Our Staff and Board Directory

Marianne Senhouse

Secretary

Marianne Senhouse is the current Secretary for the NAACP. She would like to make a positive impact on the community, which she has belonged to for almost twenty years. She is employed as a Forensic Scientist with the Oregon State Police and likes to make jewelry in her spare time.

Demond Hawkins

Second VP, Incoming President

Demond Hawkins serves as the Health Equity Specialist for Trillium Community Health Plan and Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc., subsidiaries of Centene Corporation. Demond collaborates with staff, providers and community-based organizations to identify specific opportunities to address disparities in care and outcomes by using data, experience working directly with members, and community partnerships to develop and implement transformational change to the delivery of healthcare. In addition, he promotes organization-wide awareness and activation of health equity, as well as helps to identify and decrease systemic barriers related to racism.

Demond has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare field. Prior to joining Trillium, Demond held roles as pharmacy compliance analyst and manager of managed care enrollments and implementations for Safeway, Inc. and Albertsons, Inc. He also served as Vice-President of Operations for Mocodile Medical LLC. Demond is a member of the NAACP Health Committee and Chair of the NAACP Health Training Committee, as well as Chair of Trillium and Health Net’s Diversity and Health Equity Committee.

Demond and his family reside in Eugene, Oregon. He enjoys spending time doing these hobbies, etc. 

Dani Gielish

Treasurer

My name is Dani Gielish, and I am the DEI Program Business Partner or OCCU. I’ve been in the financial industry for 23 years and have worked in many different roles throughout my career. DEIB has always been a passion of mine and I fully believe everything I have done in my career has led me to my dream job as a DEI Business Partner for my organization. I love connecting with different people and working cooperatively with others toward goals that transcend into personal interests. My passion is to welcome leaders and employees across all dimensions of diversity — including race, gender, socioeconomic status, language and national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity. I will strive to create a safe space where people feel seen, heard, valued, and cared for across the organization I work for. My commitment is to decrease bias and increase clarity around expectations, drive equitable access and outcomes create the feeling of security and support. As I embark on my DEI journey, I want to be a force for advancing equity and resilience by identifying the biggest challenges and deploying world-class capabilities to solve them.

Trace Thaxton

Managing Director

My name is Trace Thaxton and I’m proud to serve as the NAACP Executive (managing) Director.

I’m alumni of the University of Oregon and I have a master’s degree from Montana State University.

Additionally, I’ve worked as an administrator in a variety of healthcare facilities and as a management consultant. I’m an MCSD certified computer programmer and an ASA certified sailing instructor. As a bi-racial (black/white) and bilingual (Spanish/English) Oregon resident for more than 30 years I’m excited to represent the vision of W.E.B DuBois and other NAACP founders.

Jocelyn Wensel

Health Workforce Development Program Coordinator

Jocelyn Wensel is a second-year medical student at the International University of Health Sciences. She has her Bachelors in Biology from Claremont McKenna College and a Masters Degree in Medical Sciences from Heritage University. She is passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. She is interested in working in the public health policy space and hopes to incorporate knowledge of functional and integrative medicine, plant based nutrition, yoga, reiki, and psychedelics into her future practice in family medicine.

Michael Vasquez

Garden Coordinator

Michael has many years of gardening experience that includes care and tending of private sector gardens as well as having experience as a community garden coordinator for both Elders and youth gardens. Michael’s intention/direction is aimed at community food security, community resource sharing, climate change adaptations and the development of local agricultural education and community garden expansion. 

The garden is a place of experiential learning and provides a natural environment for self care and inner healing. Michael’s interests include Self care, patient centered health and healing, and the many applications of circulation therapy that return the perspective of personal balance and centering practices.

Maya Hosaka

BIPOC Community Health Worker/HIV Alliance

I recently graduated from the University of Oregon where I majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Indigenous, Race and Ethnic Studies. I tutored at both a middle school and community college, which required motivational interviewing (before I fully knew the tactic and its meaning) and building rapport. I also have a lot of lived experiences being a queer Asian female-presenting person, which fully contributes to how I choose to navigate the world. A small personal tidbit that I would like to share is that I am very passionate about environmental and food justice, especially in how it pertains to already existing socio-economic and racial disparities and accessibility. I believe that all systems of oppression are interconnected and play off of each others’ successes and detriments, which is why I am excited to explore the health system from the perspective of an employee with HIV Alliance.