PIETRO FERRARI, Executive Director. Pietro has dedicated his career to community development, both domestically and internationally, working on issues such as affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, community building, micro-enterprise development, organizational development and management. Prior to joining Hacienda, Pietro managed a statewide private-public funder collaborative to support Oregon’s nonprofit housing development organizations. He also worked as senior regional underwriter of tax credit financed real estate projects and as program manager for a nonprofit housing development organization.
Pietro’s strong affinity to work with under served ethnic minority populations started in his native Bolivia where he worked on private enterprise, community infrastructure development, literacy, nutrition, regional planning, emergency relief response and civil society. In 2004, he led a Northwest delegation of volunteers to build five homes for the poor in his Andean hometown of Oruro, Bolivia through Habitat for Humanity.
Pietro’s academic degrees include: Master in Urban & Regional Planning from the University of Oregon (1991); Master of Science in Management from Marylhurst University (1991); and Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from Lewis & Clark College (1987).
MICHAEL FUSS, Deputy/Finance Director since 2006. Michael has a strong understanding of CDC accounting, having worked for the past six years as Finance Director for The Neighborhood Partnership Fund. He has also operated a CPA practice working with small business, non-profits and individuals in the area of accounting and taxes. His prior work experience includes controllership positions for a real estate developer, a residential builder and several manufacturing companies. Michael graduated with a B.S. degree in accounting from Brigham Young University. Besides work, Michael’s other interests include hiking, running and family activities.
ADELIA GALAVIZ, Parent Educator. Adelia moved here from Sinaloa, Mexico three years ago and was a childcare provider at schools in both Mexico and the United States before joining Hacienda in 2006. She is a Portland Niños instructor and teaches child development and health & nutrition classes to parents. In her spare time Adelia enjoys oil painting.
ALEJANDRA GALINDO, Academic Support Coordinator
ALMA RIVERA, Parent Educator. Alma has over 4 years experience working with the Hispanic community in different health-related programs, focusing on education about breast cancer. From 2004-2009 Alma coordinated Hacienda’s Mujer Sana Program, which provided breast cancer education to Portland-area Latina women. In her new position as Parent Educator, Alma works with Latino families and children ages 0-5 years old providing bilingual child development education and administering the Parents as Teachers (PAT) curriculum. She graduated from the University of El Salvador with a Doctor of Medicine degree, with a specialty in pediatrics. Alma has lived in Portland for five years, with her husband and two sons.
ANNA GORDON, Afterschool Program Coordinator. Anna began working with Hacienda in November 2009 as Afterschool Program Coordinator at Salon Comunal alongside staff member Muna Farah. Anna has a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a Minor in Spanish from Macalester College in Minnesota, having spent a Semester Studying abroad in Panama. After college Anna spent a year in Veracruz, Mexico running a small organic vegetable seed farm providing seed for local farmers. After returning to the states, Anna spent two years coordinating a garden education program for students at Madison High School. As Hacienda’s Afterschool Program Coordinator, Anna provides daily academic support and year-round enrichment activities to the approximately 25 youth who participate in the program. Anna enjoys her work because she “loves learning from the youth and making connections with their families”. In her free time, Anna is an avid gardener and the proud owner of goats and chickens! She likes to spent time after work making cheeses and cooking from scratch. Anna is originally from Eugene, OR.
CATHERINE KES, Director of Housing Development. Ms. Kes, an attorney licensed in Oregon, began doing pro bono work for Hacienda in 2005 and was intrigued by the work being done by the organization. After over 20 years working for a large corporation, Ms. Kes joined Hacienda’s staff in 2006. As Housing Development Director, she is responsible for all housing development activities for the organization. She plans, manages and executes all project life cycle activities from financial feasibility analysis, funding application proposals; procuring and negotiating terms and agreements with lenders and tax credit investors; assembling and managing development teams; construction management and initial lease-up.
Her development projects with Hacienda include Plaza Los Robles, a 24-unit farmworker housing project in Molalla, Oregon, completed in November of 2007 and Miraflores, a 32-unit multi-family housing development in North Portland completed in June 2009. Catherine earned her B.A. in Management at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota and her J.D. at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. In addition to her work as Housing Development Director, Ms. Kes oversees the homeownership program.
DIANNE PERKINS, Office Manager/Bookkeeper. Dianne joined Hacienda’s team in June of 2006 and is responsible for many behind the scenes efforts to keep Hacienda running smoothly and efficiently. She works closely with the Finance Director handling daily bookkeeping operations. Dianne brings over 15 years experience to the position. She has an Associates Degree in Business/Business Administration with an emphasis on Accounting. Dianne lives in Portland with her family.
ELIASIB RIQUELME, Afterschool Program Coordinator. Eli is a Hacienda resident who joined staff in March 2008 as Afterschool Program Coordinator. She works with Hacienda youth providing homework assistance, engaging parents, and encouraging students to share their different cultures. Like many of the students in the program, Eli came to the U.S. as a child. Originally from Morelos, Mexico, Eli was raised by a single working mother as the oldest of four kids. After leaving school in the 10th grade, she later returned to earn her GED. Eli says that most rewarding part of her job is spending time with the youth knowing that she will make a small impact in their lives. Eli is the mother of two and in her free time she enjoys spending time with friends and family.
GUADALUPE AVILA, Academic Support Coordinator. Guadalupe has four years experience working with the Latino community in Portland in a variety of ways: implementing classes, case management, home visits with teen moms and parenting education. Guadalupe also has eight years experience volunteering with Latino families. She graduated from Portland Community College as a community health worker. Guadalupe has lived in Portland for 17 years, she has four children.
JACLYN SARNA, Afterschool Program Coordinator. Jaclyn joined Hacienda in the Spring of 2009 as Afterschool Program Coordinator at Villa de Mariposas on-site community center. She supports children in their achievement of academic goals through homework tutoring and organizing extracurricular activities. She also serves as a liaison between parents and teachers to help bridge language gaps. Jaclyn earned a B.A. in Spanish/Latin American Studies from the University of Iowa in 2003, including Spanish immersion in Santiago, Chile and translating for medical doctors in Nicaragua. Jaclyn has gained experience with youth through substitute teaching and organizing an afterschool program at a Montessori school in Iowa. Jaclyn enjoys seeing kids learn and grow and appreciates being embraced as part of the Mariposas community. When Jaclyn is not studying to earn her Masters in Education from Portland State University, she enjoys practicing yoga, gardening and riding her bicycle.
JORGE ALVARADO, Microenterprise Programs Manager. Jorge returned to Hacienda in 2006 after over two years coordinating PCRI’s homeownership program. At Hacienda, Jorge manages Micro Mercantes, our economic opportunity initiative where low-income mothers and daughters are trained to be successful vendors of homemade tamales. Under Jorge's management, Micro Mercantes has grown to a highly visible program with outstanding results: participants can expect to increase their annual income by 20%.
LUKE BONHAM, Americorps VISTA. Luke joined Hacienda’s Homeownership team in August 2009 as an Americorps VISTA. Luke brings a young, energetic willingness to help empower the Latino community through his knowledge of the Portland community and experience in current asset-based community development. He graduated in the Spring of 2009 from Portland State University’s Community Development Program, with a special focus in the arts. Luke also spent several months in Washington DC working with the Latino Economic Development Corporation. As part of the Hacienda team, Luke enjoys being the bearer of good news that “you are not alone, and we are here to help, for free!”, and he is also very excited that he got to build a LEGO house for work. In his free time Luke enjoys bicycling, playing music, finding free things, and going to places that have vegetation.
MARIA GASTELUM, Housekeeping Staff for the Baltazar Ortiz Community Center and Hacienda CDC offices. Maria has been with Hacienda since 2005. Maria is an active member of the community, volunteering at her daughters’ schools, at community events, and serving as goalie for an all-women’s soccer team. She has also taken on a support role in Hacienda’s community organizing work at Villas de Clara Vista. As a member of Hacienda’s Micro Mercantes program, she is also renowned for her tamales and authentic Mexican cooking, which she shares with Hacienda staff on special occasions.
MUNA FARAH, Afterschool Program Coordinator. Muna joined Hacienda staff in 2007 as an Afterschool Program Coordinator for our growing Somali community. Muna was born and raised in Somalia during the advent and escalation of the war. In 2000, at the age of 14, Muna, her mother, and four siblings were granted immigration to the Unites States as refugees. In Portland Muna connected with the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) which became instrumental in helping her to learn English and excel in school. Today Muna offers the same help to Hacienda’s Somali youth while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Relations at PSU. She hopes to become an advocate for refugee populations with the ultimate goal of working for the United Nations.
NORMA MARIN, Adult Educator. Norma has been with Hacienda since 2006 in several roles including health Promotora for Hacienda’s Mujer Sana program and Resident Services Manager at Plaza los Robles. As an Adult Educator, Norma assists Spanish-speaking residents working toward their primary and secondary education certifications. Originally from Mexico, Norma gained experience working with vulnerable populations as General Director for the Mexican federal government’s Desarrollo Integral de la Familia program in 1996. Norma has an Accounting degree from the Instituto Tecnológico de Tehuacan (Puebla, México) and was recently certified by the Stanford Patient Education Research Center to teach Spanish Chronic Disease Self-Management. Norma feels that what “brings me great joy is to rise every morning in this beautiful country knowing that through my work I am able to provided services to the Hispanic community in need."
OMAR MARTINEZ, Homeownership Program Manager. Omar has over 10 years experience in banking with extensive knowledge in community lending and counseling. His career in affordable housing began in Denver, Colorado where he worked closely with local housing non-profit organizations as a community lender and community housing officer. Omar graduated with a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Spanish Literature from the University of Arkansas. Besides his work, Omar is an active cyclist and skier.
RUDY ULIN, Housing Program Associate. Rudy began at Hacienda as an Americorps volunteer in 2007 and became a key player in the development of Hacienda's newest affordable rental housing site – Miraflores. In mid-2009, Rudy became a member of Hacienda's homeownership team as a bilingual housing counselor. Rudy works closely with banks, lenders and government programs to assist first-time homebuyers into their first home, as well as provide foreclosure mitigation to homeowners facing hardship. Rudy has a degree in Business Administration from the National University of Guatemala USAC and hopes to go back to Guatemala someday to develop programs similar to Hacienda’s. Rudy and his wife Katie enjoy salsa dancing and merengue, watching movies, and hanging out at the beach.
TANYA LEIB, Green Career Pathways Case Manager. Tanya has studied in Spain and has a B.A. in Spanish and a Masters in Education from San Diego State University. Before coming to Hacienda in July 2010, Tanya worked fro Outside In programs for homeless youth in Portland and Barrio Logan College Institute in San Diego.
TANYA STAGRAY, Asset Manager/Safety Coordinator. Tanya fulfilled the position of Resident Services Program Manger for the first five years with Hacienda and transitioned into Asset Management with a desire to broaden her knowledge and understanding of the affordable housing industry. Her responsibilities include Asset Management of Hacienda’s 400 units of housing and one commercial building as well as the facilitation of safety initiatives which contribute to the enhancement of neighborhood livability.
TANYA WOLFERSPERGER, Director of Community Building. Tanya oversees afterschool programming, early childhood education and the SSSES academic support program. Tanya has been with Hacienda since 2001 and served as Hacienda's Deputy Director and Asset Manager prior to taking on community building in 2008. Tanya began her non-profit career in 1995 in New York City working to support an inner-city elementary school. After living in Guatemala, she returned to Portland and began working at the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing. Tanya received her B.A. degree in rhetoric and communication from University of Oregon. She currently lives and gardens in Northeast Portland with her husband and two children.
VALENTINA GOMEZ-SMITH, Green Career Builder and Resident Services Specialist. Valentina came to Hacienda in early 2007 after moving to Portland from Chiapas, Mexico with her husband. She brings seven years of volunteer and non-profit experience, including managing a microfinance group that awarded loans to groups of women from low-income communities in the rural zones of Chiapas. In her hometown, she helped create a local environmental youth group focused on preservation and outdoor recreation. Valentina has studied in Switzerland as part of an International Culture and Youth Program and holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Center of Professional Studies “Frail Bartolome de las Casas” in Mexico.
NATHAN TESKE, Director of Community Economic Development. Nathan oversees programs designed to create opportunities for economic development and asset building for residents of Hacienda properties and other community members. Nathan worked with Catholic Charities-El Programa Hispano for 9 years before joining Hacienda CDC. He has traveled extensively in Mexico and has received a B.A. from Reed College and a PhD from the University of California-Berkeley.
