The 44th Knope of the Week has been selected after a week long search for the individual(s) or group who has done the most to advance the mission of ELGL. In case you haven’t yet memorized the ELGL mission statement, here it is in its entirety,

THE MISSION of the Oregon Emerging Local Government Leaders Network is to enhance communication between emerging and experienced government professionals; provide for professional advancement in the field by identifying employment opportunities and through targeted training and education; and support the advancement of professional local government management.

Before we announce this week’s recipient, we ask you to turn away from your computer screen and repeat the ELGL mission in an opera voice. Now that you’ve proven your allegiance to ELGL, we are happy to share with you this week’s recipient of the Knope of the Week is…..

ELGL Blog Contributors

Amber Mathiesen, City of Falls City, City Administrator

Ben McCready, City of Rock Island, IL, Assistant to the City Manager

Josh Gregor, University of Oregon

Pat Mobley, Portland State University Faculty

Rafael Baptista, Willamette University

Rhyan Van Horn, TriMet and University of Washington Evans School

As you have noticed the number of contributors to the ELGL blog has grown and will continue to grow in the next couple of weeks. It’s only appropriate that we  honor them as Knope of the Week. So who are these people and what is their deal?

Each contributor is sharing an area of expertise that is beneficial for us to learn about and discuss. The contributors include Pat Mobley (economic development), Josh Gregor (workforce placement), Rhyan Van Horn (the executive MPA), Ben McCready (job transitions), Amber Mathiesen (first 60 Days) and our newest contributor Rafael Baptista (graduate school vs. job search).

Each individual is donating their time after being asked by ELGL to share a specialty or experience that they have. The contributors were selected based on feedback we’ve received from members on topics that are most important.

We hope you are enjoying their contributions and will interact with them through leaving comments or questions on the blog posts or contacting them directly with your experiences as it relates to job transitions, graduate school, economic development, etc.

We are always looking for new contributors. Our writers benefit from gaining a work product to show employers or graduate schools and ELGL benefits from increased knowledge of these hot topics. Interested in becoming a blog contributor, email Megan Messmer, ELGL project coordinator at oregonelgl@gmail.com with a one paragraph description of  your idea.

Previous Knope of the Week Recipients

• Amanda Marshall, US Attorney for Oregon
• Mary Beth Henry, City of Portland
• Rosalynn Greene, Clackamas County
• Clackamas County Administrators – Steve Wheeler, Laurel Butman, Nancy Newton
• Charlie Hales, Portland Mayoral Candidate
• 3CMA
• Pat Mobley, Portland State University Faculty
• Oregon Transformation Project and Positively Clackamas
• Bob Moore, Bob’s Red Mill
• Greater Portland Inc – Sean Robbins, CEO and Maggie Finnerty
• David Donaldson, City of Lake Oswego Interim City Manager
• Jeff Towery, City of Springfield Assistant City Manager and OCCMA President
• Barbara Roberts, Former Oregon Governor and Current Metro Councilor
• Laura Cleland, Association of Oregon Counties
• Heather Reagan, Nathan Reagan (Handy & Reagan) and Peter Watts (Jordan Ramis)
• MPA Graduates
• Dr. Thomas Potiowsky, Former State of Oregon Economist
• Dave Waffle, City of Beaverton Assistant Finance Director
• Joe Gall, City of Sherwood City Manager
• Governor Gregoire and Staff
• Umpqua Bank (Barbara Baker, Michelle Van Allen, Nancy Lloyd, Robert Cross)
• Jessica Struyk, PSU MPA, cities of Beaverton and Fairview
• Patrick Quinton, Portland Development Commission Executive Director
• Bryan Cosgrove (Wilsonville), Marty Wine (Tigard), Michael Brown (Hillsboro)
• Chris Workman, City of Veneta
• Portland Timbers (Mike Golub, Chelsey Cossey, Patti Peters, Amber Browne)
• Anthony Petchel, Bank of the Cascades
• Claire Oliver, West Linn Tidings
• Phil Keisling, Director of Portland State University Center for Public Service
• Geoff Pursinger, Tigard Times
• Ken Ray, Metro Senior Public Affairs Coordinator
• Alliance Resources Consulting, Colin Baenzinger and Associates, Strategic Government Resources, Waldron & Associates
• OMFOA Developing Professionals (Heidi Starks, Rhyan Van Horn, Toby LaFrance)
• Justin Cutler (LaPine Parks & Rec), Robyn Christie (Bend), Kirsten Wyatt (West Linn)
• Rhyan Van Horn, TriMet senior accountant
• ELGL Advisory Board
• Cate Schneider, Lake Oswego city recorder
• Alex McIntyre, Lake Oswego city manager
• Matt Bailing, Willamette graduate, ELGL data analyst
• Megan Messmer, PSU MPA student, City of Banks intern, City of Dayton intern
• Zoe Monahan, Sherwood assistant planner
• Rosalynn Greene, Clackamas County sustainability analyst and Karen Pearson, Clackamas County human resources program coordinator
• Kathy Mollusky, West Linn city recorder
• Jordan Wheeler, Lake Oswego assistant to the city manager