Board and Advisory Council | Assistance League

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2023-2024)

President

Janet Martin

After moving from the San Francisco Bay area in 2015, Janet became a member of Assistance League of Bend in 2017. Since that time, she has served as Chairman of Cinderella’s Closet and Breakfast with Santa, as well as Vice President of Philanthropic Programs and most recently as President-Elect. During the pandemic, Janet was instrumental in streamlining many of the processes/procedures related to Operation School Bell which resulted in improved efficiencies and increased productivity. She has also volunteered at the chapter’s annual fundraising events, These Kids are Cookin’ and has been a new member mentor. During her tenure as VP, Janet helped to develop the Senior Connections program, clothing pop-up events, new literacy initiatives and the clothing bundles project for foster children. Before taking over her role as President, Janet used her love for cooking to volunteer at a homeless shelter, cooking meals for the residents and homeless for over two years. She still has a passion for cooking and enjoys entertaining for family and friends.

Vice President, Membership

Wyndi Perry

As a native Oregonian, Wyndi grew up in Portland where she met her husband, Tom, and started a family. They lived in the Portland area for 17 years before career opportunities moved them to Lake Stevens, Washington. After their two children left the nest (one currently lives in Washington and the other lives in Oregon), they decided to become Oregonians again and moved to Bend in 2019. Wyndi became a member of Assistance League of Bend in 2021 after retiring from an insurance underwriting and marketing career in 2020. As a member of Assistance League, she has volunteered with Operation School Bell, the comfort shawl project, Secret Santa, and Senior Caring. Wyndi enjoys hiking, skiing, and kayaking and is hoping to travel a bit more since her husband recently retired. Wyndi is looking forward to getting more involved with Assistance League of Bend.

Vice President, Philanthropic Programs

Joan Craig

Joan was born and raised in Southern California. In 1978 she and her husband moved to Newberg, Oregon with their two children and started their own business in Portland. In 1979 they started vacationing in Sunriver and fell in love with Bend. In 1999, after their children were married and beginning their own lives, Joan and her husband decided to sell their business and retire in Bend. A friend of Joan’s, who lived in Bend, was a member of Assistance League and asked if she would be interested in joining the organization. Joan has been a member since 2001 and has held many positions on the Board including President from 2005-2007 and again in 2016-2017. She has also chaired many Assistance League fundraisers and committees in her 21 years as a member. In addition, Joan served on the National Philanthropic Committee for five years. She is passionate about Assistance League and enjoys her work with the organization.

Vice President, Resource Development

Valerie Holcomb

Valerie joined Assistance League of Bend in 2017. She was attracted by the scope and variety of their philanthropic programs, particularly the emphasis on helping children in need. As Vice President of Resource Development, Valerie oversees Assistance League of Bend’s fundraising efforts, including fundraising events, private and corporate donations, and grants. Valerie served two terms as Vice President, Marketing Communications from 2018-2020, and chaired the Strategic Planning Committee in 2021. She has served on the Marketing, Philanthropic Programs, Gala, and Operation School Bell committees, and particularly enjoys interacting with families during Operation School Bell shopping days. She is an active knitter for the Hats and More program, and volunteers for Cinderella’s Closet, Kitchen Kaleidoscope, Secret Santa, and These Kids are Cookin’. Valerie also volunteers with the SMART program, reading with kindergarteners at Ponderosa Elementary School. During her professional career, Valerie worked as a nonprofit executive, public information and community outreach director, and restaurant pastry chef. Valerie and her husband (who also pitches in at Assistance League events) moved to Bend in 2014 and share four children and five grandchildren. She is an avid reader and cook, and tries to balance those activities with biking, running, and pickle ball.

Vice President, Marketing Communications

Kim Rush

After owning a second home in Sunriver for 15 years, Kim and her husband made the move from Portland to Bend in 2012 to reside fulltime on the sunny side of the mountains. Kim joined Assistance League of Bend in January 2019. She learned about it when she visited a Kitchen Kaleidoscope event and recognized members she knew, who invited her to join. She was attracted by the variety of the Assistance League philanthropic programs, where she could choose the programs that matched her passion and skills the most. Kim has volunteered for various Assistance League of Bend events and served as chairman for Cinderella’s Closet from 2020-2022. Kim recently retired as the Vice President of Sales and Merchandising for a large international retail design company where she worked for 21 years. Kim and her husband have one daughter and two young grandchildren who they love spending time with when they are not enjoying the active Central Oregon culture.

Secretary

Andrea Hays

Andrea joined Assistance League of Bend in 2020 shortly after moving to Bend from Kirkland, Washington. She grew up in the Los Angeles area and earned a BS and MS in Computer Science. She worked as a software engineer at companies in Los Angeles, Denver, Boulder, and Santa Clara. She has volunteered for her churches, leading Sunday school, adult Bible studies and participating in music groups. She has also helped serve food at homeless shelters. When her son was born, she became very involved in the PTA at his various schools. She spent many hours assisting at his Cub Scout pack and Boy Scout troop as well. Since joining Assistance League of Bend, she has participated in Operation School Bell and Secret Santa, and is looking forward to getting more involved. She is also exploring service opportunities at St. Francis of Assisi parish.

Treasurer

Anne Held

Anne and her husband Gary moved to Bend in May of 2018 after 30 years in Tucson, Arizona, where they raised their two children. After 18 years of teaching middle school gifted children, Anne retired in 2016. While teaching she served as department head of the school district’s gifted education department, sat on the school leadership team, and served on various committees designing curriculum. Anne also served as treasurer on the board of the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented, a nonprofit organization serving educators, students and their parents. Prior to teaching she worked as a commercial credit officer for several major international banks, and also worked as a bank examiner for the comptroller of the currency. Since moving to Bend, Anne now enjoys golf, snowshoeing, and kayaking and she also loves to sew, knit, and do paper crafts.

Assistant Treasurer

Susan Foster

Susan joined Assistance League of Bend in 2015 and has been involved in philanthropic activities and fundraising for the organization. Prior to moving to Bend, she worked for Bank of America in their Commercial Real Estate division in San Francisco. Susan and her husband Mike, moved to Bend 22 years ago where they raised their two daughters and continue to manage their ranch. Susan also volunteers in the community for her church, Family Kitchen and St. Vincent de Paul. She enjoys helping children and seniors through Assistance League of Bend. Susan spends her free time riding horses, hiking, playing tennis, traveling and reading.

Grant Writing Chairman

Sue Misner

Sue has been a member of Assistance League since January 2015. She has served as President, VP of Philanthropic Programs, chairman of the Finance and Risk Management Committees, volunteered with Operation School Bell, and served two years on the Kitchen Kaleidoscope Fundraising Committee. She worked on the Gala silent auction every year from 2015-19, and knits for Hats, Hats, Hats. Before retirement, Sue was an educator, spending the last half of her career as a curriculum director in independent international schools in Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Hungary.

Operation School Bell Chairman

Marsha Bechtold

Marsha joined Assistance League of Bend in 2006 after moving to Bend from Pleasanton, CA. This is her second time serving on the board; the first time she served five consecutive years as chapter house manager, assistant treasurer, and public relations chair. She has played Mrs. Claus for Breakfast with Santa, co-chaired the annual gala, and served as silent auction chair. She volunteered with the Pleasanton Girls Soccer Association for 11 years, watching the organization grow from 600 girls to over 2,000, and served as district registrar. She loves helping kids and has served on every committee at least once, learning from each one of them, and has attended the National Assistance League Conference. She loves travel and gardening, and considers herself a foodie.

Strategic Planning Chairman

Sandy Mills

Sandy grew up on the East coast where she attended Temple University for her nurses training. In 1968 she decided to move to the West coast and settled in San Francisco where she met her husband. She spent the next 36 years in California where she and her husband raised two sons. During that time she was a Cub Scout leader, volunteered in her boys classrooms and joined Soroptimist International with a focus on women’s education. She returned to work in 1986 as a Nurse Manager for a local medical group, completed her BS in Health Sciences at Chapman University and then went to work in management for two insurance companies. She and her husband moved to Bend in 2004 after several years vacationing in the area. She continued to work for another eight years as a Program Manager for the Blue Shield of California Foundation. Sandy joined ALB in January 2018 and has participated in OSB, Kitchen Kaleidoscope and Heaven Can Wait. She has been knitting knockers and hats since before she joined and developed the Comfort Shawls project. She has served on the Hospitality committee, Marketing Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. She co-chaired the Silent Auction for the 2019 Gala.

Parliamentarian

Renata Beck

Renata spent her early years in Asia and Africa and she loves to travel. When her father retired they came to the US and settled in Eastern Oregon. In 1986 she married Joe and they moved to Central Oregon in 1989. She did her undergraduate work at the University of Oregon, later earned a master’s degree in counseling and is still a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. She worked for the Department of Human Services for 35 years and retired in 2022. During her tenure with the State, she had a variety of roles and responsibilities including two gubernatorial appointments to serve on the State Rehabilitation Council. Renata likes outdoor activities, reading, and entertaining. She and her husband enjoy doing volunteer work and she has served on many local non-profit boards throughout the years. Since joining Assistance League of Bend she has volunteered with Cinderella’s Closet and is a member of the following committees: Breakfast with Santa, Bylaws, Clothing Bundles, Hospitality, Literacy, and These Kids are Cookin’.

ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Advisory Council, composed of representative members of the community, serves the corporation in an advisory capacity. They review and offer advice on Assistance League of Bend’s financials, programs and fundraising activities as well as provide in-kind professional expertise when appropriate. As ambassadors for Assistance League of Bend, they are a critical interface between the organization and community leaders. Council members serve for three-year terms.