AMENDED Agenda Packet 6-24-19 Meeting

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I have worked in the human services field for almost 2 decades. I started in a group home for adults with mental illness. In college, I did multiple internships including a year with the syringe exchange. I started working at HIV Alliance in 2005 and have moved up over the years to my current position. I left HIV Alliance for two years to work at Lane County in the Human Services Division. I staffed the Poverty and Homelessness Board, among other duties, and worked with local homeless advocacy groups as well as providing Technical Assistance to social service agencies receiving county funding. This was a great learning experience for me. In my current position, I work across 13 counties, overseeing HIV care, prevention and education services. I also oversee a behavioral health program serving 3 counties. I have a unique perspective of the dynamics in Lane County as well as other counties in Oregon. I also volunteer in my son's elementary school and I am on the board of directors for MECCA, serving as the board treasure currently. I also participate in multiple state and local task forces and coalitions concerning HIV, STIs and Hepatitis C, the opioid crisis and harm reduction. All of this experience gives me a unique understanding of the dynamics in our community and the impact on the lives of people living in Eugene. 1 How has your employment and/or volunteer experience prepared you to do the work of a Human Rights Commissioner? Please be specific. I am very familiar with committee and task force work. I am productive and succinct in my communication. I am skilled at participating productively and amicably in group discussions. I am self- reflective and open to feedback. I have many connections in the community and I am very familiar with the systems and structures in a variety of sectors, especially government and nonprofit/social services. 2 How has your personal experience prepared you to do the work of a Human Rights Commissioner? Please be specific. Of human rights declared by the UN I see the following as the most pressing in Eugene. 14. The Right to Seek a Safe Place to Live. 25. Food and Shelter for All. Both of these relate to poverty and also a lack of support for people experiencing addiction, struggling with mental health and ultimately these are related to trauma. We have a lot of need in our community for support around poverty, trauma, mental health and addiction. I also see LGBT rights and reproductive rights as a pressing issue in our community. For the purposes of this answer, I consider them both part of one issue, which is the right to bodily autonomy. On a national level, these rights are being eroded, and while Eugene, Lane County and Oregon in general have strong protections, the erosion of these protections nationally has a negative impact on these communities. 3 What do you see as the three most pressing human rights issues in Eugene? Select the most important and explain why. Page 12 of 21 Interested Applicants 6/4/2019 11:49:54 AM June 24, 2019, Meeting – Item 1