Oregon Diversity Institute 2009

Keynote Speaker and Speakers Profiles

GARCIA, JAMES
Jim is the Chicano/Latino Student Program Coordinator for Lane Community College. Jim teaches Chicano/Latino Studies at Lane and Portland State University. He previously served as the Diversity Coordinator in Human Resources for Lane from 2000-2006. In addition to designing institutional diversity initiatives and trainings, as Chair of Lanes Diversity Team, he facilitated the updating of Lanes 2003-08 Diversity. Jim served on the Oregon Diversity Institute Board of Directors for 8 years.  Jim is currently a doctoral student in Critical and Socio-Cultural Studies in Education at the University of Oregon.

HUNTER, GARY
Team Leader, Eugene Veterans Center

KENDALL, FRANCES
Keynote
Frances is a nationally known consultant who has focused for more than thirty years on organizational change and communication; specializing in issues of diversity and social justice.

Because she believes that personal and organizational change is possible, she is committed to facilitating the core changes necessary to create work and learning environments that are hospitable to all people.

She doesn't skirt the deeper challenges inherent in helping organizations accomplish that mission. In the last ten years, she has worked with various colleges and universities, as well as numerous corporations, not-for-profits, government agencies and educational institutions.

Author of Diversity in the Classroom, Dr. Kendall received her M.S. from Bank Street College of Education and her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Her latest book, Understanding White Privilege: Creating Pathways to Authentic Relationships was published by Routledge in April 2006.

LAKE, JOHNNY  
Mr. Lake is an international consultant, trainer and speaker certified in programs respecting leadership, diversity, community-building, cross-cultural communication and interactions skills, equity and ethics for youth and adults. He consults with government, professional and educational agencies and organizations. Mr. Lake teaches diversity courses for teacher and counselor preparation programs at Northwest Christian University, Pacific University and University of Oregon. He is an Administrator on special assignment with the Eugene 4J school district as an advocate for needs of at-risk youth and provides teacher training institutes and student learning and leadership opportunities. Mr. Lake is an internationally recognized writer and storyteller and works with a broad section of the community. He is a former Chairman of the Oregon Commission on Black Affairs and Education Chair for the NAACP. 

MAK, JASON
Jason is the Recruitment, Classification and Compensation Manager for Eugene School District 4J and has spent his career doing human resources and diversity work in public institutions such as Lane Community College and the City of Eugene.

MARTINEZ, CHARLES Jr.
Dr. Martinez is a clinical psychologist and research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center in Eugene, Oregon, and directs the OSLC Latino Research Team.  He is the principal investigator on NIH research projects designed to examine risk and protective factors involved in linking acculturation to behavioral health outcomes for Latino families and to develop and test culturally specific interventions for Latino families at risk of behavioral health problems.  His substantive interest's center on identifying factors that promote healthy adjustment for families and children following stressful life events, (e.g. changes in family structure, socioeconomic status, physical and/or emotional health, acculturation, and immigration status), taking into consideration the cultural contexts in which families operate. He currently serves as the Vice President for Institutional Equity and Diversity at the University of Oregon.  He has published many scientific papers related to basic and applied cross-cultural prevention research, minority health disparities, and Latino behavioral health. He is a nationally known consultant on organizational diversity issues, cross-cultural research, and community engagement.  Dr. Martinez has received numerous national, state, and local awards for his work, including the '2003 Community, Culture, and Prevention Science Award' from the Society for Prevention Research.

OLIVOS, EDWARD M.
Edward is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Studies at the University of Oregon. He received his Ph.D. in education in 2003 jointly from San Diego State University and Claremont Graduate University. His research interests include: Latinos and education, bicultural parent involvement, policy studies, bilingual education, immigration, and critical pedagogy. He has published professional articles and book chapters in those areas. He is the author of the The Power of Parents: A Critical Perspective of Bicultural Parent Involvement in Public Schools (New York: Peter Lang Publishers, 2006). Prior to coming to the University of Oregon, he worked at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in the Los Angeles area. He is also a former San Diego elementary school teacher, where he taught in bilingual education settings for more than 10 years.

QUINN, GUADALUPE
A Mexican immigrant, Guadalupe has lived in the U.S. since 1951. She grew up in California and has lived in Oregon since 1978.  Currently she coordinates the Immigrant Rights Advocacy Program with Amigos Multicultural Services Center.  She has been active in Human Rights and Racial Justice work since 1980. She has worked for over 25 years with various groups, organizations, committees, advisory boards, coalitions, task forces and networks that address issues of human rights, immigrant rights, economic justice, worker rights and racial justice.

RIOS, HECTOR
Hector graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in business administration, and holds a SPHR certification.  Hector moved to Eugene in 1991 from the Columbia Gorge area to obtain his GED through the High School Equivalency Program.  In his professional career, he has been employed with Lane County and the Oregon University System.  His area of expertise includes recruitment, selection, retention, staff development, HR Information Systems, and diversity in the workplace.  

Hector's professional memberships are with the Society for Human Resources Management, the Lane County Human Resources Association, The International Public Management Association for Human Resources.  Hector is a member of the Board of Directors for the Lane County Human Resources Association.  He is also involved with community organizations in Lane County.

SÁMANO, MICHAEL
Michael is an indigenous Chicano who was born and raised in Eugene. After completing a six-year military service obligation, he began his academic career at Lane Community College.  He transferred to the University of Oregon where he studied Sociology and Ethnic Studies.  He holds Master of Arts degrees from Humboldt State University and the University of California, Davis. He also has a Ph.D. in Education from Oregon State University. Sámano is the program coordinator for Ethnic Studies at Lane Community College. In addition to his coordinating responsibilities, he is the project director of Lane's Integration of Vets in Education (LIVE) grant.

SCHMINCH, TINA
Tina is the mediation/dispute resolution specialist for the Center on Diversity and Community at the University of Oregon where she provides conflict resolution services, facilitation and training. Tina also works as a consultant for Head Start of Lane County. Her role as a mother of three, combined with her passion for social justice and advocacy, provides the framework for her work in early education, higher education, non-profit management, supervision, leadership, and diversity development. Tina received her Bachelor of Education and graduate degrees in Public Administration and Conflict and Dispute Resolution at the University of Oregon.