Elevate Oregon Staff & Board
Meet the Elevate Family: Our dedicated staff and Board of Directors
The Elevate Oregon Team
On the Ground: Our coordinating staff, Teacher/Mentors, and Mentor/Coaches work in the classroom, 1:1 with students, and behind the scenes to help Elevate students to be their best selves.

Donell Morgan
Executive Director
Donell Morgan’s role as Executive Director at Elevate Oregon is the culmination of his entire life’s experiences.
He grew up in the inner city, starting his basketball career in high school and continuing through college, which led him to playing basketball around the world. After retiring from basketball, Donell worked first-hand with troubled youth at Echo Glen Children’s Center, a detention home where he helped young men & women piece their lives back together. For 10 years, he coached basketball at Umpqua Community College, kick-starting his mentorship of young African American men and becoming the first African American coach in Douglas County. Donell worked to open two Boys & Girls clubs in his hometown of Tacoma.
Now, as Executive Director at Elevate Oregon, Donell continues to mentor students and build life-changing relationships. His goal is to give back to his communities all that was given to him and more. An energetic and engaging speaker, Donell aims to inspire and develop the next generation of leaders who will transform communities and build a better future.
In his free time, Donell recently earned an MBA at Willamette University. He enjoys learning, cooking, and – never having given up his love of the game – coaching Parkrose High School’s Varsity basketball team and Elevate Oregon’s one-week Community Basketball Camp each summer.

Sarah Dougherty
Director of Programs
Growing up a Portland native, Sarah always saw the need for support for underserved youth. She has spent her life helping youth pursue their passions and dreams, starting with her deep involvement with her faith as a youth leader and mentor. Sarah served as Teacher/Mentor for Elevate’s Class of 2022, guiding her cohort for all 4 years of their high school career. During her class’s senior year, she also served as high school Program Manager, mentoring new staff around her, creating new curriculum, and developing highly effective relationships with program partners in the Portland community. Sarah's passion for youth development, her tireless work ethic and her natural loving spirit have enabled her to give back in a way that is deeply meaningful to her and everyone around her. She is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Psychology/Human Development at Warner Pacific University so that she can better assist youth in reaching their goals.

Tiffany Robinson
Middle School Program Manager

Michelle Braxton
Elementary School Program Manager
P. Michelle Braxton is a Portland native and a long-time resident of the Parkrose neighborhood. She brings over 20 years of skills, knowledge, and experience in child advocacy and education to her role at Elevate Oregon. In her work as a youth mentor, Qualified Mental Health Associate, Restorative Justice Coordinator, Foster care Provider, Behavior Specialist, and SUN School program manager, she has been privileged to work with some of the most underserved and displaced communities in Oregon. Michelle is an intentional and committed Change Maker, using her influence to speak for the voiceless, serving as a positive role model, and selflessly advocating for underserved populations in need of a helping hand. This work feeds her soul. In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and event planning.

Shannon Petrina
High School Teacher/Mentor
Shannon was born and raised in Portland, and became involved in working with youth in athletics while running on the track team at Portland State University. Her love for working with people and wanting to make a lasting impact in others’ lives led her to work in the school and community. Starting as an instructional assistant and then as an On Track Coordinator at Parkrose, she realized building relationships and seeing her students’ personal growth fueled her passion for the work. She wants to be a positive light in the students' lives and someone they can count on.

Xavier Dupree
High School Teacher/Mentor
Xavier joins Elevate after a career playing professional basketball overseas. He also owns his own clothing line. As part of our elementary school expansion, Xavier began working with Elevate Oregon as a Mentor/Coach at Russell Elementary School. He now joins the high school team as Teacher/Mentor for the Class of 2025.

Anthony Green
High School Teacher/Mentor
Anthony was raised in the heart of NE Portland. Growing up without a father and having little to no exposure to male role models help fuel his passion to be a part of the change that is needed for today's youth. His journey for youth advocacy began through volunteering as a Community Ambassador with Nike's Made to Play Program, and as a mentor with the Big Brother Big Sister program. Anthony's goal is to inspire the next generation by teaching them the fundamental skills of self-advocacy and leadership.

Diondra Dukes
High School Teacher/Mentor
Diondra was born and raised in Southern California. Although she received a bachelor’s in Spanish from Fisk University in Nashville, TN, working with youth has always been her passion. During her college years, Diondra helped run a summer day camp for an underprivileged community. Being able to serve these families and children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to the activities, field trips, and mentorship was a great honor. In her spare time, Diondra loves to spend time with her son. Her dream is to encourage all of her students to see and ELEVATE their own great potential.

Adofo Lawrence
Middle School Teacher/Mentor
Adofo joins Elevate Oregon after nearly 20 years in youth development. His passion for working with youth began in high school when he volunteered as a student leader with Outdoor School. Since then, he has worked with a variety of organizations as an Educational Assistant, In School Coordinator, Caregiver, Youth Development Mentor, Camp Counselor and Group Leader. Adofo grew up playing sports, attending summer camps, and playing at parks around the inner city neighborhoods in St. John’s and NE Portland. He attended Jefferson, Marshall and Vocational Village High Schools before attending Portland Community College. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, watching sports, and coaching basketball.

De'Aziah Bradley
Middle School Teacher/Mentor
De'Aziah is a Parkrose High School graduate. As a former Elevate student, she worked as a student leader at every Elevate Oregon camp, served as a peer mentor in Little Lift, and gave the student address at our 2020 annual fundraiser. She loves working with middle school youth. In her spare time, she is doing her pre-Med coursework at Portland Community College.

Freddie Sly III
Middle School Teacher/Mentor
Freddie Sly III was born and raised in NE Portland, attending Jefferson High School. There, he participated in a Nike Product Creation Experience internship, and later mentored youth in fashion and design through that same program. He has worked with middle school and high school students ever since, and has over 8 years of experience mentoring Portland youth.
Freddie is currently a senior at PSU finishing his degree in Communications. He is a competitive gamer, and is the father of a beautiful 1-year-old baby girl.

Luz Ruiz Ruiz
Elementary School Mentor/Coach
Luz is a former Elevate student, a trained dancer, and a Parkrose High School graduate. She joined the Elevate Oregon staff in January of 2021 in a new, full-time position at Shaver Elementary School.

Jaelen Blake
Elementary School Mentor/Coach
Jaelen is a former Elevate student and a Parkrose High School graduate. He’s an avid gamer with a passion for helping youth and the community he grew up in. He joined the Elevate Oregon staff in January of 2021 in a new, full-time position at Sacramento Elementary School.

Andre Reasno
Elementary School Mentor/Coach

Angela Taylor
Director of Finance
Born and raised in inner city Portland, Oregon, Angela was an at-risk youth who skipped school, got bad grades, and eventually dropped out of high school to become a teen parent. Years later, she earned a GED at PCC and then graduated from the Portland State University School of Business Administration for Accounting. Her passion and dedication for the community has led to a decade serving local area nonprofit organizations. Angela is excited to share her personal and professional experiences to support Elevate Oregon's mission. In her spare time, she enjoys nature photography, cooking, hiking, and playing the piano.

Chandra Roseby
Elementary School Mentor/Coach

Jim Wildermuth
Office Manager
Jim is an artist/entertainer who has lived all over the United States. For more than a decade, he has made his living working in office settings for health care teams and nonprofits. Jim is grateful for the opportunity to offer his abilities to an organization that is concerned with teaching valuable life skills to young people. He believes in forming relationships based on mutual respect so that together we can combat the fear that pervades the systems into which we were born.

KJ Mack
Community Engagement Specialist
KJ was born and raised in South Carolina. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, he received his BA in Public Health and has a passion for serving and building up the next generation. KJ loves to build relationships and spent multiple years working with middle, high school, and college students in local church ministry. He brings a deep desire to help the people around him grow and succeed to his work at Elevate Oregon. In his spare time, he enjoys exploring new places, reading, writing, and playing sports.

Kristen Robertson Rogers
Director of Development & Communications
A native Oregonian, Kristen attended the University of Oregon and Mills College in Oakland, California. With a strong writing background, she oversees Elevate Oregon's communications, grants and foundation relationships. Kristen has been deeply committed to Elevate Oregon’s work toward Educational Equity in Parkrose since 2017, when she started as a volunteer grant writer. In her spare time, she enjoys taking pictures, hiking with her dog, and hanging out with her family.
Elevate Oregon Board of Directors
At the Table: Our talented Board is key to our success and stability. With the long-term support of board members Sean Gabrio, Jordan Bader, and Sarah Raymond, we have celebrated over 12 years of serving youth in Parkrose. With the influx of skills and passion for equity that each new member brings, we are deepening our work and expanding our services. We're so blessed to have this diverse and engaged group of Portland professionals guiding Elevate Oregon's growth!

Jordan Bader
Board Chair
President, Acme Construction Supply, Inc.

Sean Gabrio
Board of Directors, Executive Committee and Finance Committee Chair
Senior Vice President of Pacific Wealth Group at UBS

Taaj Armstrong
Board of Directors
Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist at Portland General Electric

Kara Adams
Board of Directors
Director of Guest Experience, Rip City Management

Michael Walker
Board of Directors
Partner, Samuels Yoelin and Kantor

Billy Ladd
Board of Directors
Director, Customer Care, Jama Software

Nathan Moroney
Board of Directors
Executive Vice President, Hoffman Construction Company

Ali Migaki
Board of Directors
Senior Vice President/Chief Retail Officer, iQ Credit Union

Evangelina Rodriguez
Board of Directors
Sr Marketing and Communications Manager at Universal Electronics


Sarah Raymond
Photo Coming Soon!
Board Officer, Executive Committee
Stanford Business School

Robert Johnson
Board of Directors
Circuit Court Judge, Douglas County

Alexis Braly James
Board of Directors
Chief Equity Officer at Construct The Present