Meet the Team

We have a hard working Board of Directors that consists of talented and dedicated individuals from the community, a valuable President’s Advisory Council of supportive and active community members. Please peruse our site for more information about our fundraising events, partnerships, grants and opportunities that – with your help – we make possible for children in our community!
Aron Carleson

Aron Carleson

Executive Director

Aron has been the Executive Director since 2007. She has also served the community on the Hillsboro City Council, Chamber of Commerce Leadership Advisory and Public Policy Councils and in many other local organizations. Aron has dedicated her professional and private life to improving education for Hillsboro students.
Matthew Brennan

Matthew Brennan

Development Director

Matt oversees fundraising and communications for the foundation. Before joining the staff in 2019, Matt served as Board President, chaired the annual Gala & Auction committee and also helped facilitate Tony’s Tourney, a golf tournament fundraiser for HSF. A Glencoe alum, Matt is proud to be raising his two sons in the same community in which he grew up.

Laurie Schmidt

Laurie Schmidt

Program Manager

Laurie manages HSF’s bookkeeping and databases, assists with our fundraisers and events, and performs other program support duties. She volunteered for HSF for several years prior to joining the team as a staff member. Laurie is very involved in her sons’ elementary school in Hillsboro and has spent all of her professional career and much of her personal time helping children and families in Washington County.

 



Our Valuable Board of Directors



Kim Strelchun

Kim Strelchun

President

Kim Strelchun joined HSF’s Board after eight years of service on the Hillsboro School Board and almost 15 years in education advocacy work. She is the Residency Manager for Young Audiences of Oregon, managing the residency component of The Right Brain Initiative. In the past, Kim has worked closely with parents and educators in leadership roles with Stand for Children, PTA and Creative Children’s Center. She received her BS in Social Sciences/Political Science from Portland State University. Kim is the mom to two Glencoe alumni.
Harvey Berkey

Harvey Berkey

Vice President

Harvey has been a Board member since 2012 and serves on the Innovative Grant committee. He is excited to inform the public about the important work of the Foundation in supporting local students.
Jake Mead

Jake Mead

Treasurer

Jake, an Alumni of the Hillsboro School District, is thrilled to join the HSF Board. HSF has had a lasting impact in Jakes life as not only an Alumni who benefited from the investments made, but from his Grandmother who worked at Peter Boscow & David Hill Elementary who made HSF part of his family legacy. Jake, who owns Mead Agency and Associates in the new South Hillsboro neighborhood, truly believes in building up the community around him. While not working in his office or with HSF, he actively volunteers with FFA Hillsboro, Chairs the LGBTQ+ Business Advisory Council and is a board member for Washington County Chamber of Commerce

Rebecca Nelson

Rebecca Nelson

Secretary

An HSF member since 2022, Rebecca is a 2000 Glencoe Alumni and HSD parent of three. Passionate about education and community, Rebecca has served as a past Chair and Vice Chair on the Community Curriculum Advisory Committee, member of the literature adoption committee, and member of HSD’s Strategic Planning Committee. Rebecca is a former board member of  Glencoe Youth Football as well as both Brookwood Elementary and Evergreen Middle School’s Boosters, and serves as a current board member of Patterson Elementary’s Booster Club.

 

When Rebecca is not at her kids’ sports or volunteering, she is a Principal Broker and Agent Trainer at NextHome Realty Connection in Orenco and the owner and Performance Coach at Rebecca Nelson Coaching LLC. Rebecca also enjoys hiking, reading, table top games, and most new adventures. Rebecca looks forward to all of the opportunities to serve the HSF community!

Laura Bekken

Laura Bekken

Past President

After retiring from Hillsboro School District in 2008, Laura joined the board of the foundation and is dedicated to supporting our schools and working to enhance the experience of every Hillsboro student.
Dylan Alford

Dylan Alford

Board Member

Dylan has lived in Hillsboro since 2005, and both of his children are graduates of Minter Bridge, South Meadows and Hilhi.

He owns a Farmers Insurance agency in Orenco Station, and is active volunteering with youth basketball and baseball organizations, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Hillsboro Schools Foundation. He also umpires JBO baseball in the spring and summer.

He joined the HSF board in 2023 because he wants to give back to the school community that has helped educate his children and given his family so much through the years.

Kim Gaston

Kim Gaston

Board Member

Kim joined the Hillsboro Schools Foundation in 2021. Kim has lived in the Hillsboro School District since 1978 and currently works at Portland General Electric (PGE).

Megan Kaye

Megan Kaye

Board Member

Megan originates from California and has an extensive background in science and in science education. She has taken her multiple science degrees and used them in a lot of educational settings: from being a camp director, a tutor, a middle school science teacher, to even working as a science museum educational expert! Megan understands the value of hands-on education opportunities for students and that passion for education drove her to join the board in early 2024. Megan works for Thermo Fisher Scientific and enjoys spending her free time with her animals, whether it’s reading on the couch with the cats or hiking with the dog! 

Carol Loughner

Carol Loughner

Board Member

Carol has been a long-time supporter of the HSD with both of her sons attending K-12 schools in the District. In addition to her work on the HSF board, Carol is active with HACC, Sequoia Art Gallery and the Hillsboro Community Youth Choirs, spreading the word with those non-profits and elsewhere about the need to keep Hillsboro schools strong via the work and efforts of HSF.
Art Mendez

Art Mendez

Board Member

Arturo Mendez is a 20 year semiconductor professional. He is an operations manager with Applied Materials managing a team of 40 semiconductor engineers working in the Epitaxy module.

He has a passion for community engagement where he has the opportunity to assist under-represented youth in the Portland Metro area. Arturo is a member of the board for the Latino Business Advisory Council through the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, sits on the board for the Oregon Startup Center and is the Chairman of the Board for Hispanics in Partnership through Applied Materials Foundation.

Arturo enjoys playing golf, reading, drawing/painting, riding motorcycles, working on old BMWs and spending quality time with his family.

Tim Moe

Tim Moe

Board Member

Tim grew up in Washington County, moved away for college and work, and returned home in the late 1990’s. His family has lived in Hillsboro since 2001. All 3 of his adult children have proudly gone through the Hillsboro School District. Tim previously worked in Finance and Risk Management. Over the past 20+ years Tim has worked as an educator in various capacities at the college level but primarily at the high school level in the Beaverton School District.

He joined the HSF board in 2023 because he wants to give back to the school community that has helped educate his children. He strongly believes in the mission of public education and is proud to support an organization that helps HSD student be all they can be.

Dr. Jon Pede

Dr. Jon Pede

Board Member

Jon has been a part of the Hillsboro School District for 16 years as Principal of Jackson Elementary, Director of Student Services and recently 9 years as Principal of Poynter Middle School. He has been in education for 33 years starting as an instructional assistant, teacher, and administrator.  He recently retired to start the next chapter of his life. Jon has witnessed first hand the positive actions and generosity of the HSF through many grants that his schools have received over the years. When he retired, he decided that it was time that he give back to the HSF for all the generous giving that they gave his students and continue to support students and staff in the Hillsboro School District.

Shannon Rose

Shannon Rose

Board Member

Shannon is a Principal Broker at The Shannon Rose Group.  An active member of the community and proud parent, both of her children graduated from Century High School.

Nathan Sosa

Nathan Sosa

Board Member

Nathan joined the Board in 2015. He was elected as board vice president from 2017 – 2018 and president from 2019 – 2022. He also served on the Grant Committee and currently serves on the Marketing Committee.

Nathan is an attorney at the law firm of Vames, Wang & Sosa Injury Lawyers in Hillsboro. He is also a legislator in the Oregon House of Representatives where he represents District 30 which is based in Hillsboro. Prior to becoming a lawmaker, he served on the Oregon Government Ethics Commission and was its chair in 2020.

Over the past several years, he has also volunteered as a youth mentor with Portland State University as well as Lewis & Clark Law School, an ambassador with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Hillsboro 2035 Community Plan Oversight Committee.

Jaci Spross

Jaci Spross

Board Member

Jaci Spross has been an education advocate since her oldest began Kindergarten at Imlay.  She has served as an officer with both local and State PTA’s, and as the Century High School Marching Band and Colorguard Booster Club President. Jaci is an Executive Assistant at Synopsys, Inc, serving on the Synopsys Silicon Valley Outreach Foundation Board of Directors, and currently chairing the Synopsys Hillsboro Community Outreach Committee.  Synopsys has been a proud supporter of HSF and sponsor for our Gala for 15+ years.  Jaci joins HSF’s Board after four years in service to the Hillsboro School Board that included serving on the Budget Committee, Safety Task Force, School-Based Health Center Steering Committee, the Licensed Bargaining Team and Policy Committee.  Jaci and her husband Tom are the proud parents of two Century High School graduates.

Matt Turner

Matt Turner

Board Member

Matt grew up in the Washington county area, graduating from Westview High School. Matt’s journey started out as a teller at Washington Mutual right out of high school, eventually growing into his current role as Manager at the WaFd branch right here in Hillsboro. He thinks the big part of growing his career was learning to adapt but always being true to himself, and this shows with his clients. His focus is being with his family, his wife Nicole, and his four beautiful kids: Asher, Lexy, Maddox, and Maddox. Yes, being a blended family, he has two boys named Maddox, calling them “big” and “little”. His four kids keep him busy with sports all year as they are all active in wrestling, baseball, soccer, and basketball. Matt loves to cheer on the Ducks, Blazers, Mariners, and Seahawks, but most of all he enjoys spending time with his family adventuring from Florida to Long Beach to Cozumel. Matt and his wife want their children to travel and experience all the different cultures in the world. Matt joined the HSF board because he wanted to be part of this amazing opportunity to make a difference for our youth.

Sue Voigt

Sue Voigt

Board Member

Sue Voigt has been involved in education most of her life. First as a student then a teacher and finally as an administrator. She retired from the Forest Grove School District in 2008. Being on the HSF board is a means for her to support quality education in Hillsboro and give back to HSD where her two sons received their education. Sue serves on the Gala committee as the volunteer coordinator.
Nadine Zimmerlund

Nadine Zimmerlund

Board Member

Nadine worked in the Hillsboro School District as an instructional assistant, special education teacher, special education director, elementary school principal, director of instruction and assessment and executive director of curriculum, instruction and assessment. She is very committed to supporting public education and the youth of our community. She has served on the Hillsboro Schools Foundation Board for over 12 years.

Beth Graser

Beth Graser

Hillsboro School District Board Liaison

Beth Graser has been serving as the Chief Communications Officer for the Hillsboro School District since July of 2009. Beth grew up in Hillsboro and was one of the valedictorians of her graduating class at Glencoe High School before heading off to Duke University where she competed on the varsity track team and graduated magna cum laude. Her four sons all went through the Hillsboro School District and graduated from Glencoe as well. She is passionate about education and about serving the Hillsboro community.



President’s Advisory Council



MaryAnn Barnekoff

MaryAnn Barnekoff

Betsy Biller

Betsy Biller

Trudy Brennan

Trudy Brennan

Marilynn Helzerman

Marilynn Helzerman

Tom Hughes

Tom Hughes

Kurt Koehler

Kurt Koehler

Deanna Palm

Deanna Palm

Adam Schmidt

Adam Schmidt

Michael Tinnesand

Michael Tinnesand

Katy Walker

Katy Walker

Judy Willey

Judy Willey

Volunteer

Our HSF Volunteer League is looking to expand our team of individuals who are passionate about education and want to donate their time and skills.

Meet the Team

Made up of a dedicated and diverse group of individuals, the HSF Board and President’s Advisory Council provide leadership and oversight to foundation’s activities.

HSF at Your School

Since 2000, HSF has invested over $5.5 million in Hillsboro Schools. Find out which programs have been funded at your school.

CHAMPIONS OF EDUCATION

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Contact

5193 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite A
Hillsboro, OR 97124

(503) 726-2159

501(c)(3) Federal Non-Profit Tax ID Number 91-1779425