Portland State Magazine Spring 2010

Center of hope for Oregonians Dennis Keenan started college as a philosophy major, doing "some social activism on the side." But helping people was clearly his passion, so he switched to social work. Through PSU's program, Keenan learned how to work within institutions, not outside them, to effect positive social change. Coalition building is "the modus operandi of social work today," he says. Following graduation, Keenan went to work for Cascade Health Care, providing care for the medi– cally indigent. Later he worked for the Archdiocese of Portland . For the past 21 years he's been execu– tive director of Catholic Charities of Oregon. One of Catholic Charities' nationally recognized programs, El Program Hispano, helps low-income, Latino immigrant families achieve self-sufficiency. Catholic Charities recently added a program to pro– vide resources to victims of human trafficking, and is currently raising $12 million for a Center of Hope that will bring a Loaves and Fishes Center, a child care facility, and administration and other programs under one roof. The foundation of his education is never far from Keenan 's work. Catholic Charities arranges field placements for Portland State students, and two of his employees are applying to attend PSU . 26 PORTLAND STATE M AGAZINE SPRING 2010 Joe Earhart '95 is a systems administrator for Miller Nash law firm in Portland. Akiko Fillinger '95 Akiko Fillinger '95 is an as– sociate professor of chemistry at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Fillinger became interested in chemical solar-to-electricity conversion under the guidance of PSU professor Carl Wamser. Bobby Balachandran MS '96 was named to the Portland Business journal's 2010 Forty Under 40 list. Balachandran is founder, CEO, and president of Exterro, Inc., a Beaverton company chat provides litigation software for the legal industry. Shelby Kardas '96 is vice president of administrative and development at the World Affairs Council of Oregon in Portland. Valerie Pratt '96 is an ac– countant for Pratt Weller and Associates, Inc., in Portland. Jill Staffers '96 is the director of admissions for the Monterey Institute in Monterey, California. Joe Tysoe '96 is a management consultant in Portland. Since 1996, Tysoe has competed in 46 runs, marathons, triathlons, and ironman competitions. Christi Wuthrich '96 is owner of che Terra Del Sol Spa in northwest Porcland. Wuchrich earned a master's in counsel– ing psychology at Lewis & Clark College and worked as a therapist, school counselor, and Child Protective Service worker. Deborah Bensinger Jan– ikowski '97, MS '04 is associate director in the PSU Office of Budget and Planning. Aubre Dickson '98 was honored by the Portland Trailblazers and the Black Parent Initia- tive at a February 21 game for his commitment to fami ly and the community. Dickson is an equity investments manager at Homestead Capital in Portland. Nathan Spear '98 , a sales engineer for IBM in Port- land, volunteers with the Big Brother program. Spear had a Big Brother when he was in middle and high school and says, "My experience was so rich chat I want a young person to have that same experience." Kristin Kane MSW '99 is direc– tor of support services at Cascade AIDS Project in Portland. Max Schwartz '99 is a senior manager at Geffen Mesher and Company, a Portland accounting firm. 2000-2010 Patricia Atkinson MS '00 is an instructor in economics at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington. Susan Balbas MST '00 is executive director and founder of the Tierra Madre Fund, a nonprofit organization for Native American women and sustainable community development based in Seattle. Shannon Burley '00 is marketing d irector for the Seattle Storm, a Women's National Basketball Associa– tion team based in Seatcle. Anne Cohen '00, MPH '02 is a disabil ity and health policy consultant in Moun– tain View, California. Abner Morales '00 works at Robert Halflnrernacional, a ■ = PSUAA Member