Laura Rodriguez is a first generation Cuban-American. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University and a Master’s degree in Social Work in Community Organizing, Planning, Policy and Administration from Boston College. Laura is currently pursuing a PhD from Portland State University. Her research will focus on improving health care systems’ ability to provide equitable services to children who have special needs and who hold multiple intersecting marginalized identities.

Laura’s professional experience includes service coordination, supervision, program management, full-scale program direction and management, and systems analysis. She has had the privilege of working with multiple populations, including run-away homeless youth, homebound elderly, and children/youth with special health care needs, in addition to spending several years in the reproductive health field. In her free time, Laura likes hiking with her wife and their dog, and is obsessed with watching foreign detective dramas.

Brook Shelley lives in Oakland, CA with her cat Snorri, and works for Slack. Her writing has appeared in Queer Quarrels, The Toast, Lean Out, Transfigure, and the Oregon Journal of the Humanities. She speaks regularly on queer and trans issues, and is also on the board of Basic Rights Oregon.

Deborah Steinkopf is an experienced nonprofit professional with 30+ years working for social change in both salaried and consulting capacities. Deborah has also served on a variety of nonprofit boards, government advisory committees, and coalitions. She served as a topic advisor for the development of the Count Her In report in 2016. Deborah has worked for organizations supporting people living with HIV/AIDS, survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing homelessness, and immigrants and refugees. Currently, Deborah provides consulting services to Oregon nonprofits. Her consulting practice includes interim executive staffing, executive coaching, fund development planning, grant strategy, board training, and stakeholder engagement projects. As a collaborative partner, Deborah helps build organizational capacity, scale programs, assemble effective staff teams, and secure public and private funds to support the work. She is a member of Grant Professionals Association, Nonprofit Association of Oregon, and Willamette Valley Professionals Association and occasionally is a guest lecturer on government funding for Portland State University’s Certificate in Fundraising Program.

Marilou Carrera (they / siya / she) is a health equity advocate, community health practitioner, and cultural worker. Their experiences as a Filipina and Japanese person who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, as well as their time practicing as a registered nurse, advocating for communities of color / community-driven decision-making, and promoting public health and reproductive justice have long persuaded them of the importance and imperative of sharing power, sharing stories, and centering communities to influence policy and affect systems change.

Marilou is based in the area currently called Portland, OR and Multnomah County, which are also known as the stolen lands of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Tumwater, Tualatin Kalapuya, Wasco, Molalla, Cowlitz and Watlala bands of the Chinook, and many other Tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River.

Martha has been a high-level assistant supporting C-suite executives for over 20 years within both the corporate and non-profit sector. Particularly skilled at interpersonal verbal/ written communication and client relations, she has additional experience in recruiting, customer service, fundraising and donor management.

Upon graduating from Boston College, Martha relocated to California for many years, spending 17 years in San Francisco and 5 years in San Diego. She recently moved back home to the Greater Boston area, currently residing in Salem, MA with her boyfriend and 2 spunky cats. Martha is a creative, flexible and innovative team player with a great sense of humor.