Four community Action Teams, composed of 57 residents appointed by the Envision Bend nonprofit, have been working since April to develop a five-year Action Plan for the greater Bend area. Their work includes screening, selecting and developing strategies meant to move greater Bend in the direction of the community&’s long-term vision. The Action Teams are working from an initial list of potential strategies provided by 2,450 community members who participated in Envision Bend’s outreach work in 2022. The teams have been meeting biweekly since April in spaces provided by The Haven Co-working business in Bend.
Each team is attached to a focus area and includes key stakeholders, people with subject expertise, and people with lived-experiences that come from groups that have been historically underrepresented in community-planning work. Envision Bend offered a small stipend to team members to help cover the cost of childcare, transportation, and time away from work. The five-year Envision Bend Action Plan is scheduled to be released this summer. The work is being supported by numerous public, private and nonprofit sector organizations. The Action Plan will include an overall community vision, strategies listed under each of the four focus areas, and the names of lead partnering organizations who have agreed to champion the strategies. Members of the Action Teams include:
Guiding Our Growth Action Team
David Abbas, City of Bend Kelly Cannon-Miller, Envision Bend Board, Deschutes County Historical Society Leigh Capozzi, Envision Bend Board, Protect Our Winters James Dorofi, Envision Bend Board Past-Chair, Old Farm District Neighborhood Association Kaitlin Greene, Bend Bike
Jeff Heilman, Central Oregon Landwatch Eric Lint, Cascade East Transit Ian McLuskie, Bend writer Timothy Moore, Integrated Environmental Solutions Erica Nelson, Monte Vista Homes Nicole Potter, The Environmental Center Board, Bend researcher Henry Stroud, Bend Parks and Recreation District James Teeter, Bend structural engineer
Cultivating an Inclusive Community Action Team
Summer Baird, Bend school psychologist Zavi Borja, City of Bend, Latino Community Association, Bend Parks and Recreation District Board Emma Fried-Cassorla, Council on Aging of Central Oregon Blair Garland, Oregon State University-Cascades Avery Grace, Bend writer Jenny McGee, Bend Parks and Recreation District Cassandra Kehoe, City of Bend Maggi Machala, Bend retired community health director Penny Pritchard, Mosaic Community Health Presley Quon, Envision Bend Board Secretary, Mount Bachelor Katy Segura-Whitman, Deschutes County Holly Sereni, Cascade Academy Ray Solley, Tower Theatre Nancy Steves, Central Oregon Disability Support Network Sara Q. Thompson, Deschutes Public Library David White, Envision Bend Board Chair, Tech Soft 3D
Ensuring a Safe Healthy Environment Action Team
Michelle Abbey, Bend community and donor relations Grace Andrews, The Environmental Center Donna Burklo, Family Kitchen Elaine Cole, Bend environmental educator Kate Fitzpatrick, Deschutes River Conservancy Jacob Fritz, Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project Alex Hardison, Central Oregon Landwatch Wesley Heredia, Vamanos Outside Jessica Jacks, Deschutes County Health Services Elaine Knobbs-Seasholtz, Mosaic Community Health Cassie Lacy, City of Bend Cynthia Maree, St. Charles
Ted Schoenborn, Envision Bend Board, Retired Bend Parks and Recreation District Board member Emily Tompkins, Envision Bend Board Vice-Chair, Forest Futures Steve Van Dyke, Bend environmental education specialist
Building an Economy for Everyone Action Team
Darrion Cotroneo, Bend Redmond Habitat for Humanity Andrew Davis, Central Oregon Community College Sienna Fitzpatrick, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council Peter McCaffrey, Envision Bend Board Treasurer, William Smith Properties Lisa Merritt, Central Oregon Community College Don Myll, Economic Development for Central Oregon Madelyn Nasser, Bend business owner Gary North, Bend Economic Development Advisory Board Deb Schoen, Bend Parks and Recreation District Kelsey Schwartz, Bend Parks and Recreation District Forrest Smith, Oregon Employment Department Michelle Solley, Envision Bend Board, St. Charles Foundation Ben Weber, Bend urban planner
Envision Bend wishes to express gratitude to the following food sponsors who are keeping the volunteer Action Teams energized: El Sancho Tacos, Backporch Coffee Roasters, Café Yumm, Taco Del Mar, Little Pizza Paradise, and Big Island Kona Mix Plate. Envision Bend is a nonprofit organization that works with government, business, community groups, and people of all backgrounds and perspectives from across the Bend area to help shape the community’s future, making Bend a better place for everyone. To learn more, please visit the nonprofit’s website at envisionbend.org, or its Facebook page at facebook.com/EnvisionBend.
