Executive Director

“Through the years I have had careers in customer service, sales, freight brokering and most recently I was a credit and financial wellness coach. My largest client in financial wellness was a client who made $54 million a year. I have gravitated to help those in need, and along the way I have found that I have an ability to build teams and relationships with those who normally get overlooked. I have 14 brothers and sisters (when my parents got married my mom had five kids, my dad had two and when the first group grew up and left the nest, my parents adopted 7 more. I am 3rd from the youngest and was adopted at 2 years old) I grew up in the country but also spent a great deal of time in the city. This gave me an ability to work with many different cultures and groups. My upbringing also has allowed me to gain a knowledge and understanding of things that people my age would not normally know about, from records, 4 tracks, 8 tracks, rotary dial phones etc. this allows me to connect with different generations and have amazing conversations with individuals of any age.

Contrary to popular belief my actual start in disaster relief was with the Gorge fire. I was a volunteer driver who helped to evacuate cattle. On one of the pickups the fire shifted and nearly trapped us in,blocking off our exit route. Luckily a fire engine came just in time and created a path out.

Fast forward to 2020 and I realized during the 2020 fires that the best place for me was behind the desk, uniting all of the groups who were wanting to help with the evacuations. I reached out to all of the groups to combine forces and created the independent dispatch center used by us and cowgirl 911. I worked to bring all the evacuation groups under one roof and utilize one dispatch center. After the evacuations were lifted and we returned animals and people back home, I went back to the same drivers and recruited their help for moving resources all over the Northwest from northern California to upper Washington. Through doing this I found out about the Salmon River Grange in Otis, We teamed up with the Grange to create The Salmon River Grange Distribution center. Through the work at the Grange we heard about Corey, a local pastor wanting to clean up his property and 17 others in the community. At the end of the week Corey asked us to keep it going. We found a couple members of the community who took a leadership role in continuing the cleanup and we backed them as a nonprofit. We worked side by side for over 100 days and were contacted by Jamee Savidge and Melanie Brite in Blue River who saw what we did with the Volunteer cleanup in Otis. We set a date and two weeks later were on the ground with over 90 volunteers on the first day! Fast forward to 2022 and we have The Grange Distribution Center, A resources office in Blue River, 4 employees working remotely out of Jackson County and a warehouse in Mayfield Kentucky.

Moving forward the vision is to continue to empower the community, and bridge the gap between Federal, local and state governments and community response. We will continue to work to make sure that survivors are heard and understood by those who have the power to make the necessary changes”.

Administrative Assistant

“I have always had a passion for helping others, after highschool I spent a year volunteering at a nonprofit organization that focused on urban outreach in the pacific islands. From starting after school programs in Hawaii to spending the summer doing outreach in the Marshall Islands, my desire to help and encourage others has since grown. I am currently working on researching grants to help further aid in fire relief, my long term goal is to see every displaced family back in their homes, and help empower the community in moving forward. I grew up in this community so agate hunting, kite festivals, and hiking are a few of my favorite things, but that has also strengthened my drive for seeing this community rebuild stronger.

Disaster Case Manager

"I’ve have always been “that person” who volunteers and steps in where I’m needed. My family and I live in Blue River and we lost the family business and the home half our f-ramily grew up in to the Holiday Farm Fire on September 7, 2020. I’ve always been seen as a leader in the community, sometimes even when I didn’t want to be; and this experience ended up being no different. I have been helping along side many different agencies since the fire started and in the days, weeks, months, and now years since. I have been blessed to be taken on by CRT as a direct helper for Disaster Survivors, and am glad to be able to help in all the ways I’m able. I’ve been excited for the new experiences, lessons learned, and for the ability to use all the things I already knew in order to be a useful member of the team. I will say that being able to help in my own town, and all the other places we’ve been has truly been an honor and I’m glad to have been able to work along side all these people! Learning to run the skid steer and the mini-ex though, were probably the BEST thing EVER!!! Cause #GIRLSROCK! I am honored to work with the people I work with everyday (mostly haha j/k love all of ya) Marc, thank you for believing in me and letting me join this crazy train!!!!"

Disaster Case Manager

Sam’s lived in Blue River most of her life (the whole 28 years of it), other than a short stint in Portland when she was little and didn’t have a choice. She’s a rural girl at heart and loves serving the community in anyway she can. Sam has been a Volunteer with Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District for the last 7 years and was promoted to Lieutenant in July 2019 following snowpocalypse (the great snowstorm that knocked out power for 2 weeks, in some areas, and left residents stranded in their homes). Sam and her fiancé Brandon were living in Blue River at the time of the Holiday Farm Fire and lost their home. Sam was on the fire, while her family was evacuating and getting to safety. Sam and Brandon just had a baby 14 weeks ago and are also raising Brandon’s 6yr old daughter together. Sam was brought on to work with CRT because of her passion for helping the community and her willingness to learn new things while doing so. Sam was one of the first to try the mini-ex when we needed another operator and she drove the dump truck like a BOSS! Sam’s also in charge of our CRT Merchandise Store and has turned the website into a better, more functional place to order all the things CRT related. She’s made the line of CRT SWAG more diverse and added a little something for everyone.

Information Specialist

“Since I was little I have always loved being able to help people in need. I am currently 25 years old and still feel heartwarming when helping someone with even the slightest bit. I recently went to Cosmetology School to be able to fulfill my dream career. I currently work full time with Cascade Relief Team helping people in need, specifically the Latinx community. I also currently work full time running my business KBBEAUTY. I have been living in Lincoln City for 9 years and have grown to love my community. My goal is to keep helping people while still being able to run a business. My inspiration is all of the people that come from nothing, seeing them build something is what makes this community so good. I would love to see everyone back in their homes and happy again after the disasters that we have gone through”.

Social Media Manager

"I was born and raised in Medford, Oregon. I grew up in a Hispanic household so I am fluent in English and Spanish. After I graduated from South Medford High School, I started working for a non-profit credit union. There I had the opportunity to join community events and get involved as much as I could. I helped out with Rogue Food Unites, volunteered to help at the Pear Blossom, and volunteered at the Flower Festival in Brookings, Oregon All of those events have allowed me to create unique bonds with others! Working for Cascade Relief Team takes time, commitment, and a desire to assist those in need. I have always had a passion to help others in the community, especially those who speak limited English. I want to make a difference in the lives of the people and families, and working with CRT gives me that opportunity, lifting weights, reading the Bible and skateboarding are some of my favorite hobbies.”

Social Media Assistant

I am a social media manager and nurse with a passion for creativity and learning. With my background in nursing, I bring a unique perspective and attention to detail to my social media management work, helping businesses reach and engage their audiences effectively. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling the world and discovering new cultures and cuisines. I also have a soft spot for animals, particularly my cute chow chow named Sushi, who brings joy and love to our home. But I don't just enjoy personal pursuits. I also value giving back to those in need by using my skills and resources to make a positive impact in the community. Overall, I am a well-rounded person with a strong sense of purpose and willingness to help others.

Journalist

”My accomplishments at CRT include connecting our wonderful team with our community, wildfire survivors and beyond. It's been so satisfying to be part of this recovery effort and connect with people from all walks of life, from first responders to our own staff to volunteers to, of course, these passionate amazing survivors”

Administrative Assistant

”My name is Mark Del Rosario from the Philippines and I currently work as Administrative Assistant/Research for the Cascade Relief Team. During my high school years, I was appointed as the Chairman of the Youth Movement. In spite of being an introvert, it doesn't hinder me in my desire of helping young minds, especially those out of school youth to be an inspiration that poverty is not a hindrance towards success. I also became a volunteer in one of our school projects when I was in college, which is to help distribute goods and help families that were living in the slums area to relocate to nearby places to help them build or improve a place they can call home, where they have easy access to places like churches, playgrounds, schools, and hospitals. I was so delighted and proud that I was still continuing what I have started by working in an organization that helps more people to build better lives for themselves and for their families while surrounded by a loving community.”

Kentucky Division Manager

“My wife Heather and I have four kids. They are my world. Heather and I started volunteering with Cascade Relief after the December 10, 2021 tornado that tore through Western Kentucky and Tennessee. We both have a passion for helping people. I have been a member of the Paris Henry County JAYCEES since 2001. In my time in this I have been blessed with not only meeting many wonderful people, but also being able to help so many with our different outreach efforts. There are two parts of the JAYCEE creed that says the most, the introduction and the closing. “We believe that faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life” and “ That Earth’s greatest treasure lies in human personality and service to humanity is the BEST WORK OF LIFE”. Those are what I look at when I feel that I have done all that I can do. I love working with people and doing the best that I can to help in any capacity. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Cascade Relief Team to help anyone that we can. One of our events with the JAYCEES is The World’s Biggest Fish Fry. I have been lucky enough to be the General Manager for that and let me tell you, if you can handle that you can handle most anything! I am also on the World’s Biggest Fish Fry Inc. Board of Directors. I have always had a passion for talking to people and trying to make the day a better day. Learning from experiences is one of the best ways to further knowledge. I hope that together we can come up with a way to help affected people in a timely manner, and not the long and drawn out process that we have today”.

Humanitarian Worker

“My name is Annie Saville. I live in Eugene, Or. I began volunteering for disaster relief after the Holiday Farm Fire. It is fulfilling and humbling for me to help people. I have found my place with Cascade Relief Team. I worked on the Blue River clean-up for three months, then helped with tree planting. I have gone on deployments to Kentucky and Florida with this amazing team. I have been surprised at how much fun we have had along the way. I am honored to have been hired by CRT recently”

Administrative Office Assistant

"I am Blue River born and raised and graduated from Mckenzie River Community School. Since high school I have been active in our community helping out where I can, learning that I have a passion for helping others. A few ways I have contributed to our community is coaching various sports teams for MRCS, working in the elementary for several years, and volunteering my time at community events. Post fire I have become very passionate about assisting in the recovery efforts for our community. In my free time I enjoy reading, hiking, fishing, and spending time with friends and family!"

Disaster Case Manager

"I’m originally from Santa Barbara County. I attended college at the University of Nevada Las Vegas where I majored in Hospitality Management and enjoyed a long career in sales and as GM for the graphics division of a worldwide casino products company. I retired to the pacific northwest to be closer to my parents who have lived on the McKenzie for nearly 30 years and my sister’s family who have lived on the McKenzie for over 20 years. I have an incredible 12 year old son who is the bright light for me every day. I’m not sure how our home escaped the destruction of the Holiday Farm Fire. From the time I felt my family was safe I knew I had to do whatever I could to help everyone else get back home. It’s difficult to put in to words sometimes. The overwhelming loss takes my breath away. The small victories and the people are what keeps me going!"

Community Financial Resource Guide

“I have completed a Bachelor’s Degree from Portland State University, but am now located in Ashland, Oregon. I have experience in domestic violence advocacy work as well as finance and banking, and am passionate about helping our community. I look forward to the growth and aid that CRT and our community partners can contribute both in the state of Oregon as well as all areas struggling with disaster relief. In my free time, I enjoy visiting ghost towns throughout the state and listening to true crime podcasts.”

Disaster Case Manager

"I am the New Disaster Case Manager in Otis. My family has been a part of this community for over 50 years. I was born and raised in Oregon. As a parent of 2 children, I has been very involved with fundraising, volunteering, and helping set up the AVID program, parent side, at Gresham-Barlow School District. Gresham-Barlow was the first school in Oregon to start the program. They helped students that would normally get lost in the system of higher education, either not being able to afford college or no one in their families ever attending college. I have a heart of gold in helping others in any way possible. Being a fundraiser, finding funds through donations, running errands. I have helped in many aspects of life, from helping move equine and farm animals to safety during the 2020 fires in the Clackamas County area, to helping with restoring our fishing industry. I’m an avid Fisherperson, love spending time with my grandson and riding my Mule (MoonDance). I believe life is an adventure, so dance in the rain, make snow angels, and sing in the car".

Grange Distribution Center Manager

Equipment Logistics

Community Outreach Event Coordinator

"I am passionate about connecting with people and bringing them together for a common cause. With years of experience in marketing, event planning, social media, and community outreach, I have developed a keen eye for identifying opportunities to support and engage with communities. Originally from Northern California, I have lived in Southern Oregon for the past seven years and graduated from Southern Oregon University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies. My background in communication studies has provided me with a strong foundation in interpersonal and organizational communication, which I utilize in my role as the event coordinator. I strive to execute successful events that not only benefit the community but also provide valuable exposure for our organization. I have a passion for music and enjoy attending concerts. I love to travel and explore the beautiful Rogue Valley. I am also an avid reader and podcast listener, always seeking out new ideas and perspectives. I am excited to be a part of this dedicated team at Cascade Relief, and looking forward to continuing to build connections and create meaningful change in our community".