2018 Speaker Biographies

Sarah Gambill
Associate Director of Principal Gifts and Planned Giving,
Portland State University

Sarah holds a dual BA in Psychology and Gender Studies from The University of Texas at Austin. Her background includes a variety of positions and projects centered around building more equitable, healthier communities. After gaining experience in nonprofit administration, communications, marketing, development and volunteer management, Sarah decided to focus on development work upon realizing fundraising is the key component driving a nonprofit’s ability to move its mission forward.

Sarah moved from Houston to Portland and joined PSU Foundation in June 2014. Sarah now serves as the Associate Director of Principal Gifts and Planned Giving. Working in both planned and principal gifts, Sarah provides strategy and support around some of the Portland State University’s most generous donors and most transformational gifts. Sarah is drawn to planned giving because it is one of the most accessible ways a person can make a transformational gift. She sees incredible value in connecting community members to opportunities that create tangible impact and loves helping donors consider their legacy and what mark they hope to leave on the world. Her specialties include program building, complex gift agreements, prospect strategy and donor stewardship.

In addition to co-chairing this conference, Sarah also serves as co-chair of the Board of Directors for Call to Safety (f.k.a. Portland Women’s Crisis Line). Sarah lives in East Portland with her husband and two cats and enjoys gardening, making art, hiking, dancing, reading and doing what she can to make the world a kinder place.

Eric Maher
Founder,
One401k

Eric Maher is a registered investment advisor with over 20 years of investment and insurance experience. Eric takes a “family office” approach and acts as the CFO for many family owned businesses. When he is working with his clients, Eric really enjoys leading the team of the family’s most trusted advisors through his annual advisor summit program. The goal is to support and seamlessly transition the family business and estate to the next generation. In addition to advisory services, Eric also provides 401k and 403b consulting services to non-profit and for profit companies across the US. Eric lives in West Linn Oregon with his family and is in the process of opening an additional office in New York City this fall. Eric enjoys golf, art, music, travel and film.

Rebecca Bibleheimer, JD, LLM
Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Vice President,
U.S. Bank Charitable Services Group

Rebecca Bibleheimer is a Senior Philanthropic Advisor and Vice President with the US Bank Charitable Services Group. She works exclusively with tax exempt organizations and individuals with philanthropic intent and her specialty is planned giving.

Prior to joining US Bank Charitable Services Group in 2005, Rebecca worked as a trusts and estates attorney for a tax boutique law firm in Portland, Oregon. She graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law and with a Legal Letters Master from the University of Florida, Levin School of Law. Rebecca is a member of the California State Bar and the Oregon State Bar. She served on the Board of Trustees for the Oregon Humane Society for 6 years and currently serves on the Make A Wish Oregon Gift Council, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Gift Planning Advisory Council, and Albertina Kerr’s finance committee, as well as other planned giving and investment related nonprofit committees. She is the current President for the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable and has served on their Executive Committee for eight years.

Rebecca lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their two young daughters.

A. Jeffery Bird, JD
Shareholder,
Lane Powell

Jeff Bird is Chair of Lane Powell’s Business Transitions Team and has developed a niche practice helping business owners plan for and execute business transition and business succession plans. He is certified by the Exit Planning Institute as an Exit Planning Advisor, joining approximately 400 other certified exit planning professionals worldwide.

Jeff has more than 25 years of experience representing public and private businesses in complex business transactions and securities matters. He counsels businesses of all sizes in mergers and acquisitions, public and private securities offerings, tender offers, proxy contests, divestitures for public and private companies, corporate finance and governance, securities law and venture capital transactions. Jeff has extensive knowledge of SEC compliance matters, and regularly advises public companies on corporate governance matters and SEC periodic reporting requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. He advises and works closely with boards of directors, board committees, special committees and management. In 2008, Jeff served as interim General Counsel of Movie Gallery, Inc., a public company that had more than a billion dollars in revenue.

Susan Bower, JD
Assistant Attorney General,
Oregon Department of Justice, Charitable Activities Section

Susan A. Bower is an Assistant Attorney General in the Oregon Department of Justice, Charitable Activities Section, which oversees charitable entities, assets, and fiduciaries in the state. She is an active member of the Oregon State Bar’s Nonprofit Organization Law Section and served as the Chair of its Executive Committee in 2015. She speaks on issues such as board governance and restricted gifts and is a contributing author for the Oregon State Bar’s book on Trust Administration. She obtained her J.D. from Lewis & Clark College Northwestern School of Law and her B.S. Biology from Indiana University.

Christopher Cline, JD
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Riverview Trust Company

Chris is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Riverview Trust Company. He has over 25 years of experience working with high net worth families. In addition to overseeing all aspects of Riverview’s operations, Chris works directly with clients to help them navigate the challenges of estate planning and trust administration.  In particular, he assists clients with business succession, trust design and charitable planning. Chris is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and nationally recognized speaker and author on numerous estate planning topics.  He has written seven books on estate planning, including The Law of Trustee Investments, published by the American Bar Association.  He has drafted trust and probate legislation for the State of Oregon. Chris is a former President of the Estate Planning Council of Portland, former Chair of the Estate Planning and Administration Section of the Oregon State Bar, and is currently Editor of the Estate Planning and Administration Section Newsletter.

Arlene Cogen, CFP
Philanthropic Leadership Consultant,
Arlene Cogen Consulting

Arlene Cogen is an experienced philanthropic leadership consultant who works closely with professional advisors and their clients to foster deep relationships, engage the next generation, and make a lasting difference through leadership and philanthropy.

As a Certified Financial Planner with three decades of expertise in the business and nonprofit worlds, Arlene is committed to helping others self-actualize through philanthropy. Arlene spent more than 20 years in the trust and investment services industry, first as assistant vice president for U.S. Trust of New York and later as vice president in trust services for Citibank and First Union (now Wells Fargo). Before entering the nonprofit arena, she was the vice president of Allen Trust Company and West Coast Trust Company (now Columbia Trust Company). Most recently, Arlene served for nine years as director of gift planning for The Oregon Community Foundation.

As a board member of the Portland Estate Planning Council, Arlene chaired its annual seminar in 2015 and 2016. She was the first nonprofit leader to hold a board position with the Council. She also served as board secretary and treasurer for the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable from 2005 to 2014.

Michael Davis, MBA, CTFA
Associate Vice President for Major Gifts and Planning,
Lewis & Clark College

Michael Davis is the Associate Vice President for Major Gifts and Planning at Lewis & Clark College, where he leads a team of professional fundraisers who secure outright and deferred gift commitments. He has worked in the development offices at both Lewis & Clark and Reed College, and has direct experience in annual giving, major giving, and gift planning. He has a B.A. from Kenyon College, an M.F.A. in creative writing from the University of Oregon, and an M.B.A. from Portland State University. He currently serves as vice president of the executive committee for the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable.

June Wiyrick Flores, JD
Partner,
Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP

June Wiyrick Flores is an experienced attorney who works with families, family businesses, and closely held businesses to develop and implement succession strategies. Her clients range from individuals to closely held corporations to family offices and large family-owned businesses. June provides sophisticated and highly personalized estate plans to meet her clients’ objectives. She is also experienced in estate and trust administration and assists both fiduciaries and beneficiaries.

June’s practice also focuses on charitable and nonprofit organizations. She is experienced in counseling tax-exempt and charitable organizations with formation and operations matters.

In addition, June helps clients with asset protection, including domestic asset protection trusts, prenuptial agreements and domestic partnership agreements. June is a frequent speaker on family business, estate and tax planning topics and she is listed as a Best Lawyer in Best Lawyers in America.

Deborah Goldstein
Principal of Enlightened Philanthropy

Deborah Goldstein, founder of Enlightened Philanthropy, is dedicated to guiding the next generation in giving. Drawing from more than fifteen years of experience in fundraising and nonprofit management, she engages clients in a tailor-made, intuitive process that reveals their authentic motivation and desire to give. Helping her clients strategize, problem solve, and align their values and interests with appropriate options culminates in an attainable Philanthropy Plan. Goldstein bridges the gap between different ages, building meaningful communication and engendering constructive action. As part of her multi-generational practice, she particularly focuses on advising youth as they navigate the world of philanthropy. Goldstein is also the creator of Philanthropy Camp for Women.

Goldstein holds a BA in Biology from Wittenberg University and a Master’s Degree in Marine Policy with a Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Delaware. She has worked for Oregon State University, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Goldstein serves as the Co-Dean of Philanthropy for the Purposeful Planning Institute and is a 21/64-certified consultant. She is also a Contributing Author for the Planned Giving Design Center.

Elizabeth Grant, JD
Attorney-in-Charge,
Oregon Department of Justice, Charitable Activities Section

Elizabeth Grant is the Attorney-in-Charge of the Charitable Activities Section at the Oregon Attorney General’s Office and a past President of the National Association of State Charities Officials. She joined the Oregon Department of Justice in 2003. Prior to that, she worked as an attorney in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in Washington, DC, where she developed and litigated federal enforcement actions involving deceptive and unlawful business practices. Ms. Grant graduated magna cum laude from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. Her undergraduate degree is in Economics.

Karen E. Hobson, JD LLM
Counsel to the Firm,
Lane Powell

Karen Hobson is a Shareholder at Lane Powell where she advises individuals and high net worth families in estate planning and administration, and assists clients with tax planning, business transactions and succession planning. Karen is experienced in the preparation of wills, trusts and other estate planning documents, and provides strategic tax and legal advice to help her clients reach their business goals. Karen regularly assists clients in the creation and development of estate plans through the assessment of assets and goals, and understands complex tax and entity planning including the use of grantor trusts and family limited liability companies. She also has experience advising on pre-formation planning, entity formation, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, contractual interpretation issues and business succession planning.

Karen received her J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law, her LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Portland and Society of Trust and Estate Practioners’ Seattle branch.

Lisa James, CFRE
Executive Director,
Lan Su Chinese Garden

Lisa James has more than 30 years of executive experience with large organizations and projects including: Marketing Director for Price Development Corporation and the Rogue Valley Mall and then moving into the nonprofit field with Oregon Health Sciences University Foundation, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation, Rogue Valley Medical Center Foundation, The Osmond Family Foundation/ Children’s Miracle Network. Positions have included Executive Director of the Wenatchee Valley College Foundation, and six years as Vice President of Institutional Advancement for Southern Oregon University (SOU) and Executive Director of the SOU Foundation.

After 13 years of consulting, Ms. James joined the Portland Japanese Garden to reorganize the Development and Membership Department and help orchestrate their $35 million expansion campaign for the Cultural Crossing. Since 2016 she has served as the Executive Director of the Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old Town Portland.

Kathryn Karr
Donor Relations Manager, Major Gifts,
Oregon Humane Society

Kathryn Karr has fifteen years of development experience in higher education, social services, and animal welfare. With experience in annual, major, and planned giving, she particularly enjoys blended gifts which allow the donor to experience the impact of their giving while ensuring they are leaving a legacy of support. At the Oregon Humane Society, she manages Friends Forever™ a care of surviving pet program for those who have included OHS in their estate plan. She enjoys sharing experiences with others in the field.

Jeri Kasal
Associate Director of Philanthropy, Planned Giving,
Oregon Public Broadcasting

Jeri Kasal is the Associate Director of Philanthropy, Planned Giving at Oregon Public Broadcasting. She began working at OPB in 2001 in the membership department. While working in membership she was responsible for starting the OPB vehicle donation program, which now brings in over $1,000,000 a year in donations. While in membership, she also worked with the Director of Planned Giving and began in her current position in 2007. Jeri has been a presenter at national public broadcasting conferences on planned giving and serves on a board with other major market planned giving NPR/PBS station leaders. And, has served on the NWPGRT Exec. Committee as secretary for 5 years. She majored in Business Management at Southern Oregon University.

Janet Knauss Larsen, JD
Shareholder,
Lane Powell

Janet Larsen is a Shareholder at Lane Powell where she represents businesses and individuals in all aspects of business and commercial litigation and dispute resolution, including matters in state and federal courts throughout the country, and in multi-district litigation matters. She also provides tailored business and risk mitigation advice to clients in multiple industries.

Janet’s practice focuses on disputes involving: business torts/contract dispute; corporate governance issues/shareholder disputes; fiduciary liability of officers, directors, trustees and other professionals; construction litigation; insurance litigation; trusts and estate litigation; securities litigation; investment adviser liability in all types of proceedings; and real estate and land use disputes.

Janet received her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School and her B.A. from Whitman College. She is a former Chair and current Executive Committee Member of Oregon State Bar Association’s Business Litigation Section. Janet also serves as a Board Member for the Federal Bar Association’s Oregon Chapter.

Michael D. Levelle, JD
Special Counsel,
Sussman Shank LLP

Michael is the 2018 Immediate Past President of the Oregon State Bar. With over 25 years of experience, Michael’s practice is concentrated on complex estate planning, estate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorships, as well as dispute resolution. He defines his role not only as a legal advisor, but as a counselor to help his clients determine solutions based on their own values and objectives.

Michael is an experienced mediator focusing on resolving contested matters involving his areas of practice. He is dedicated to participating in civic organizations that serve under-represented and at-risk communities. Michael is a frequent author and presenter on topics related to his practice.

Paul Loofburrow
Vice President of Marketing,
Oregon Public Broadcasting

Paul Loofburrow is the Vice President of Marketing at OPB and has been with the organization since 2011. Bringing nearly 20 years of advertising agency experience to OPB, Loofburrow previously worked with leading brands such as Intel, Freightliner, Adidas, Hoffman and HP. He produced award-winning campaigns spanning all forms of media from traditional print-based campaigns to enterprise level consumer website redesign and launch strategies. Guided by an uncommon understanding of the customer viewpoint, Loofburrow believes that successful campaigns begin with an authentic, relatable voice and a clear demonstration of brand value. While at OPB, Loofburrow has transformed the organization’s marketing approach from a traditional marketing strategy to a performance-based strategy that focuses on content engagement— where, when and how audiences want it. His team’s collaboration with content creators to reach new audiences on new platforms has propelled OPB to become the most-followed local public media organization in the nation on social media. When not at OPB, Paul has a passion for travel, backpacking and photography.

Brenda Ray Scott, CFRE
Adept Diva Consulting Fundraising and Public Relations

Brenda Ray Scott, CFRE, has raised millions of dollars in a variety of leadership roles including as staff and a consultant. Her areas of expertise include interim department management, development assessments, board management, fundraising plans, grant writing, sponsorship development, marketing/PR, event management, and nearly everything between. She brings hard won, road-tested expertise, and a sense of humor to match. An experienced speaker, she has taught locally, regionally, and internationally on a variety of topics including integrating social media into your corporate and foundation funder research. You can find out more about Brenda at www.linkedin.com/in/brendarayscott, visiting fundraisingsavvy.com or by following her at www.twitter.com/adeptdiva.