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.
Rori Homme - Director of Membership
Development and Services
Rori is the Director of Membership
Development and Services for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), www.oen.org. Prior to joining the OEN
team, Rori managed a national non-profit trade association for over 10
years, and also managed and directed marketing communications for
several outdoor sporting companies both as staff and as an independent
marketing communications specialist. Rori has a degree in Visual
Communications and Commercial Photography, and has served on multiple
volunteer boards and committees, including The Portland Communicators
Conference.
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.
Jean Ann Van Krevelen - Director of
Development
Jean Ann is the Director of Development
for Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN), www.oen.org. She is an entrepreneur at
heart and is the President of Escalation Business Consulting, a
consulting firm with a focus on business coaching, strategic direction
and fund development. She is also the owner of Gardener to Farmer, a
gardening company that offers coaching, edible garden design and
naturally grown produce.
Previously, she was the Executive
Director of Cascade AIDS Project, and has 16 years of nonprofit
experience. Jean Ann received her Bachelors degree in Language Arts
education from Phillips University and a Masters in Social Work from
the University of Denver.
She was voted one of 50 Making a
Difference by the Oklahoma business newspaper the Journal Record, and
was honored with the University of Oklahoma's School of Social Work
Social Welfare Leader award. In 2007, Jean Ann was named one of 40
Under 40 by the Portland Business Journal and one of the 100 Women We
Love by Go NYC Magazine.
Larry Williams - Web/IT
Coordinator
Larry is the Web/IT Coordinator 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.