Portland State Magazine Winter 2008

ALUMNI NOTES In 12 years, his gift will pay his granddaughter's college tuition. Bill created a deferred charitable gift annuity using the four-year college option. When his granddaughter is ready to attend the college of her choice, the annuity will provide her with fixed payments over four years. Any remaining annuity funds will go to PSU. Benefits of the "college option" deferred charitable gift annuity are: ■ You select the recipient of the payments. ■ Fixed payments to the recipient begin at a date you select and continue for four years. ■ The annuity pays generous interest rates . ■ You receive an immediate charitable income tax deduction. A deferred gift annuity with lifetime payments may also be created to supplement retirement. For more information on including PSU in your estate plan, view our Web site or contact Mary Anne Rees, Director of Gift Planning, at 503-725-5086, e-mail mrees@pdx.edu , or visit www.pdx.edu/giving/planned. Please consult your tax adviser to see how this option would work for your own situation. 26 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE WINTER 2008 Jake Olsen '95 is co-founder and chief technical officer of Platial.com, dubbed The People's Atlas. Platial is a community map-making and place-sharing platform, which has been featured in Wired Magazine, The New York Times, and National Public Radio. Platial's part- ners include Google, Yahoo, WordPress, and Facebook. Olsen lives in Portland. Linda Tepper MBA '95 is busi– ness manager for the Klamath Falls Airport. Tepper's duties include handling FAA regula– tory reporting and cracking, as well as public relations. Jami Burns '96 is a payroll specialist at Portland Commu– nity College. Burns writes, "I am currently writing a college guidebook in hopes of hav- ing it published someday." Don Stice '96 is a licensed Aflac Insurance associate in Washington and Oregon. Stice formerly was a computer desktop support specialist for 10 years. He writes, "I have finally found my dream job. I now have the opportunity to help protect my peers and residents of Washington and Oregon." He lives in Vancouver, Washington. Ryan Burkeen '97 is a deputy sheriff with Multnomah County and a member of the East Metro Gang Enforcement Team, which was formed in response to an escalation in eastside gang activity. While at PSU, Burkeen was a pitcher on the Vikings baseball team. Erik Ries '97 is owner at ETC. Studios in Playa Vista, Califor– nia. Ries formed the company in 2003 and is handling projects for various clients within the consumer products and enter– tainment realm, such as Jordan, Sony Playstation 2, General Motors, and Johnnie Walker Gold. He received a master of communication design degree from Pratt Institute and previ– ously worked for Art Machine and Indika Entertainment Advertising designing theatrical and home entertainment key art for movie studios. While at PSU, he was a member of the Vikings football team. Paul Struk '97 is a mechanical technician at Volt Technical, an information technology and custom software development firm. Struk lives in Hillsboro. Barbara Verchot MPA '97 has been elected to the PSU Alumni Board of Directors. Verchot for– merly was marketing director at Literary Arts, Inc., in Portland. Jerry Cioeta '98 is a police officer with the Portland Police Bureau. Cioeta is married to Maura White, who coordinates the national youth sports pro– gram for disadvantaged children held on the PSU campus each summer. They enjoy coaching their rwo children in soccer, basketball, and baseball. Erin Fishburn '98 is foun– dation director at the Perry Technical Institute in Yakima, Washington. Fishburn coordi– nates the school's fundraising efforts, oversees the scholarship program, and works with the institute's alumni associa- tion, the foundation board of directors, and the school staff. Marjean Johnson MSW '98 is co-director of the Pasto- ral Counseling Center of the Mid-Willamette Val- ley in Corvallis. The facility began in 1977 as a resource for the counseling needs of three sponsoring churches, but has expanded to provide for a growing population of people with mental health needs outside faith communities. Kim Miller '98, MEd '01 is interim executive director at Sheridan Japanese School in Sheridan. Miller formerly was a teacher in Beaverton. Claire Oliveros MS '98 was chosen as "One of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the U.S." and received the award at the