2013 Fall Conference
Reboot, Refresh, and Restore
Igniting Your Potential
- Dates:
- November 7 and 8
- Location:
- Embassy Suites (near Washington Square in Tigard).
- Questions?
- Contact Lynn Irvin at Chemeketa Community College by email at lynn.irvin@chemeketa.edu or by phone, 503-399-5012.
Keynote Speakers
Gwendolyn Trice
Gwendolyn Trice
Gwendolyn Trice, a native of La Grande Oregon, moved back to the country after a career with Boeing in Seattle. Now located in Enterprise, Gwen has dedicated the past several years to uncovering and documenting her family's migration to the West -- African American loggers in search of promise in the early 1900's. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center in Wallowa County & her efforts have rekindled an interest in eastern Oregon's rural history.
Oregon Public Broadcasting produced the Loggerʼs Daughter in 2009, Senator Wyden championed a land use bill the same year and that bill was signed into law by President Obama in 2012 providing historical buildings for the Heritage Center. In 2013, Ms, Trice was appointed by Governor Kitzhaber to the Commission on Black Affairs to work for the implementation and establishment of economic, social, legal and political equality for Oregon's African American and Black populations.
The question of WHY comes up when asked of Gwen Trice, an African American woman who has moved back to a rural community after 30 years living in the city. Hear how the transformative links to family, place and community play a role in shaping how she interprets her past, present and future. Gwen began several years ago with a question of WHY, her exploration and presentation will reveal shed light on her journey and process.
Dr. Melody Rose
Dr. Melody Rose
(Cheryl Juetten Photography)
Dr. Melody Rose is Interim Chancellor of the Oregon University System (OUS). The chancellor is hired by the Board and entrusted to carry out the policies of the Board as its chief executive officer, overseeing $5.5 billion in state assets distributed across seven public universities. The Chancellor's Office ensures that higher education is efficient and aligned; provides consolidated functions for the campuses in many areas to ease the financial strain on students and Oregon tax payers; and ensures that statewide higher education partnerships and initiatives are collectively advanced in ways which benefit Oregonians now and in the future. As the first female chancellor of the OUS, Rose's work supports 100,000 public university students in Oregon.
Rose also served as Vice Chancellor for Academic Strategies at the Oregon University System (OUS). Her portfolio included leading strategic planning for the System in collaboration with the State Board of Higher Education; preparing academic policies for the Board and developing initiatives to address critical program needs; supporting PK-20 alignment focused on student preparation for and success in college; providing leadership for student success initiatives which increase access, affordability, retention and graduation rates; fostering public-private partnerships in engineering and computer science and K-12 pre-college programming; enhancing partnerships with business organizations; overseeing the System's institutional research and analytical work; designing and maintaining the System's performance measurement framework and overseeing its achievement compacts with the Oregon Education Investment Board; serving as permanent co-chair of the OUS Provosts' Council; and serving as an integral member of the Chancellor's executive cabinet.
Before moving to the Oregon University System, Rose served in a number of roles at Portland State University (PSU), culminating in her service as Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Instruction and Dean of Undergraduate Studies. In that role, she was responsible for institutional accreditation and assessment, and all matters of both undergraduate and graduate curricula and instruction. She oversaw eleven direct reports, had responsibility for the 60 faculty in her units, and managed a $15 million budget. Her reporting units included the university's nationally-recognized general education program (University Studies), the Office of Graduate Studies, the PSU Honors Program, the Center for Online Learning, the McNair Scholars and Army GOLD programs, and the Center for Academic Excellence.
While on the PSU faculty, Melody authored a number of award-winning books, articles, and chapters on the U.S. presidency, social policy, women & politics, and elections. Melody is also the founder and first director of the Center for Women, Politics & Policy; in that role, her efforts in development yielded $1 million in funding from state, foundation, corporate, and individual sources to sustain the Center's many activities. Melody was also professor and chair of the political science division before moving into academic administration, and participated in various forms of faculty leadership, including faculty contract negotiations and a presidential appointment to the Long Term Institutional and Financial Strategies Committee (LTIFS). Melody earned the 2008 PSU Alumni Association's Distinguished Faculty award for excellence in research, teaching and community engagement.
Outside of work, Melody volunteers for education, civic engagement, and women's organizations. She received the 2010 Governor's Women of Achievement Award, and Congressman Blumenauer recognized her contributions to the state at his 2011 Women's Leadership Luncheon. In 2011, Melody was elected President of the City Club of Portland; with 1400 members, it is one of the nation's oldest and most venerable civic associations. While president, she brought more youth into the civic life of the region through City Club membership and participation, spearheaded innovative programming, and exceeded the Club's fundraising goals. She is currently an active member of the International Women's Forum.
Melody received her Bachelor's degree in Politics from the University of California at Santa Cruz with Honors and Phi Beta Kappa distinctions. She earned a Master in Public Administration, Master in Government, and Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University. Her fourth book, an edited volume entitled Women and Executive Office: Pathways and Performance, was published as a lead-up to the 2012 elections.
Past Fall Conferences
Read some of the participants' comments from last year and see websites from many years past on the Past Fall Conferences web page.