ALF Oregon Board of Directors is meeting via Zoom at 6pm for our May Board meeting and to discuss the 2027 FY Budget.
White Leaders for Racial Justice is a Senior Fellow peer-led group that meets via Zoom on the fourth Thursday of each month. Your peer facilitators are Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40).
If you’d like to be included on the listserv and receive materials and invites to White Leaders for Racial Justice, please reach out to Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
ALF Oregon Board of Directors is meeting via Zoom at 6pm for our May Board meeting and to approve 2027 FY Budget.
April 6-10, 2027
ALF National Adaptive Leadership Senior Fellows Retreat
Location: 1440 Multiversity, Scotts Valley, California
FACULTY:
Judy Le: ALF-Houston Lead Facilitator
Marc Manashil, MPA, MSW: Co-founder of Adaptive Leadership in Human Services Institute at NYU
Kevin Parker, PhD: Founder and Chair of Whitworth University Institute of Leadership
Limited to 25 spaces. Registration tis open to Senior Fellows from every chapter. We will announce registration details via the ALF Connect directory in the summer of 2026.
Date: Friday, May 15
Location: Matt Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott St, Portland, OR 97212
Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Come one, come all! It's time to celebrate the graduating members of Class 47. Graduation will be followed by a short reception. No need to RSVP. We hope to see you there!
May 13th is Reunion and we're celebrating our 40th year in Oregon!
Join us for drinks, heavy appetizers, conversation and connection!
Location: NW Natural
250 SW Taylor Street
Portland, OR 97204
MARGARET CARTER (Class 2)
Margaret Carter is a pioneering civic leader whose long and historic career opened doors for Black political representation across Oregon. Carter studied education at Portland State University, then worked at Portland Community College for almost thirty years before she ran for the State House of Representatives. In 1984, she became the first Black woman elected to the Oregon State Legislature.
Beyond elected office, Carter served as president and CEO of the Urban League of Portland and led the National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women. Widely respected across political lines for her integrity and warmth, Carter viewed public service as an extension of care for future generations. This legacy lives on through the leaders she has mentored, the institutions she has strengthened, and the communities she has built.
EARL BLUMENAUER (Class 1)
For more than 50 years, Earl Blumenauer has dedicated his career to building livable communities: places where people are safe, healthy, and economically secure. In 1972, Earl was elected to the Oregon House as one of the youngest legislators in the state’s history. In 1978, he left the legislature to serve his hometown more directly, first as a County Commissioner, then on the Portland City Council as Commissioner of Public Works.
In 1986 he helped to co-found the ALF Oregon chapter alongside Don Frisbee and others. In 1996, Earl was elected to the US House of Representatives. He spent 28 years in congress and now serves at Portland State University President as a Presidential Fellow of the Institute for Metropolitan Studies.
Our Emcee for the night is Ciara Pressler (Class 44 and founder of PREGAME) and we'll also hear from ALF Oregon's Executive Director Sarah Greenman (Class 40) and ALF Faculty members Kathleen Holt (Class 42) and Toni Tabora (Class 40) as we celebrate Class 47 graduates and announce Class 48!
In the days leading up to Reunion 2026, we are raising $50,000 towards scholarships for Class 48, ensuring that the next cohort has the same transformational experience we did. Oregon needs connected, courageous leaders more than ever—and ALF continues to be a powerful place where those leaders are made.
We will NOT do a paddle raise at Reunion, so please donate today and help us meet our goal ahead of time! Thank you for your contribution!
Date: Saturday, May 9
Location: Javi's Cafe, 6236 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213
Time: 10:00am - 11:30am
ALF Senior Fellows are craving more time together, so we're starting a Brunch Social series! We'll be meeting every other month in Portland starting in May. This is a great opportunity to connect and strengthen the relationships that make our ALF community so special. Senior Fellows and friends gather in a relaxed setting to share meaningful connections beyond the work we do every day.
Your peer hosts for our first brunch are Cynthia Carmina Gomez (Class 40), Lisa Watson (Class 30) and Stephanie Hooper (Class 31). This is a casual, come-as-you-are event and we hope to see you there!
Learn More and RSVP here: https://forms.gle/YZmkqYPXKCqjfmTb9
In the weeks leading up to Reunion 2026 (May 13), we're raising money for ALF Oregon scholarships and offering some exciting prizes for donors on GIVE BIG DAYS. So mark your calendars and get ready to give!
You could win 4 days and 3 nights at an 1880's farmhouse at the base of the Wallowa Whitman Mountains, gateway to the Eagle Cap Wilderness and Snake River Scenic Area in Eastern Oregon. This three bedroom home sleeps 6 and boasts a wrap around porch with mountain views, a bonfire pit, a dark sky designation for excellent star gazing, and quick access to the Snake River Scenic Area and hiking trails in the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. Donated by Connie Atkinson.
Our goal is to raise $50,000 for scholarships for Class 48, ensuring that the next cohort has the same transformational experience we did.
We will draw a name from everyone who donates on April 30th. The winner will be notified and announced on Friday, May 1st.
Here is the link to make your contribution: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/american-leadership-forum-of-oregon/reunion-2026
White Leaders for Racial Justice is a Senior Fellow peer-led group that meets via Zoom on the fourth Thursday of each month. Your peer facilitators are Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40).
If you’d like to be included on the listserv and receive materials and invites to White Leaders for Racial Justice, please reach out to Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
Richland, OR / Halfway, OR
Saturday, April 18, 2026
9:30am - 4:30pm
This is a very special ALF Oregon Senior Fellow event co-hosted by Hedge Rose Farm.
All Senior Fellows and current Fellows are invited.
You are welcome to bring a partner/spouse/guest.
These are family-friendly events!
Join Baker County residents Sarah Greenman (Class 40 and ALF Oregon Executive Director), Jim Carnahan (Class 15), and Amari Fauna (Class 47 and owner of Hedge Rose Farm) as they welcome us to far Eastern Oregon. We'll also be joined by 4th generation cattle rancher Dan Forsea of Richland, OR and draft horse farmer Marvin Brisk of Halfway, OR.
9:30 AM: Welcome from Sarah Greenman / Introductions & tailgate coffee & pastries. We'll meet at City Hall in Richland, OR and carpool 15 minutes to the Huntington Road trailhead.
10:00 AM: Hike to an overlook with views of the Snake River and Brownlee Reservoir. Talk with Jim Carnahan (Class 15 and President of the Baker County Livestock Association) as well as cattle rancher and BLM lease holder Dan Forsea about rural ranching and farming issues, land use, open range, preservation and restoration.
12:30 PM: Lunch at Sarah Greenman's family farmhouse in Richland, OR - catered by Hells Canyon Inn.
2:30 PM: After a 15 minute drive to the fairgrounds in Halfway, OR, we'll talk with draft horse farmers Marvin Brisk and Amari Fauna, about maintaining living traditions, local food sovereignty efforts, and how they work to revitalize disappearing agricultural pathways. We'll follow the conversation with a horse drawn wagon tour of Halfway, OR. (There will be two wagons, each with a 9-10 person limit.)
NOTE: We'll start at 9:30am and the other times are estimates.
9:30 AM Meeting Location: Richland City Hall, 89 Main Street, Richland, OR 97870
From Portland: Take 84 East to Baker City. Then take OR-86 East to Richland / Halfway. 86 becomes Main Street. City Hall will be on your left as you drive through town. Street parking is free.
From Ontario: Take 84 West to Baker City. Then take OR-86 East to Richland. 86 becomes Main Street. City Hall will be on your left as you drive through town. Street parking is free.
Cost: $25 covers your food costs for the day. We also welcome donations to help support future Senior Fellow events. Please pay here: www.alforegon.org/donate.
Lodging Options: We do not have a hotel block to offer, but here are some nearby options.
Email Sarah Greenman with questions, sarah@alfo.org.
For more information and registration, please visit: https://forms.gle/SXVG3fVkJpbVLMcp7
In the weeks leading up to Reunion 2026 (May 13), we're raising money for ALF Oregon scholarships and offering some exciting prizes for donors on GIVE BIG DAYS. So mark your calendars and get ready to give!
You could win a WEEK at a beautiful ADU surrounded by gardens in Portland's Montavilla neighborhood. Donated by Lucia Longoria (Class 46). This is a tiny home that sleeps 2-3 people offering a cozy space to rest, rejuvenate and reaffirm community connection. (See photos below).
Our goal is to raise $50,000 for scholarships for Class 48, ensuring that the next cohort has the same transformational experience we did.
We will draw a name from everyone who donates on April 16th. The winner will be notified and announced on Friday, April 17th.
Next GIVE BIG Day:
Thursday, April 30th
Win 3 nights and 4 days at a Farmhouse near the Wallowa Mountains and the Snake River Scenic Area in Eastern Oregon.
Here is the link to make your contribution: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/american-leadership-forum-of-oregon/reunion-2026
In the weeks leading up to Reunion 2026, we're raising money for ALF Oregon scholarships and offering some exciting prizes for donors on GIVE BIG DAYS. So mark your calendar and get ready to give big!
Everyone who donates on Thursday, April 2nd will be entered to win a custom rap video from the one and only Mayoress, Ciara Pressler. Ciara is a proud member of Class 44 (forty-forevah) and our Emcee for Reunion 2026!
Here's a note about the prize from The Mayoress, herself:
"As an ALF Senior Fellow, you deserve a tribute! Donate on April 2nd for a custom rap video - that's right, a surprise track and visuals all about YOU. Will this video be professionally shot and edited? NO! But it WILL provide endless entertainment for you and your friends. Baller!"
We will draw a name from everyone who donates on April 2nd. The winner will be notified and announced on Friday, April 3rd.
Next GIVE BIG Days:
Thursday, April 16th
Win a week at a tiny house in Portland's Montavilla neighborhood.
Thursday, April 30th
Win 3 nights and 4 days at a Farmhouse near the Wallowa Mountains and the Snake River Scenic Area in Eastern Oregon.
Here is the link to GIVE BIG and win: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/american-leadership-forum-of-oregon/reunion-2026
The ALF Oregon Board is gathering in the Portland area for our annual day-long spring retreat.
Join ALF Oregon during our first Senior Fellow Saturday of the new year! We're co-hosting a Wine and Agriculture Tour on February 21st.
Join our winemaker hosts Remy Drabkin of Remy Wines and David Harrelson of amaa Wines to learn about the wine industry in the Willamette Valley with insights into current economics of wine and its place within the wine economy.
You'll Experience:
➤ Behind-the-scenes winery tour during cellar season
➤ A flight of wine tastings from Remy Wines Remy Wines
➤ Two pours from David's wine label, amaa wines
➤ Conversation about the Oregon wine industry, sustainability, and cultural connection to land
➤ Light refreshments (additional food and wine available for purchase)
Event Details:
Saturday, February 21, 2026
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Remy Wines, in Dayton, OR 97114
$30 per person (waived for Remy Wines club members)
Limited to 30 participants
Bring warm layers for the winery tour
On December 6th, we lost our beloved board chair and member of Class 40, Bobbi Stedman. Please gather with us to honor and celebrate her life and legacy.
Wednesday February 11th, 2026
4:00-6:00 pm
NW Natural Community Room
250 SW Taylor Street
Portland, OR 97204
Appetizers, light bites, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided.
This event is open to ALF Oregon Senior Fellows as well as friends and guests of Bobbi’s other affiliated organizations: Port of Portland, the Center for Women’s Leadership, Friends of the Children, and others.
White Leaders for Racial Justice is a peer-led online community that meets on the fourth Thursday of most months from 5-6pm. The conversations are facilitated by Matt Bartolotti (Class 40) and Amy Carlons (Class 37).
If you’d like to be inlcluded on the Senior Fellow invite list, please reach out the Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org.
White Leaders for Racial Justice is a peer-led online community that meets on the fourth Thursday of most months from 5-6pm. The conversations are facilitated by Matt Bartolotti (Class 40) and Amy Carlons (Class 37).
If you’d like to be inlcluded on the Senior Fellow invite list, please reach out the Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org.
All Senior Fellows and Fellows are invited. You are welcome to bring a partner/spouse/guest. This is a family-friendly event. Children are welcome!
OUR DAY AT ANAHUAC FARM in TURNER, OR (South of Woodburn)
ALF Oregon is partnering with Anahuac Farm for a Tequio / work party and lunch!
WHEN:
Saturday, October 11th
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
WHERE:
Anahuac Farm
9536 Parrish Gap Road Southeast
Turner, OR 97392
ANAHUAC FARM MISSION: Anahuac is a community centered farm of Capaces Leadership Institute located in Turner, Oregon surrounded by the Willamette Valley of the Pacific Northwest. The farms in our valley rely on our community, who are often referred to as farmworkers, to sustain our country’s food supply and monoculture system. Our mission is to support our community made up of Indigenous Peoples of America to reclaim our ancestral culture, traditions, knowledge and values and restore sacred relationships with all life and Mother Earth for generations to come. We offer traditional education in agriculture, culinary and cultural arts, wellness and Indigenous languages. We also believe that in order for humanity and Mother Earth to heal we must walk together with our brothers, sisters and two spirits from all four directions who share our values for a greater common good. Through Anahuac, the wisdom and values of our abuelos y abuelas remains strong in our hearts and lives on for many generations to come. Learn more here: www.anahuacfarm.org.
WHAT IS A TEQUIO? A tequio, one of the core ancestral values of Anahuac. In Mixtec culture or tequitl in Nahua culture is the practice of our Indigenous custom of work or labor in service for the benefit of the community. Volunteer with Anahuac in the spirit of working together to unite our Indigenous communities with our traditional foods and life ways while bonding in our relationship with Mother Earth. Learn about our farming practices while also offering your support. We are very grateful for your help in our tequios. We appreciate it if you can please arrive on time since our welcome and sharing circle is an essential part of the tequio.
SCHEDULE FOR THE TEQUIO:
10:00 AM Welcome and sharing circle
10:30 PM: Tequio
12:30 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Close
Email Sarah Greenman with questions, sarah@alfo.org.
We are excited to see you there!
The ALF Oregon Board is meeting for their mid-year retreat in Southern Oregon.
White Leaders for Racial Justice is a peer-led online community that meets on the fourth Thursday of most months from 5-6pm. The conversations are facilitated by Matt Bartolotti (Class 40) and Amy Carlons (Class 37).
If you’d like to be inlcluded on the Senior Fellow invite list, please reach out the Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org.
Saturday, September 20, 2025
ALL DAY - ANYWHERE - ANYTIME
Leaders need time to renew, integrate, and reflect. This is why ALF Oregon begins the Fellows experience with a solo day during Community Building Week. In fact, many of you have shared that your solo was one of the most impactful moments during your Fellows year.
As summer comes to a close and we turn towards the final months of 2025, we invite you to recreate a mini-solo experience alongside other Senior Fellows across the state. We’re joined this year by the other national chapters as well!
THE SOLO: On Saturday, September 20th, ALF Senior Fellows from across the country will carve out a few hours for a private solo. The solo can take place anywhere; a grassy spot under a tree, the deep woods, a secluded park, or even in your back yard or your apartment porch. You decide where to take your solo.
THE CHECK IN ON SEPT. 21st: We’ll host a one hour check in on the following day, Sunday the 21st, at 10am Pacific / Noon Central / 1pm Eastern
This is a peer-led learning group for white-bodied leaders. Peer feacilitators, Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40), offer guided dialogues and thematic inquiry for each gathering. If you’d like to be included on the White Leaders for Racial Justice listserv, please contact Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
All meetings happen via Zoom.
All ALF Oregon Senior Fellows are invited to a Welcome Reception Picnic for Class 47 at Wilshire Park (Picnic Site A) in NE Portland on Friday, August 8th from 5:30-7pm. Feel free to bring family or partners. We'll also be joined by ALF Oregon Board Members. This is a casual event, designed for conversation and camaraderie. We'll have food and beverages available for all. Come celebrate the new classes and connect with other Senior Fellows!
Friday, August 8th
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Wilshire Park
Picnic Site A
We hope you'll join to welcome them and connect with the Senior Fellow Network!
This is a peer-led learning group for white-bodied leaders. Peer facilitators, Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40), offer guided dialogues and thematic inquiry for each gathering. If you’d like to be included on the White Leaders for Racial Justice listserv, please contact Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
All meetings happen via Zoom.
The ALF Oregon Board Meeting schedule for 2024-25 is as follows:
June 25 from 6-8 PM, zoom
Calling all ALF Oregon Senior Fellows!
JOIN US for an Open House lunch hour on June 25th.
ALF Oregon has been operating for almost four decades in the state of Oregon. We have seen lean times and full times. We have been through leadership changes, funding crises, political upheaval, a pandemic, and catalytic systemic change as we adapt to the emergent needs of Oregon’s leaders.
ALF Oregon’s Executive Director, Sarah Greenman, has been leading the organization for almost three years and in that time, she has implemented some big shifts in programming. Perhaps you’ve heard from colleagues about updated curriculum and new faculty, or perhaps it's been a few years since you’ve connected with ALF Oregon.
Bring your lunch and your questions! Sarah and ALF Oregon board members will share about the current program, our strategic goals for the years ahead, our work for radical accessibility, and our work towards right-relationship in all our partnerships and policies. We’d love to see you there!
DATE: Monday, June 23rd
TIME: 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Summer is just around the corner and Pride month is almost here! ALF Oregon is hosting our annual in-person Happy Hour for LGBTQ+ ALF Senior Fellows on Monday, June 23rd from 4:30pm - 6:30pm. We'd love to see you there!
For those who are new to the LGBTQ+ Power Hour, this is a peer-led group of ALF Senior Fellows who identify as LGBTQ+ and meet periodically throughout the year. Your hosts for our June 23rd gathering are Judge Kemp (Class 40) and Sarah Greenman (Class 40 and ALF Oregon ED.)
No-host bar. ALF Oregon will buy the first round of snacks! Feel free to bring a partner or friend. Allies welcome. Come as you are.
Invitations with location details were sent directly to the ALF Oregon LGBTQ+ Listserv. If you are not receiving these notices, but would like to, please reach out to Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org.
All ALF Chapters are participating in National Buddy Day!
This is a great opportunity to connect with your ALF Buddy from your Fellows year!
In his book, “Together: Why Social Connection Holds the Key to Better Health, Higher Performance, and Greater Happiness,” the former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, writes, “The most meaningful connections may last for a few moments, or for a lifetime, but each will be a reminder that we were meant to be a part of one another's lives, to lift one another up, to reach heights together, greater than any of us could reach on our own.”
Maybe you stay in frequent contact with your ALF buddy. Or maybe its been a while. Either way, this is the perfect moment to reconnect.
Here are some suggestions:
Call or Text
Meet for a meal or a coffee date
Pull out those photos from your ALF year and share them with each other
Set up a Zoom call if you can’t meet in person
Double Buddy Date - call up another buddy pair from your class and make it a quartet
ALF Oregon Board Meeting schedule for 2024-25 is as follows:
May 28 from 6-8 PM, zoom
June 25 from 6-8 PM, zoom
LOCATION:
Oregon Historical Society
1200 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205
You are cordially invited to join ALF Oregon at the Oregon Historical Society for Lead With LOVE - Reunion 2025. Call your cohort mates and make plans to gather!
We’ll honor graduating Class 45 and Class 46 with a toast, share some exciting stories about the past year, and announce the new cohort! We’ll also enjoy beautiful food and beverages from Vibrant Table and hear from some very special guests!
ACCESSIBILITY: If the cost of attending Reunion 2025 presents a financial hardship, please use the code HALF2025 at check out for 50% off the cost of your ticket. We trust that you know your needs best. If you need further support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Sarah Greenman at sarah@alfo.org.
SPONSORSHIP:
Interested in sponsoring ALF Oregon’s Lead With LOVE Reunion? Please reach out to Sarah Greenman at sarah@alfo.org. ALF Oregon will work with you to promote your organization in ways that help further your reach and impact.
This is a peer-led learning group for white-bodied leaders. Peer feacilitators, Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40), offer guided dialogues and thematic inquiry for each gathering. If you’d like to be included on the White Leaders for Racial Justice listserv, please contact Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
All meetings happen via Zoom.
This is a peer-led learning group for white-bodied leaders. Peer feacilitators, Amy Carlson (Class 37) and Matt Bartolotti (Class 40), offer guided dialogues and thematic inquiry for each gathering. If you’d like to be included on the White Leaders for Racial Justice listserv, please contact Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org. Thank you!
All meetings happen via Zoom.
Senior Fellow Saturdays take place on the Saturday between the Thursday/Friday that Class 45 meets and the Sunday/Monday that Class 46 meets and in the community the classes meet.
All Senior Fellows and Fellows are invited. You are welcome to bring a partner/spouse/guest. This is a family friendly event.
WHEN:
Saturday, March 22nd from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
DETAILS:
River Walk at 10:30 AM - First we'll meet at the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail | Mark O. Hatfield West Trailhead for a stroll along the river. This is an accessible and easy paved trail with lovely views of the Gorge.
River Walk Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rH8eTpz8p4oTvvzt9
Lunch at 12:30 PM - Then we'll meet at Solstice Pizza on the Columbia River for a no-host lunch, beverages and continued conversation!
Lunch Location: Solstice Wood Fire Pizza & Bar, 501 Portway Ave, Hood River, OR 97031
The ALF Oregon Board Meeting schedule for 2024-25 is as follows:
March 14, Annual Retreat, in person
May 28 from 6-8 PM, zoom
June 25 from 6-8 PM, zoom
