| Board Directory | |
|---|---|
| Miles Pendleton | |
| Marianne Senhouse | Secretary for the NAACP |
| Staff Directory | |
|---|---|
| Trace Thaxton | Managing Director |
| Eva Osirus | Executive Assistant |
| Jocelyn Wensel | Health Workforce Development Program Coordinator |
| Lawrence Hunter | Education Coordinator |
| Daniel Shockley | Food Pantry Coordinator |
| Michael Vasquez | Garden Coordinator |
| Jerrel Brown | Environmental Climate Justice Coordinator |
| Robert Geerling | IT Coordinator |
| Maya Hosaka | BIPOC Community Health Worker”/HIV Alliance |
| James Carter | BIPOC Community Health Worker”/HIV Alliance |
| Dr. Rasheed | Education Committee Chair |
| Demond Hawkins | Health Equity Specialist, Trillium Community Health Plan and Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc. |
Marianne Senhouse
Secretary for the NAACP
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.
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.
My passion is development of equitable healthcare systems (IT platforms, education, health services).
Previously I’ve worked on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee (US Capital) in Washington D.C on staff (health/tax team) of Montana Senator Max Baucus. I also worked for financial services & technology company First Data Corporation. 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.
Eva Osirus
Executive Assistant
Eva is a Haitian American creative, born and raised in south Florida, where she lived for decades until she heard the call of her soul for something new in the PNW. Over five years of living in Eugene, Eva has transformed into a pillar of her community as an outdoor educator, martial artist, community advocate, spiritual leader, producer, and writer. Her background is in classical music, film, healing arts, literature, and art. Creation is life; whether it is a story, verse, collage art, singing, or music production, Eva creates that which is inspiring, truthful, and contrary to illusion. When she is not working in the community or making, she is walking a path to becoming a better being through qigong, martial arts, meditation, and other healing practices. Eva is a lover and seeker of life that embraces duality as an enlightening tool of reality. Every day she chooses to create and live a life endowed with faith, love, truth, and balance.
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.
Lawrence Hunter
Education Coordinator
I’m grateful to announce that I will be joining the NAACP family as their newest Educational Programs Coordinator. During my years as an independent coordinator and with the YMCA, I’ve gained insight on the sacrifice required to grow programs from seed. As a father I am invested in the diversity of programming and staff in our school districts. In my personal life I produce music and DJ which has taught me focus on the needs of the community while remaining true to your own creative vision. I hope to apply this experience to my time with the NAACP family.
I’m grateful for the many mentors who shared their support and guidance with me. I can’t wait to see what experiences and adventures this next chapter of my career will reveal.
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.
Jerrel Brown
Environmental Climate Justice Coordinator
Jerrel Brown (He/Him/His) is the Environmental Climate Justice Organizer with our local NAACP to provide resources and support community leadership in the pursuit of:
- Reducing Harmful Emissions, Particularly Greenhouse Gases
- Advancing Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy
- Strengthen Community Resilience and Livability.
Before joining the NAACP Jerrel was a student organizer specializing in Disability Justice/Advocacy, as well as an educator at Lane Community College.
Jerrel holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon, and enjoys Brewing, Cooking and playing D&D during his down time.
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.
James Carter
BIPOC Community Health Worker/HIV Alliance
Hi! I’m James, a BIPOC CHW and PSS working with the Eugene branch of The Alliance.
Dr. Rasheed
Education Committee Chair
Dr. Rasheed has over 20 years of experience in P-20 educational settings. He currently serves as the African American Student Faculty/Coordinator for Lane Community College, Director of the African American Rights of Passage Program, and is the Black Student Union Advisor. In addition to his roles at Lane Community College, he also teaches a course at the University of Oregon and Pacific University. His concentration on Black Male Studies led him to found R.A.A.M.P. (Reaching African American Male’s Potential) which seeded R.A.A.M.P. Charter Academy. He also founded G.R.I.O.T. (Greatness Rediscovered in Our Time) Mentoring, P.O.W.E.R. (Providing ‘Whol’istic Educational Resources) Consulting, and established the first Black Male Studies course at the community college level in Oregon.
Dr. Rasheed has a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Pacific University in Stockton, California. He also holds a Master in Literacy Education from California State University San Marcos and a BA in English from the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) – University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He sits on a number of committees including as the Faculty Representative for Cultural Competency in Higher Education at Lane Community College. As the college’s liaison to Lane County K-12 schools, and coordinator of community outreach and inclusion events, he works daily to build cultural bridges and advocate for black youth. With his passion for the amelioration of African American males, he continuously champions positive perceptions of their social, academic, and personal accomplishments until those archetypes are customary and expected.
Demond Hawkins
Health Equity Specialist, Trillium Community Health Plan and Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Inc.
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.
