Parks and nature investments

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Burton T. Edwards, co-chair

Pronouns: he, him, his

Burt Edwards is the director of programs at ReThink Media. Before joining ReThink in fall 2022, Burt served as the communications director at Friends of the Columbia Gorge, where he led rapid-response public education efforts around the 2017 Eagle Creek fire and directed efforts to center equity, accessibility, and inclusion in Friends’ public engagement programs. He previously worked for over 20 years in Washington, D.C. with leading nonprofit, public, and private sector organizations to create and manage communications campaigns to effectively shape public opinion on pressing policy debates from climate change to international conflict. Burt writes, “As a voter who supported this bond effort and as a Black conservation and communications professional, I am interested both as a chance to give back to my community and to apply my 25+ years of experience in public affairs to ensure this bond both benefits and is accountable to all metro residents, no matter their race, ethnicity or economic background.”

Cary Watters, co-chair

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Cary Watters is a member of the Tlingit Tribe (Raven Moiety and Dog Salmon Clan) and a lifelong member of the Portland urban Indian community. Early on, family and community members instilled a passion in her for first foods and other cultural resources of Salmon Nation. She has worked on policy with Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, managed civic engagement and advocacy at the Native American Youth and Family Center and works as the Contracts Supervisor at Portland Bureau of Transportation, where she engages with Portland's diverse business community and facilitates systems change that produces equitable outcomes now and for future generations. She writes, “I will bring my analysis and skills from cross-cultural movement building to this space in a way that uplifts racial equity as a whole, while still recognizing the unique cultural strengths and diverse experiences of different communities.”

Tana Atchley Culbertson

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Tana Atchley Culbertson is the director of network coordination at the Willamette River Network. An enrolled citizen of the Klamath Tribes who is of Modoc, Paiute and Karuk descent, Tana’s personal and cultural connections to rivers run deep. Growing up along the Sprague River in southern Oregon, Tana witnessed the effects of the degradation in her home watershed. This motivated Tana to dedicate herself to addressing the environmental harm that afflicts our watersheds and the people who depend upon them. Tana has nearly two decades of experience working in youth education and career development in higher education and tribal settings. She currently serves on the board of OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon and the University of Oregon Alumni Association. Tana writes that advancing racial equity means “going beyond performative actions and truly working with BIPOC communities that are impacted by the work of the parks bond.”

John W. Ferguson

Pronouns: he, him, his

John W. Ferguson is a retired geotechnical engineer who has worked on engineering projects ranging from the Mount St. Helens eruption to flood protection, water quality, landslides, earthquakes and residential and commercial developments. He served in a civic capacity as the chair of a Natural Features Team planning for the urbanization of 10,000 acres in the Damascus area to evaluate and protect high-quality natural areas. He has served on three other urbanization advisory committees. John writes, “I continue to immerse myself in nature, to witness the impacts of climate change, of pollution, and of development and know the urgency to protect what we have left and to provide for as many people as I can the emotional sustenance, spiritual enrichment, and physical joy that the outdoors and nature provides.”

Shantae Johnson

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Shantae Johnson co-owns Mudbone Grown and manages a 19-acre farm called Feed’em Freedom in Corbett. Mudbone Grown is a Black-owned farm enterprise that promotes intergenerational, culturally specific, community-based farming that creates measurable and sustainable environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts in the community. Shantae serves on the Oregon Board of Agriculture, the environmental equity committee of former governor Kate Brown’s Racial Justice Council. She is on the leadership team of the Black Food Fund and Black Oregon Trust. She writes, “As a Portland native, I have a deep passion for supporting the Pacific Northwest environment, land and connecting community and farmers back to the land. I feel this bond needs a committee that not only reflects the community it serves, but has unique perspective on equity and access.”

Georgena Moran

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Georgena Moran is an advocate for people with disabilities and an International Code Council-certified accessibility specialist. She is well versed in the ADA and ABA accessibility standards, applying them to facilities and parks, with an emphasis on hiking trails. Georgena is the founder and project manager of Access Recreation and the co-owner of Access for All, LLC, advocating for the rights and empowerment of people with disabilities. She writes, “I would like to provide a perspective as an avid recreation user living with a disability. I believe people with disabilities have been largely left out of the decision-making process on what denotes equitable access to recreational opportunities and I would like to assist in furthering equity and inclusion by sitting on the advisory committee.”

Shannon R. Shoul

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Shannon R. Shoul works at Nike as the director, procurement sustainability where she leads Nike's ambition to reach 100% renewable electricity in its owned and operated spaces globally by 2025. Her position also supports work to move the company's supply chain into renewables. Shannon was born and raised in Oregon and has more than 20 years of experience in sustainability, spanning nonprofit, media and corporate. She served in Metro's previous Natural Areas Program Performance Oversight Committee. Shannon and her family are avid campers and explorers, enjoying green spaces throughout the West, including those in the Metro area. She writes, “I believe in the power of public spaces to provide solace and connection for our sense of place, our community, and one another.”

Vivek Shandas

Pronouns: he, him, his

Vivek Shandas is a first generation South Asian-American and resident of Northeast Portland. His aim on this committee is to be a voice for those who don’t have time or capacity to take part in decision-making processes about improving environmental health, through the effective management of green spaces. As the founder and director of Portland State University’s Sustaining Urban Places Research (SUPR) Lab, his research and community engagements focus on helping cities develop strategies to address the effects of climate change on its people and infrastructure. He writes, “While the Metro region contains diverse and extensive green spaces, their distribution and community accessibility remain disproportionately skewed towards those with privilege. We can do better.”

Erin Upton

Pronouns: she, her, hers

Erin Upton is an environmental social scientist and landscape architect with a doctorate in earth, environment and society from Portland State University. She is passionate about understanding the human dimensions of complex environmental challenges. Erin is curious about decision-making around water and land, climate change resiliency, and sustainable futures in working landscapes. She is committed to applied interdisciplinary research, the co-production of knowledge and elevating diverse community voices. Erin writes, “Advancing racial equity means not only equitable access and equitable use, but also equitable representation in decision making and positions of leadership and power. I think it relates to this committee and the parks bond in general by acknowledging and addressing structural racial bias, promoting and elevating diverse voices, and engaging with BIPOC communities for decision making.”

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