Linda Weston - President & Executive Director
Linda has been the President and Executive Director for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), www.oen.org since 1999. Prior to that, she spent 18 years in the tourism industry in Eugene, 15 of those with the Convention & Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon (CVALCO). Seven of those years were spent as the Director of Convention Sales and Marketing, and the remaining eight years as the Executive Director, CEO.
In 1996, Linda was recruited away from CVALCO by the American Basketball League, to relocate to Portland and start a women's professional basketball team, the Portland Power. Although the American Basketball League was under capitalized, and ultimately failed in December, 1998, the Portland Power was a successful and profitable organization. It led the League in ticket revenue, and was second in attendance out of the 11 teams.
In both 2002 and 2005, Linda was selected as one of 25 outstanding Women in Business by the Portland Business Journal. Also in 2005, she was one of three national finalists for the Supporter of Entrepreneurship award presented by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, in conjunction with Ernst & Young's national Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, resulting in major national recognition for OEN's programs to assist entrepreneurs. In 2007, she was recognized by the Northwest Women's Journal as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the Northwest.
Julie Brown - Director of Special Events & Investment Groups
Julie Brown is the Director of Special Events & Investment Groups for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), www.oen.org. She brings 15 years of hotel management industry experience working for entities such as Marriott Hotel Corporation, Hilton Hotel Corporation, Doubletree Hotels and Kimpton Hotel Group as well as The RiverPlace Hotel in downtown Portland. Currently, Julie is responsible for the planning and executing of OEN's three major annual special events: Angel Oregon, Venture Northwest, and The OEN Tom Holce Awards for Entrepreneurship. Additionally, she manages OEN's investment groups: The Portland Angel Network and The Women's Investment Network, including event and membership management as well as recruitment. Julie works hand in hand with many of OEN's volunteer committees and other staff members to ensure that the vast variety of OEN events, workshops and meetings go off without a hitch. Julie is a native Oregonian and holds a Bachelor of Science from The University of Oregon.
Kirsten Ringen - Director of Membership Services
Kirsten Ringen is OEN’s Director of Membership Services. She brings a wealth of experience and enthusiasm in project management, association membership and events coordination from her previous work with the Northwest Food Processors Association (NWFPA). At NWFPA, a 95 year-old trade association for the $24 billion food processing industry in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, Kirsten used her 8 years of experience in relationship-building and strategic planning with current and prospective Association members, for maintaining NWFPA's 450+ member contacts. Kirsten successfully recruited new exhibitors to the NWFPA's annual Northwest Food Manufacturing & Packaging Expo, to sustain the largest regional food processing trade show on the West Coast during the recession. Kirsten managed the detailed logistics for EXPO 2010, attended by 3,500 professionals. Kirsten has been responsible for developing new relationships, resulting in more than 45 new memberships and the sale of more than 370 Expo booths at the Oregon Conference Center. Kirsten was also responsible for the production of NWFPA's key annual publication, the 350-page Membership Directory. A Business Administration graduate of California State University in Sacramento, Kirsten lives with her best friend, "Goozie", who is able to sit, roll over, shake hands, and bark.
Sarena Regazzoni - Director of Marketing and Communications
Sarena is the director of marketing and communications for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN),
www.oen.org. She is well versed in direct marketing, lead generation and e-marketing. Prior to OEN, Sarena served as a marketing and communications specialist at Liberty Northwest Insurance where she handled a wide array of corporate communications including PR, events, marketing strategy. She also was responsible for managing and writing corporate publications. Her professional background also includes management of high-tech marketing and communications programs and she was part of the team that launched the local electronic discovery services firm Fios, Inc. She has been a member of the AMA where she chaired the Professional Development committee for multiple years. Sarena holds Bachelors degrees in Broadcast Journalism and in Spanish from Arizona State University.
Anne van der Linden - EFNW Program Director
Anne van der Linden is the program director for OEN's Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest.
With a background in both the business and nonprofit community, Anne brings over 20 years’ professional experience to OEN. Her career includes roles as program manager for the National Council of Savings Institutions, a financial industry trade association, and as a researcher with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a preservation advocacy organization. Prior to joining OEN, Anne enjoyed a successful career in financial services where she held positions in business development, client relations, and sales and marketing management with US Bancorp and two Northwest-based community banks. As a banker and trust professional, she worked closely with business, nonprofit, and high net-worth individual clients with managing their banking and investment needs.
As a member of OEN's Women's Investment Network, Anne developed her interest and knowledge of early stage companies by serving on their Investment Selection Committee and participating as an angel investor. In her new role as program director for EFNW, Anne will work closely with start-up companies to develop their corporate giving strategies and help implement their community involvement programs.
Anne's volunteer activities include serving on the Board of Directors of the Pittock Mansion Society and as a member of the Doernbecher Children’s Foundation Annual Auction Committee. Anne is an alumna of Mills College and the University of Denver where she earned her BA degree in History and was elected to the Gamma of Colorado chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Larry Williams - Web/IT Manager
Larry is the Web/IT Manager for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), www.oen.org. Before joining the OEN team, Larry started a small business with a few friends (Scoot on This!), volunteered for the Oregon Music Educators Association (OMEA), and served as an executive assistant to the director of the American Leadership Forum of Oregon (ALFO). Larry also waded through the wild world of student exchange while working at AFS Intercultural Programs, serving as the "go-to" guy for the Admissions Department and, later, the Information Center. Larry holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Lewis and Clark College.