Amy (she/her) landed in Central Oregon by pure luck. She was born and raised in the Northern Mariana Islands, and from there moved to Georgia to pursue her BFA in Animation at the Savannah College of Art and Design. After graduating, she moved back towards the Pacific and worked in Los Angeles as a storyboard artist for over seven years (her past clientele list includes Disney TVA, Netflix Animation, and A24). Her path changed after a summer teaching at Caldera, where the young artists impressed her so much that she wanted to keep teaching. This eventually led to her accepting her current position at Caldera, using her professional artistic experience to teach youth year-round. Amy now lives in Redmond with her husband and their cat, playing video games, making big bowls of pasta, and staring at the mountains on her daily commute.

Andy (he/him) has a background in environmental stewardship and water resource management, plus more than a decade of experience in property management and facilities maintenance, and he is thrilled to be joining the Caldera team. Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, on the shores of Lake Superior, he now lives in Bend with his wife, Ashley, and their two dogs. “My passion for natural places and the life energy that they foster is what brings me peace and understanding. I am always seeking to bring positivity and creative thinking wherever I go, and I am intent on leaving places better than I’ve found them. I love to spend time on all types of trails: biking, hiking, climbing, and paddling.”

A native of Western Pennsylvania, Coty (he/him) has now made Sisters his home. With a BS in environmental science from Slippery Rock University, he brings a deep passion for the outdoors to his work, which has spanned pest management, biological sciences, natural resource management, general carpentry, and maintenance. With his multifaceted, hands-on experience, Coty brings valuable know-how and creative solutions to the Caldera team. During his free time, Coty is an avid hiker, mountain biker, and fly-fisher. He also finds solace and happiness in the comforts of home, where he lives with his partner, two rabbits, and two cats.

Courtney (they/she) is a Portland middle school mentor. Our team is growing fast; we’ll share more about our new member shortly.

Danielle (she/her) comes to Caldera with 15 years of event management experience. She has worked with youth in in-school programming, summer camp, and educational programs throughout the Portland metro area. Spending her summers at Camp Kuratli at Trestle Glen ignited Danielle’s love and passion for camp life. With a summer camp upbringing, Danielle has honed a unique skill set to promote Caldera’s event needs. She likes to spend her free time with the people she loves, hanging out with family and friends.

Dillon (he/him) With decades of experience at Caldera, Dillon has had the privilege of growing with the organization from student to team member. As a Central Oregon Middle School Youth Mentor, he loves helping students discover their creative potential and build confidence through arts and nature programs. Caldera's mission to inspire and support youth from underserved communities resonates deeply with him. Outside of work, he’s a writer and stand-up comedian, always looking for new material and ways to bring humor and creativity to the world. Dillon is grateful to be part of a team that makes a difference in young lives.

Eloe (he/him) is a Portland High School and Young Adult mentor. Our team is growing fast; we’ll share more about our new member shortly.

Guillermo (he/him) originally from Pennsylvania, G moved to the PNW and fell in love with it. G graduated from Juniata College with a degree in psychology, and joined Caldera to help inspire others through creativity. He believes creativity is the spark that fuels meaningful change and is excited to play a part in helping young people tap into that power. Outside of work, he lifts weights, plays too many video games, and shares space with two cats, Pip and Jax.

Karena (she/her) brings over a decade of arts education experience to Caldera, having worked with young people in out-of-school programs in the Midwest and the Bay Area. Prior to joining Caldera, she served as program director with San Francisco–based Performing Arts Workshop. Karena hails from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is proud to call Portland home after stints in Chicago and San Francisco. When not working, she can be found in neighborhood parks with her twins or at the occasional dance class. Karena believes in the power of art to create social change and Caldera’s strength in helping students develop their voices.

Kevin (he/him) just celebrated his 20th (!) year working at our summer program. He has been with Caldera's year-round youth programs for over 10 years, serving as a middle school mentor on both sides of the mountain. Prior to joining the Caldera family, Kevin majored in sociology at the University of Oregon, while also studying ethnic studies with a focus on Native American Studies. Kevin enjoys basketball, the Oregon Ducks, and has a passion for working with youth.

Kimberly’s creative practice is in the performing arts. Not to be confused with pretending, acting really is about revealing hidden truths; it’s also about connecting the dots. Kimberly connected the dots on her way to Caldera—from being a teaching artist to an Artist in Residence to a funder—prior to joining the team as executive director in 2022. With acting credits in New York, the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and several Portland theaters, Kimberly connected the dots in education, attending Wellesley College, then receiving her BA from Pacific Union College in political economic history. She holds an MFA in acting from Columbia University and has taught theater at Walla Walla University. She has worked in all three sectors, most notably at the Oregon Cultural Trust, Portland’s Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, and Pazzo Ristorante, and she served as chair of the Oregon State Board of Education. Kimberly lives in Gresham, Oregon, with her husband, their twin sons and their dog.

Kira (she/they), a native of Montana, fell in love with Oregon in the ’90s and decided to stay. She joins Caldera with 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, most recently as the finance manager at MetroEast Community Media. Before that, Kira worked for numerous Portland theaters, most prominently for 12 years at Oregon Children’s Theatre as Production Manager. She holds a BA in theater arts from Gonzaga and studied accounting at Portland State. Nearly 20 years ago, Kira’s theater work brought her to Caldera with The Haven Project, an experience that reinforced her connection to the transformative power of art, the vibrancy and potential of youth, and the beauty of Oregon wilderness. Kira loves spending time with her children and exploring the Oregon coast and Portland’s arts and culture offerings. She has an affinity for Excel spreadsheets, multicolored Post-it® Notes, science, and dark chocolate.

Louis (he/him) joins Caldera with over 10 years of experience in the arts, holding an MFA from Columbia University and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Before Caldera, he was the co-founder of an international, interdisciplinary artist collective and the founding editor of a literary magazine. During his time in New York, he also served as the vice chair of operations for a nonprofit focused on food insecurity. Along with his work in the arts and nonprofits, Louis has worked in hospitality for nearly a decade, having served as the first point of contact for guests at luxury resorts throughout Central Oregon. At Caldera, Louis gets to bridge the gap between the arts and hospitality while also following his passion for nonprofit work.

Meg (she/her) began working with Caldera seven years ago after working in research at Oregon Social Learning Center and studying psychology. As a camp Youth Advocate, Meg showed extreme skill, compassion, and patience, which made her perfectly suited for the Elementary School Mentor position at Peninsula K-8. She worked with third to fifth graders alongside teaching artist Julie Keefe, funded through the Oregon Community Foundation’s Studio to School Initiative. Transitioning into the Young Adult Advocate role, Meg has now had the opportunity to work with students through all stages (third graders to young adults) of Caldera’s youth programming. Meg understands that success looks different to different people, and loves supporting youth as they transition into young adulthood with this in mind.

Melissa (she/her) joins Caldera with a background in social work and experience in program coordination, program evaluation, and direct mental health services for youth and families. As the Research and Learning Specialist, Melissa develops and guides the program evaluation process. She is passionate about creating research and evaluation that prioritizes youth and community voices, and loves going out to camp and hearing firsthand the celebrations of growth and honest feedback that help develop better programs. Melissa is proud to have grown up in outer East Portland and grateful that her life and work continue to keep her involved in the communities she was raised in. Outside of work, she loves making music—from songwriting to performing—and feels lucky to work for a place that values the power of creativity. You may also find her (far too often) with her ragtag but earnest tennis team hitting the local courts.

Originally from Eastern Tennessee and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Nick(he/him) joins Caldera with over 15 years of experience in operations, event, and construction management. Nick spent the majority of his career working up the ranks with Vail Resorts, Inc., in Vail, Colorado, where he started in sales and services and eventually was promoted to resort operations manager. He has lived and worked overseas in South Africa and now calls Central Oregon home. His passion for the outdoors and the natural world make him especially excited to join the Caldera team and share in the vision of providing creative space in such a beautiful setting. When not at work, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, recreating in the outdoors, and traveling.

Growing up, Shira (she/her) spent every summer at sleepover camps where she developed her skills in film, sketch comedy, and yes, mountain biking. She has a strong love for supporting camps and art programs. She is excited to support Caldera’s mission and join the wonderful advancement team. She's also excited to continue her work and help grow Caldera’s missions and reputation.

Tasha (she/her) comes to Caldera with over six years of nonprofit experience, in everything from development to operations, admin, and accounting. She is the co-founder of nonprofit retreat Ffynnon, where art, spirit, and nature meet on 80 acres of lush, green forest in Vernonia, Oregon. Prior to Caldera, she worked at Path Home, an organization that helps homeless families get back into housing, prevents eviction, and alleviates poverty. Tasha is so in love with the mission and vision at Caldera, and is proud to be part of such an amazing team of people. Tasha has a huge appreciation and passion for the arts in all incarnations. She still occasionally performs onstage in musicals and is a particular fan of tap dancing and singing loud show tunes. She also loves practicing yoga with her husband and two cats, hiking, and staring at the ocean.