Depave Staff

 

Eric Rosewall — Program Director

Eric is a native of West Michigan and a graduate of the University of Oregon’s Landscape Architecture program. His professional background includes client management, horticulture, park & trail planning, as well as ongoing greenspace advocacy & media. He enjoys antiques, bonsai, and building furniture. After joining the crew to help create Fargo Garden in 2009, Eric became Depave’s resident photographer and went on to manage projects and coordinate marketing efforts. He loves being a part of putting empty spaces to good use and helping them come alive. Eric works with Depave’s awesome group of volunteers in the direction of the organization’s project, educational and funding objectives. Contact Eric

Depave is a largely volunteer-run organization. We are fortunate to have these passionate people part of the Depave movement.

Depave Board

 

Michelle Metzler – Board Chair, Project Committee

Michelle grew up in Bellingham, Washington and holds a degree in environmental economics from Western Washington University. Shortly after moving to Portland, Michelle was captivated by the energy of Depave volunteers and the opportunity to rip up pavement. She dabbles in all areas of Depave but focuses on site planning and logistics as Depave’s Site Coordinator for 2011. She spends her days working with business to implement composting and recycling programs. Michelle enjoys hanging out in the sun, biking, rolling around in the grass, hiking, camping and traveling. Contact Michelle

Kasandra Griffin – Treasurer

Kasandra helped launch Depave in 2007-8, then took a two-year sabbatical while she earned a Masters in Public Policy at U.C. Berkeley.  She returned to the fold in the fall of 2011 and is excited to use her extensive background in non-profit management and policy to help take Depave to the next level. Kasandra’s day job is at Upstream Public Health, where she works on food policy and school health.  Her prior professional experience includes promoting public awareness of water quality issues for the Oregon Environmental Council, managing finances and fundraising at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and coordinating System Development Charges for the Portland Parks Bureau. She is currently Treasurer of the Depave Board of Directors, and a member of the Policy team.Contact Kasandra

Ted Labbe – Policy Committee

Ted is a habitat biologist who works on land use policy and fish and wildlife conservation. He has worked for Indian Tribes, nonprofit organizations, as well as Oregon and Washington departments of Fish and Wildlife. Ted is a native Oregonian and enjoys running wild rivers, backpacking, trail running, gardening, botanizing, and destroying pavement. He has witnessed first-hand the devastating impacts of stormwater on downstream aquatic habitats. He has been instrumental in permitting projects, raingarden design, grant-writing, organizing volunteers and working with contractors. Ted heads up Depave’s policy working group. Contact Ted

Kate Skelton

Kate is an environmental designer with a Master’s degree in landscape architecture and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies. She got involved in Depave when she first arrived in Portland in Fall 2009. Depaving is one way Kate likes to practice her grassroots activism and collaborate with other energetic people who believe in creating positive change. Her professional background in ecological restoration and urban ecology feed into her passion for reclaiming buried soil and reviving living processes. Kate has been a project manager for Depave events, most recently the Frazer Park Community Garden Project, and is actively involved in the Site Planning Committee. Contact Kate

Emily York

Emily learned about Depave through her work on Portland’s “1,000 Gardens” initiative.  As Policy Coordinator in City Commissioner Nick Fish’s office, she’s had the opportunity to work on several projects that improve Portland’s livability. Before landing the gig in City Hall, she worked on the Equity Atlas Project with the Coalition for a Livable Future and was the Kitchen Garden Project Coordinator for a non-profit called Garden-Raised Bounty. Originally from Olympia, she has a degree in Community and Environmental Planning from the University of Washington and a Masters in Public Health with a Graduate Sustainability Certificate from Portland State University. Emily joined the board just days after her son, Jasper, turned one. Contact Emily

Erica Stokes

Erica holds a BA in English from the University of Texas and a Primary Montessori Teaching Certification from the Association Montessori International. In addition to her career as a teacher, she has worked in both the corporate and non-profit sectors, and currently works as the Education Coordinator at West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District where she assists schools and organizations to facilitate educational opportunities including wildlife habitat and edible garden installation, field trips, garden clubs, and more. She is a graduate of the Beginning Urban Farm Apprentice (BUFA) training, the OSU Extension Services Organic Garden Certificate Program, the Growing Farms workshop series (OSU Extension Services), and the School Garden Coordinator Training Certificate Program (Growing Gardens). She is a member of multiple educational organizations, serves on the OSU Education Council, and is also a board member for Clearing (an environmental education magazine). In her spare time, Erica can be found at various live music venues around town, enjoying our local cuisine, gardening, reading, or exploring nature with her two dogs. Contact Erica

Nathan Engkjer

Nathan is a graduate of Whitworth University in 1997, and received his Bachelor of Science. He started a sea kayaking company in British Columbia Canada in late 1999, using his passion for the outdoors and love of nature to create an experience for individuals outside of the daily bricks and mortar grind. Over the next 6 years he developed his business acumen, development and interpersonal skills creating a strong small business. In the fall of 2005 he sold his company and the following spring took a management position with Recreation Equipment Inc. at the Seattle Flagship store where he managed both retail and operation divisions of the store.  In 2009 Nathan looked to take his passion for people and the outdoors in another direction. Since 2010, he has been working as a counselor and outdoor guide for Santiam Crossing and its parent company Catherine Freer.  Mentoring youth, providing positive experiences and creating a space for positive change and growth has been the driving force for Nathan’s motivation. He is currently working at P:ear, filling a pivotal role as the Transition Coordinator and Wilderness Programs Director. Contact Nathan

Lisa Huntington

Lisa, born and raised in southeast Michigan, ventured out the Pacific Northwest in 2012. She is currently working for the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services. Her professional experience as a water resources engineer includes watershed management, river engineering and sustainable stormwater management design. While looking for work in Portland, Lisa joined Depave to make a positive difference in the health of the community’s watersheds and has since realized that the group’s mission goes well beyond environmental benefits. As a graduate of Michigan State University, she spends lots of time watching college basketball (Go Green!) and enjoys knitting, hiking and a good IPA. Contact Lisa

 

Crew

 

Josh Cabot - Project Committee Co-chair

Josh is a construction manager for a local general contractor who has proven helpful as a technical asset as well as resourceful when it comes to managing site activities, scrounging up equipment, and driving trucks for events.   Outfitted with a Master of Architecture degree from Syracuse University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Wyoming, Josh is always looking for ways to enhance Portland’s urban spaces, using design as a way to cultivate community.  Josh serves as a Project Manager for Depave and has most recently led the Nez Perce Garden efforts at Chief Joseph Elementary School in North Portland. Contact Josh

Brynn Eiffler

Brynn has spent the majority of her life in Oregon and has lived in the Portland area since 2009. She graduated in 2012 from Portland State University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. While in school, she discovered her passion for sustainability and the environment. She has since come to understand how important the environment is to the health and vitality of the community. Since finding Depave in 2012, she has become extremely excited about getting rid of pavement and transforming communities through the addition of greenspaces. She has has a number of responsibilities within Depave including collaborating on surveys, online outreach and fundraising.

Taylor Kirchner

Taylor is a local construction manager with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. She originally hails from Great Falls, Virginia; but has spent time in Syracuse, New York; London, England; and Florence, Italy. Taylor got involved with Depave because she feels an overwhelming need to fix up everything she comes in contact with. Her favorite summer pastime is busting up asphalt. She can be seen at most Depave events deep in the middle of pavement destruction. Her goal is to help improve Portland neighborhoods one parking lot (and hopefully driveway) at a time. When she is not depaving, she divides her time between restoring her 1923 bungalow in North Portland and providing belly rubs to her rescue dog, Gus.

Cooper Morrow 

Cooper has been supporting Depave since attending his first event at the SE Uplift offices in 2010. Since then he has continued to get dirty at as many projects as he can attend while trying to mentor and lead more and break his back less. Cooper arrived in Portland in 2008 from Cambridge (MA) where, like here, he primarily worked for small to medium-sized software companies. A Geology major with an Environmental Studies minor from Colgate University (NY) who needs outlets for his passion for conservation and clean energy. Find Cooper on Twitter

Corbin Gentzler 

Corbin studies Landscape Technology at Portland Community College and plans to transfer into the Horticulture Program at Oregon State University. The Wyoming native brings years of hands-on experience working with landscapes, many of them through his own maintenance business. Corbin joined Depave in 2011 with the Escuela Viva project and is the site coordinator for phase 2 at James John Elementary. When he’s not studying, working or volunteering with Depave, Corbin enjoys going on outdoor adventures, supporting the arts and daydreaming about tiny houses.

Jonathan Winslow

Jonathan is a recent graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design Architecture program and the Real Estate Development program at Portland State University, and is focused on sustainable urban design and architecture, and creating livable cities. Jonathan began depaving in 2011, starting with the Our Happy Block site and is drawn to Depave’s rapid reclaimation of underutilized urban spaces into more sustainable and human oriented places. Jonathan enjoys ice hockey, skiing, travel, active transportation and livable cities, and scheming up ideas to repair the urban built environment.

Michael Porcelli

Mike is a native Portlander strange as that may sound. He roamed for several years after highschool and returned to the Pacific Northwest to pursued his education; the type and amount of development he saw upon return was shocking to him. Mike received an Associates of Arts from Portland Community College and a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from the University of Idaho. An avid volunteer he has spent time advocating affordable housing, and regional parks and greenspaces before joining with Depave. Mike has a good deal of experience in landscape construction and enjoys a wide range of artistic and outdoor pursuits. He also feels that too much of our everyday environment has been dominated by the automobile.

Andrew Wiley

Andrew is a native of the other Portland, and has a degree in economics and finance from the University of Georgia. Additionally, Andrew recently completed a graduate certificate in sustainability at Portland State, and is looking to develop a career in urban planning. With accounting as his day job, he began looking for a volunteer opportunity that would be entirely hands-on, which led him to begin depaving in the summer of 2009. Since then, Andrew has been a regular depaver as well as helping with site planning and fundraising. Among his interests include discovering new music, college football, eating pizza, and learning about the creation of sustainable, liveable cities.

Chuck Spidell

Chuck is a Portland graphic and website designer who helps small to mid-sized businesses create brands that are compelling, fresh, and authentic. Chuck discovered Depave through the Vestal Elementary project and was inspired to create this A-mazing website for us. Chuck makes the magic you see before you happen. Check out Illusio Design for more of Chuck’s work.

Join the Depave movement and volunteer with us.

Depave Alumni

 

Maia Nativ

Maia was born in Los Angeles, CA but attended junior high and high school in Israel. Maia discovered Depave in June 2009, and it was love at first site. After spending many years in Los Angeles, Maia realized how special Portland is and began volunteering gung-ho to make it greener. She hopes that Depave will become a world-wide movement, reaching unhealthy cities such as LA. Maia served as Development Coordinator from 2010-2012, working to vastly increase and diversify Depave’s funding sources. She is also the proud parent of the Depave mascot – Riley the dog. Maia has a degree in biology with a minor in environmental studies from Portland State University, and is currently pursuing a masters in public administration.

Arif Khan 

Arif has a combined Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and engineering and a masters’ degree in urban and regional planning. His professional experience has included stints as a workplace safety consultant, bicycle and pedestrian transportation planner, and most recently as a project coordinator for disaster relief programs around the world. He became obsessed with depaving after moving into a home in northeast Portland in 2001 which had a back yard that was completely covered in asphalt and concrete. Attracted to the opportunity for destruction, he looked at this as a wonderful way to transform a dead space designed for car storage into a vegetated urban oasis filled with herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruits, and native plants. Now, he harvests figs, plums, apples, persimmons, blueberries, raspberries, grapes, and various vegetables and herbs from his old driveway. He has taught others the fine skill of pavement removal and has coordinated the removal of concrete along Portland streets to make room for trees in cooperation with Friends of Trees. Contact Arif

Maren Murphy

Maren joined Depave in 2008 as the intern to help organize and promote Depave’s events. In the summer of 2009, she helped grow the organization from one event to six events, and over the next few years took a lead on community involvement, event planning, partnership development, volunteer coordination, and media relations, as well as managing organizational development and internal volunteer staff. During that same period, Maren also got a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University where she focused on environmental planning and policy; restoration and stewardship; and recreation resource planning. In 2011, Maren stepped down from Depave to take up a new challenge as the Parks & Recreation Planner for Montana State Parks. She now lives in Helena, MT her with fiancée and fellow co-volunteer Drew and their new pup Harney. Maren helped develop Depave from a small group of passionate people to a bonafide non-profit, and is proud to cite her involvement as life-changing in many ways. She will be a depaver at heart for life.

Drew Swayne

Drew was our Geographic Information Systems (GIS) guru. His interests include skiing, mountain biking, camping, hiking, cooking, and drinking good beer. Drew volunteered with Depave from 2008 – 2011. He took on roles as Event Coordinator for the Vestal K-8 School Depave event in 2009 as well as Site Planning Coordinator during 2010. He also put together a Depave geodatabase to help with site selection and to track the square footage of parking lots depaved in Portland.

 

Hindi Iserhott

Hindi, a native of Iowa and a student of life, has traveled throughout the United States, Central and South America, and is always ecstatic to come back to Portland, where she now calls home. Hindi’s belief that the environmental movement is inextricably tied to the social justice movement leads her to spend a good chunk of time working with Depave and The City Repair Project. Hindi relocated to Ohio for a montessori school student teaching position.