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WALLA WALLA–Sherwood Trust is presenting a series of free community workshops focused on equity and empathy. The second in the four-part series is June 16 and will highlight rural leadership.
“We welcome community members to share in a live community learning experience that we hope will inspire and motivate actions to build equity and empathy into your daily routine,” said Sherwood Trust Program Director Julia Leavitt. The free virtual event will take place Wednesday, June 16 from 9-10:30 am PST. To register visit sherwoodtrust.org.
Participants will hear from local and national experts in rural leadership. The keynote speaker will be Heidi Khokhar, executive director for Oregon-based Rural Development Initiatives. Nationally renowned for her pioneering work in rural leadership, Khokhar has for 20 years led efforts to develop diverse, skilled, and connected local leaders that support rural economic sustainability.
RDI has produced Sherwood Trust’s Community Leadership program here for 17 years. Other RDI programs include its WealthWorks economic revitalization initiative and the volunteer Community Ambassador Network.
“The community learning session is an opportunity to deepen our understanding of how strong rural leaders demonstrate empathy and center decision making around equity,” Leavitt says.
Local speakers include Jennie Dickinson, executive director for Port of Columbia, Roger Esparza, Walla Walla real estate broker and nonprofit leader, Steve Irving, council president of Milton Freewater City Council, Mark Kajita, president and CEO of Baker Boyer Bank in Walla Walla, and Mandy Thompson, chairman of the College Place School Board.
Jennie Dickinson is executive director of the Port of Columbia. Since 2007 Dickinson has coordinated significant changes in operations and infrastructure at the Lyons Ferry Marina facility, constructed a new facility for Columbia County Public Transportation, created a plan and found funding for the development and construction of the Blue Mountain Station Artisan Food Park, and implemented operational changes and needed repairs for the re-opening of the Port-owned short line railroad. Dickinson played a significant role in the siting of wind energy generation over the last 15 years and most recently assisted Columbia Pulp as they opened a new cutting-edge wheat straw pulp facility in Columbia County.
Roger Esparza is a real estate broker in Walla Walla with deep experience in regional nonprofits. He currently serves on several boards and is past chair of the Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce and Community Council. Esparza, a graduate of the Sherwood Trust’s Community Leadership Program, has coached youth sports and is an active mentor and volunteer for numerous area organizations.
Steve Irving is an active member of the Milton Freewater City Council for over 17 years, where he currently serves as council president. A Milton Freewater resident for 33 years, Irving also is a member of the Chamber Ambassadors and serves on the boards of the Milton Freewater Community Development Partnership and the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council. A dedicated sports fan, Irving has been involved in youth softball and the Mac-Hi JV Squad.
Mark Kajita is president and CEO of Baker Boyer Bank in Walla Walla. A Walla Walla native, he started at Baker Boyer Bank in 2003 and worked in various positions before being named CEO in 2014. Kajita is active in the community and serves on various boards, including the Blue Mountain Community Foundation, Mill Creek Coalition and Whitman College Board of Trustees.
Mandy Thompson is board chairman of College Place Public Schools. She has served on the school board since 2015. She notes serving on the school board has been an opportunity for continual change and growth. Thompson, who previously served on the Touchet School Board during its superintendent search and successful Touchet School Renovation bond, has for 23 years worked as a dental hygienist in Walla Walla.
Rural Leadership is the second community workshop in a four-part series titled “Everyday Equity and Empathy.” Following the June 16 event on rural leadership, the series will include Transformation Through Arts and Culture September 16 and Civic Engagement November 16. Sherwood Trust workshops are free and open to the community and have live Spanish translation. Registration, available at Sherwoodtrust.org, is required for the virtual event.
Sherwood Trust is a private, placed-based foundation that supports capacity-building to ensure that everyone in the Walla Walla Valley has a sense of belonging and contributes to a thriving region. Founded in 1991 to continue the legacy of Donald and Virginia Sherwood’s efforts to make the Walla Walla Valley a better place, it has invested more than $32 million in the community.
