal and external events to fundraise for wishes.
Education: B.A. Journalism, University of Oregon (Go Ducks!)
Hobbies:Playing sports and being active, spending time with my family, and cheering on the Blazers and Ducks!
Favorite foods:Chocolate
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) Making wishes come true.
2) Being part of a magical team who can bring a smile to a child's face when he/she needs it the most.
Other tidbits: I have traveled through many European countries, including England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. Greece is next on my list!
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Laila Umpleby, CEO
(503) 292-2280, ext. 24 .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Duties: Managing internal and external relationships to grant the wish of every eligible child in Oregon and SW Washington.
Education: M.P.A. Non-profit Management, Portland State University. B.A. Politics, Willamette University (Go Bearcats!)
Hobbies: Volunteering, book club, supper club, and exploring Portland.
Favorite food: Coffee!
Two best things about working at Make-A-Wish®:
1) The mission is so wonderful, I have never been so motivated
2) The notes and drawings from the kids make me cry
Other tidbits: In 2011, my wish to be a mom came true.
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Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings has been a supportive partner of the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Oregon since 2008.
The partnership began when local owners, Chris Minoza and Wray Hutchinson, decided to support the Foundation’s Season of Wishes holiday campaign.
For the third year, Buffalo Wild Wings supported the Foundation by selling Make-A-Wish paper stars during December and raised $10,000 to support local wishes.
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon|2000 SW 1st Avenue, Suite 410|Portland, OR 97201|Phone: 503-292-2280
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