by Katie Ugolini, CNA Chair
As many of you know, the Concordia Neighborhood Association held two special elections in 2008 to replace vacant Board seats. In January 2008, Jennifer Neth Warberg was elected to serve on the Board for the next two years as one of our two SW Quadrant representatives. Additionally, Don Francis was just recently elected to fill a vacant At-Large position and will serve from May 2008 through December 2008, but may run for a full two-year term in November. As Chair of the Concordia Neighborhood Association, I am very pleased to have Jennifer and Don join our Board and feel they are excellent assets to the CNA. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce Jennifer Neth Warberg and Don Francis to Concordia neighbors.
Jennifer Warberg and her husband Brent have lived in the Alberta Arts district for over a year and couldn’t be happier about their move from SE Portland to Concordia. In March, they welcomed a new addition to their family, a four-year-old black lab named Dink. Jennifer notes, “Our long walks with the dog and trips to the dog park have reinforced what we already knew about this neighborhood – it is a beautiful place, full of kind and engaging people.”
Jennifer is an associate attorney with Meyer & Wyse LLP in downtown Portland where she primarily practices general litigation and employment law. Her firm’s representation of many wonderful non-profit organizations inspired Jennifer to get involved in her community. “Working at the neighborhood level to improve the quality of life here is a wonderful way to make a difference.”
Before being elected to the CNA Board, Jennifer became involved in the CNA Land Use and Livability Committee. Currently, Jennifer is working primarily on neighbor-developer relations.
Don Francis grew up in Northwest Portland where, he states, he was displaced by gentrification. A longtime environmental advocate, Don worked for several nonprofit organizations before starting Willamette Riverkeeper in 1996. Willamette Riverkeeper works to keep the watershed healthy for fish and wildlife, and safe for fishing and swimming.Currently, he owns an environmental consulting and contracting company named EcoTech located in North Portland. Don resided on NE 10th Avenue near Ainsworth for several years before moving to the Concordia Neighborhood in 2001. Don and his wife, Katy Brooks, have twin four-year-olds, Abby and Thiel, whom are lifelong Concordia residents!
Don is very interested in both land use and environmental issues and, thus, is interested in becoming involved in the Land Use/Livability/Transportation Committee (LULT) and the Green Team.
I hope you will all join me in welcoming Jennifer and Don to the CNA Board! Like Jennifer and Don, if you value community activism, I urge you to consider becoming involved in the Concordia Neighborhood Association, if not as a Board member, then as a volunteer on a CNA committee or for a CNA-sponsored activity. If you are passionate about nurturing and giving back to the Concordia community, then the CNA needs you!
*The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the author(s) in the Chair’s Corner do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Concordia Neighborhood Association.