Portland State Magazine Fall 2008

ALUMNI NOTES Kevin G. Scott '03 earned a demal degree from Oregon Health & Science Uni– versity and plans to open a practice in Momana. Steve Faust '04 is on the PSU Master of Urban and Regional Planning Alumni Board for 2008. Faust is an associate planner for Cogan Owens Cogan in Portland. Lamin Juwara '04 is senior revenue analyst for the server platform group at Intel Corpo– ration. Juwara is also the proud father of a new baby. The family live in Vancouver, Washington. Rachel Rosenberg MPH '04 is a research associate for the Think First Injury Prevention Program at Oregon Health & cience University. Rosenberg also works with rhe lnju ry Free Coalition for Kids of Portland. Matt Smedley MBA '04 has been promoted to customer fi rsr project manager at Freighr– liner. He lives in Portland. Garrett "Troy" Stenson '04 was featured in the April 2008 issue of Chicago Tribune Magazine. Stenson is ~ 'Q§ In the company of sisters By starting her own business, KRISTI JO "KJ" LEWIS has helped launch the busi– nesses of creative, hard-working women a world away. Lewis, MS and MPA '05, is founder of Global Sisrergoods, an online business char sells colorful clothing, accessories, and home decor created by women in developing countries. Lewis and her sister, Bech Kapsch, who serves as CFO, pay fair prices co economically disadvantaged women in such countries as Ghana, Cambodia, and Peru. A former Peace Corps volunteer, Lewis got co know rhe "scrong, resilient, and incredibly smart" women of Namib– ia. She returned co rhe country in 2005 co gather informa– tion for a PSU project, and it was then char inspiration for Global Sisrergoods hie. "I knew I wanted ro be creative in my work, work char has a profound impact," she says. Global Sisrergoods, launched in 2006, saw a 500 per– cent increase in sales in 2007 and expects a 300 percent increase in 2008. Irs produces appeal co urban women, ages 25 co 55, who are interested in travel and women's rights, says Lewis. Every item for sale on www.gLobaLsister– goods.com includes an insightful piece on rhe women of that country. A favorite item of Lewis is the "past meets future brace– let" made by women in Namibia our of PVC pipe co look like traditional, hand-carved bone. "I like chem because they are unique, and I know that area and the direct impact we have made," says Lewis, adding, "If women are able co control their own economic destiny, char is where rhe real development happens." Products made by women around the world are sold through KJ Lewis' company. Lewis, 38, and her husband, David, became new parents in July. Her sister is also a mother, so business cravel i on hiarus for a while. Fortunately, they have a full-rime employee, Leah Hazard. The company will have a booth during PSU Weekend, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. ro noon in Smith Memorial Student Union. Lewis is thankful and philosophical about their situation, saying, "As new moms, we face rhe same balancing aces that our partner artisans face." ■ 28 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2008 founder and owner of db Clay, a Portland company char creates and sells wallets made of eco-friend ly materials. Megan Trautman MPH '04 is a hea lth educator for the aunty of Sacramento, Califor– nia, in the HIV/Communicable Disease Prevention Program. Ellie Fiore MRP '05 is rhe chair of the P U Master of Urban and Regional Planning Alumni Board for 2008. Margaret "Tina" Gentzkow '05 earned a master's degree in sociology from 1he New School for Social Research in New York City. Gentzkow is return ing to rhe school this fa ll to earn her doctorate as a dean's fellow. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her hu band, John. Katie Kennedy Keim '05 married Eric Keim in April. She works as a social service specialist for the Deparrmem of Human Services in Hillsboro. Diana Laboy-Rush '05 is the 2008 student inducree for the Denton Hall of Fame in P U's Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. Laboy– Rush is working on her Ph.D. at Portland Stare. She i the presidem of Portland Wiz Kids, an area business that focuses on providing children an oppor– tunity to engage in engineer– ing, inventing, and creative problem-solving programs. Kristen Ott MSW '05 competed in the Boston Marathon. Orr's workout consisted of running five or six days a week, doing two eight-mi le and two four-mile runs on weekdays. On week– ends, she ran up to 20 miles per day. he lives in T igard. Elizabeth Carey MSW '06 is program director for domestic violence prevention at the As– sociation of Religious Com– mun iries located in Danbury, Connecticut. Carey counsels domestic violence offenders.