The votes are in and the results have been tabulated: after a week of nominations and voting by our community, ELGL is thrilled to announce the winner of the Knope of the Week! As a reminder, The Knope of the Week honors individuals or groups who have done the most in the past week to advance the mission of ELGL.
Without further ado, the winner of the 31st Knope of the Week goes to the . . . .
Laura Cleland
Communications Manager, Association of Oregon Counties
Laura has worked with ELGL since its inception to build momentum among the counties. The effort has resulted in increased membership from Clackamas County, Multnomah County, and Lane County. With the culmination coming in September, when ELGL visits Clackamas County leaders (Steve Wheeler, Laurel Butman, and Nancy Newton). Laura is playing a key role in organizing the 3CMA Conference which is being held in her backyard of Portland from September 5 to 7. ELGL looks forward to assisting in those efforts. (Details at What We Have Here is Failure to Communicate.)
Not to mention, Laura has a diverse professional background in everything from working on political campaigns to private sector PR. She has been motivated throughout her career by the simple, yet powerful mantra “to make a difference in the lives of others.” It is clear she is well on her way.
Previous Knope of the Week Recipients
- 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