Board and Advisory Council | Assistance League

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2021-2022)

President

Gia Hartmeier

Gia joined Assistance League of Bend shortly after she and her husband moved to Bend in 1996. As a mother of four sons, she is passionate about children and was drawn to Assistance League’s Operation School Bell. Gia has been involved in both the philanthropic side and the resource development side of the organization, having served in many roles, including as president from 2014-2015. In addition to volunteering for Assistance League, Gia has served on the board of directors for the Bend Swim Club and has chaired various parent committees at her children’s schools. In her professional career, Gia taught design courses at the University of California, Davis, and still maintains her architect license.

President-Elect

Janet Martin

After moving from the San Francisco Bay area in 2015, Janet became a member of Assistance League of Bend in 2017. As a member of Assistance League, she has served as chairman of Cinderella’s Closet and Breakfast with Santa. She has volunteered with Operation School Bell, Kitchen Kaleidoscope, the annual gala, These Kids are Cookin’ and has been a new member mentor. Additionally, Janet helped to update and revise documents pertinent to New Member Orientation, as well as My Life Storybooks. For over two years, Janet volunteered two days a week at the Shepherd’s House Men’s Center cooking meals for the residents and homeless, edited monthly marketing campaigns, and wrote/published the Women’s Center newsletter. Janet has also been volunteering with St. Charles’ Bloom Project, and is very active in her church where she is currently the Women’s Ministries director.

Vice President, Membership

Wyndi Perry

Vice President, Philanthropic Programs

Joan Craig

Vice President, Resource Development

Marla Anderson

Vice President, Marketing Communications

Kim Rush

Secretary

Andrea Hays

Treasurer

Anne Held

Anne and her husband Gary moved to Bend in May of 2018 after thirty 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

Grant Writing Chairman

Sue Misner

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

Anna Zirker

Parliamentarian/Bylaws Chairman

Catherine Anderson

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.