Meet the EAC Directors

The Educator Advancement Council is a 21 member board of Directors with a broad range of voices, experiences, and perspectives from across the educator career continuum. As a statewide Council, the EAC intentionally seeks directors representing urban, suburban, rural and remote educators. Additionally, the EAC strives to have a Council that is racially, ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse and reflective of Oregon’s educators and students. 

EAC directors serve two-year terms, up to a maximum of two terms. Directors advise on policy making, budgetary decisions, planning and vision setting of EAC initiatives, as well as upholding the Council’s mission, vision, and values and actively employing the
Oregon Department of Education Equity Lens

Learn more about the current Council Directors here. For a list of vacant positions and application instructions, please visit our Join the Council page.

Andi Bales Molnar

Andrea (Andi) Bales Molnar, Chair, Oregon Early Learning Division

Andi Bales Molnar is the Professional Learning System Specialist at the Oregon Early Learning Division. She has been appointed by the Early Learning Systems Director, Alyssa Chatterjee, to serve on the Council and represent the Early Learning Division.

Traniece Brown-Warrens

Dr. Traniece Brown-Warrens, K-12 Educator

Dr. Traniece Brown-Warrens is a Principal in Portland Public Schools. She has taught 8th Grade U.S. History in Houston, TX in addition she was a department chair, instructional excellence coach, teacher specialist, football coach, and basketball coach. She has won awards for her culturally responsive teaching style that infused Hip-Hop music and History. Director Brown-Warrens is an active member of the Oregon Association of Black School Educators and received her Doctorate of Education at Baylor University.

Shannon Criss

Shannon Criss, Education Service District Superintendent

Shannon Criss is the Superintendent of Harney ESD. For 33 years she has strived to make a difference for students as a classroom teacher, administrator, mentor and coach; her belief is that we make a difference each and every day in the lives of others. Her aspiration is to make a positive difference. Director Criss serves on the EAC as a representative for frontier, remote one-room school districts.

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Dr. Veronica Dujon, Ph.D., Higher Education Coordinating Commission

Dr. Veronica Dujon, Ph.D., is the Director for Academic Policy and Authorization at Oregon Higher Education Coordination Commission. She leads the Commission's efforts to coordinate academic programs, degree pathways, accelerated learning and student success initiatives among Oregon's public universities. Dujon also oversees degree authorization for private schools, and licensing and compliance for private career schools. Prior to joining the HECC Veronica was an Associate Dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University. She received her Ph.D. in environmental sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Mark Girod

Mark Girod, Educator Preparation Program

An educator for 25 years, Mark Girod is dean of the College of Education at Western Oregon University and president of the Oregon Association for Colleges of Teacher Education. He is Past President of the Oregon Association of Teacher Education and served on the Oregon Coalition of Quality Teaching and Learning and the Oregon Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. He just completed two terms as a commissioner with the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission.

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Lisa Hasuike, K-12 Educator

Lisa Hasuike is currently a Culturally Responsive Coordinator for middle schools in Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD), and was previously a Director of Bands at Twality Middle School, and Inza R. Wood Middle School for 15 years. In addition to her classroom teaching role, Lisa also worked as TTSD Building Equity Coordinator, District Equity Leadership Team (DELT) Student Pillar Leader, Asian Student Union Advisor, and Student Affinity Group trainer. She is an Oregon Education Association (OEA) Equity Sparks facilitator, and is a national and state delegate at the OEA & NEA Representative Assemblies. Lisa is an OEA Board Director and a member of Northwest Regional Education Network. She has advocated for families and students in TTSD through groups such as the Strategic Planning Community Advisory, Budget Committees, SIA Development Team, and family and student listening sessions.  She is a passionate education activist who believes in equity, inclusion, and educational practices that empower and inspire students, and educators.

Amanda Manjarrez

Amanda Manjarrez, Nonprofit Organization

Amanda Manjarrez is the Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs at Foundations for a Better Oregon (FBO). Amanda brings creative leadership and a deep commitment to social justice to her work at FBO. A longtime advocate for racial equity and good governance in Oregon and New Mexico, her superpower lies in her ability to demystify complex systems and engage cross-cultural, cross-sector coalitions to design and advocate for system change strategies that center the leadership and experience of those most impacted. Before joining FBO, Amanda served as the first Director of Advocacy for Latino Network, an education-focused nonprofit, and of the Coalition of Communities of Communities of Color, an alliance of over 19 culturally-specific organizations. An alumni of Lewis & Clark Law School, she is an active member of the New Mexico State Bar and on the board of the Oregon Center for Public Policy.

Michele Oakes

Michele Oakes, NBCT, K-12 Educator

Michele Oakes serves as mentor program coordinator, professional advancement & support systems coordinator, and elementary writing coach at Bend-La Pine School District. A National Board Certified teacher, Chair Oakes has 29 years of experience as a primary classroom teacher and instructional coach. She served as chair of the Governor’s Council on Educator Advancement and currently serves on the Central Oregon REN.

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Bekah Sabzalian, Philanthropy

Bekah Sabzalian is an equitable education advocate, a licensed Oregon teacher and a philanthropy professional. She is currently an independent contractor having recently held the position of Program Officer in the Equitable Education portfolio at Meyer Memorial Trust. In her role she partnered with educators, community organizations, and school districts across the state of Oregon to ensure our most vulnerable children have access to responsive and relevant public education, with the ultimate goal of eliminating existing achievement and graduation gaps. Prior to Meyer, Bekah was a teacher with Portland Public Schools predominantly working with underserved students in North Portland. During this time she led the learning of hundreds of children, engaged and welcomed a multitude of parents/caregivers and co-led equity efforts in her building, guiding her colleagues to shift their teaching strategies towards more inclusive practices. She moved into teaching after years of non-profit experience, working in districts throughout Multnomah County promoting diversity, equity and inclusion for the County’s most vulnerable youth and leading programming promoting high school graduation for Native American students.  Bekah has served as a coordinating body member of the Multnomah Clackamas Regional Educator Network (MCREN) since its founding in 2018. She's also the coordinator of the Oregon Collective Summit, an annual event celebrating the contributions of educators of color in Oregon's public schools. Bekah holds a Master of Arts in Elementary Education and Teaching from Concordia University and attended the University of Oregon where she received her undergraduate degree in International Studies with a focus on Human Rights. Currently, she is pursuing a literacy endorsement focused on the science of reading with a dyslexia concentration from Eastern Oregon University.  During her K-12 experience, Bekah attended schools in Gresham, Corbett, Boring, Troutdale, Portland, Phoenix, AZ, rural Wisconsin, and the Columbia River Gorge. She now resides in East Portland with her two spirited boys, Reza and Javier, and their playful kitties, Pumpkin and Ping Pong.

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Dr. Charlene Williams, Oregon Department of Education

Bio coming soon...

Elena Barreto

Elena Barreto, Early Learning Professional

Elena Barreto is currently the Early Learning Community Navigator for the NW Early Learning Hub where she works at the intersection of social justice and education. She works with partners to build capacity and implement early learning and parenting support opportunities rooted in equitable practices across Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties. Additionally, she works with families to elevate their voices, desires, and needs to decision makers in the region to effect change.

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Ardis Clark, Middle School Teacher

Ardis Clark is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and a mother of four. She is currently an Instructional Leader at the Warm Springs K-8 Academy, and is serving a second term on the Education Committee as current Chair Person. Director Clark is an an experienced educator and strong advocate for the need to diversify the educator workforce; she is also a third generation educator working toward change for Indian Education.

Leah Dunbar

Dr. Leah A. Dunbar, D.Ed., Professional Education Association

Dr. Leah Dunbar currently serves as a Language Arts/Social Studies Specialist for Lane Educational Service District where she facilitates professional learning, following over twenty years spent as an innovative high school Language Arts/Ethnic Studies instructor. Daughter of a life-long Special Education teacher, and identical twin sister to another passionate educator, Leah is committed supporting equitable, highly relevant learning environments that center youth voice and agency. She completed her D.Ed. in Educational Leadership from University of Oregon in 2020, with a research focus on Ethnic Studies implementation in K-12. She is also a proud coordinating body member of the Western Regional Educator Network (WREN).

Jana Giles

Jana Giles, Elementary School Teacher

Jana Giles has been an educator in Oregon for six years. She grew up in rural Southern Oregon and attended Title-1 K-12 public schools. Giles has taught first-grade and is currently teaching in a third-grade classroom at North Marion, as well as being the Vice President of her Local Union. Her intimate experience within rural communities, school leadership, and elementary classrooms has directly shaped her approach to education.

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Melissa Goff, Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

Bio coming soon...

Diana Juarez

Diana (DeeJay) Juárez, Vice Chair, High School Teacher

Diana Juárez is a passionate, multilingual, BIPOC, autodidactic educator, that has experienced firsthand the inequities in schooling that obstruct the education of our students today. She is driven to see the implementation of an inclusive and equitable education system that acknowledges the assets that Oregon’s diverse learners bring to our classrooms and provides them with safe, welcoming environments in which they can thrive. She is determined to ensure that the interests of those most impacted by the education systems are represented in any changes made. Her pursuit of this goal is evidenced in a plethora of spheres—practicing educator, Douglas REN Coordinating Body member, Teachers of Color affinity group member, Equity Team member, and participant in a wide range of learning communities—as she is acutely aware that to develop an equitable system requires the involvement of all stakeholders. Director Juárez is a teacher at Phoenix Charter School of Roseburg.

Rep Susan McLain

Representative Susan McLain, Ex-Officio

Representative Susan McLain is a 5th generation Oregonian, raised on farms in the Willamette Valley. A graduate of Western Oregon University (formerly Oregon College of Education), Rep. McLain spent over 40 years teaching and coaching speech and debate in Hillsboro. In 2011, she was honored to receive a Crystal Apple award for outstanding local teachers from the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce. Rep. McLain recently received a national award for longevity and excellence as Glencoe High School’s Speech and Debate coach. After her election to the Oregon State House in 2014, Rep. McLain has been a legislative advocate for Oregon students, teachers, and schools.

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Dr. Karen Pérez-Da Silva, Pd.D., School District-Board Member

Dr. Karen Pérez brings more than 25 years of experience in education and community advocacy, teaching, and district level administration.  As a highly skilled bilingual educator, Karen specialized in early literacy, Spanish Language Development and Supports for Emergent Multilingual/English language learners. When in the classroom, Karen developed student and parent supports from kindergarten to college in Latino majority communities. As a district level HR and Multilingual department TOSA, Karen mentored new Dual Language teachers and co-led HR diversification efforts. Karen has also served as a district administrator for Equity and Multilingual Programs, developing budgets for more equitable student outcomes.  At the university level, Karen has served as an adjunct professor in the Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, where she has taught Culturally Responsive Teaching in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms and co-facilitated Leadership Retreats for the Educational Leadership Doctoral Candidates.  

Dr. Pérez has earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lewis and Clark College, a Master of Education in Elementary Education, Special Education, and ESOL and Bilingual Education K-12 endorsements from Portland State University. Karen currently hold an Oregon administrative and a teaching license. As a community member, Karen is serving as the President of the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators, a Beaverton School District Board Member, and a COSA equity board member.  Most importantly, to her, Dr. Pérez is a mother, a daughter, a partner and an multi-lingual educator who now serves and collaborates with her community in creating spaces for others to thrive.

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Dr. Sue Rieke-Smith, Ed.D., School District-Superintendent

Dr. Sue Rieke-Smith is the Superintendent for the Tigard-Tualatin School District (TTSD), overseeing PreK-12 academic services to nearly 12,000 students and 1800 staff.  Prior to TTSD, she was superintendent of the Springfield School District. Dr. Rieke-Smith’s career began with the Salem-Keizer School District (SKSD), teaching 5th grade ESOL in two Title I elementary schools.  While with SKSD she served as Curriculum Assistant Principal at McKay High School, and as Director of Instructional Services. Dr. Rieke-Smith also served as Principal at SKSD’s Houck Middle School where she led a federal No Child Left Behind restructure process. Her work was recognized by being named Oregon’s 2011 Middle School Principal of the Year. Dr. Rieke-Smith serves as adjunct faculty for the Administrator Licensure Program for the University of Oregon College of Education. She is the President-Elect for the Oregon Association of School Executives and also serves on the Oregon Educators Benefits Board and the National School Superintendent’s Association’s Governing Board.