What we do

Director of Culture and Outreach

The daughter of immigrants (Mexico City and Sonora, Mexico), Anna was born in Southern California. She moved to Central Point, Oregon with her husband and sons in 1979. The family eventually purchased a property and moved to Sams Valley – where Anna raised her 4 sons. 

Prior to her retirement in 2013, Anna worked in the Central Point School District, first at Sams Valley Elementary School, then at Hanby Middle School, and finally Scenic Middle School. Early in her career, she assisted Spanish-speaking students at the elementary school. 

Although Anna grew up speaking Spanish, she rarely spoke it once she moved to Oregon, as she had no close family or friends to speak to in Spanish, and knowing the language was not seen as an asset at that time. Although her sons never learned Spanish, she is excited to see several of her many grandchildren, learning the language in the Two-Way Immersion program in Central point. 

Anna lives with her husband and their two dogs, in Prospect, Oregon. She helped to found ENRICH because she has always been a champion of fairness, and she believes that all communities should have access to the resources they need to thrive.

   Director of Planning 

Having spent more than 4 years in the City of Phoenix as the Community and Economic Development Director and Deputy City Manager following the 2020 Almeda Fire, Joe has experienced first-hand how appropriate capacity within an organization can be leveraged to improve a community. Using post-disaster recovery funding as a catalyst, Phoenix added staff capacity to aid in fire recovery, complete much-needed long-range planning, spur economic growth, and secure roughly $35 million in outside funding to complete various infrastructure projects. These efforts not only helped to quickly revitalize Phoenix; they have set the community on a path to continued success into the future.

As a professional land use planner, holding an American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) credential since 2011, and also having a Masters of Professional Studies (MPS) degree in Community and Economic Development from Penn State University, Joe has a passion for improving community outcomes through planning.

Associate

Aaron is an Oregon land use specialist, bringing over a decade of experience in urban planning and community development. With a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from Portland State University, Aaron has cultivated a deep understanding of sustainable development and community-focused planning. His professional journey includes planning positions at the City of Coos Bay, City of Medford, and the City of Corvallis, where his roles included the review of land use applications, managing Comprehensive Plan updates, and supporting long-range planning initiatives. He is currently a Senior Planner and supervisor at the City of Beaverton.

Aaron is passionate about fostering sustainable and equitable communities through his work. He is AICP certified and proficient in Spanish. When away from the office, Aaron enjoys traveling the world, backpacking throughout the Pacific Northwest, and playing tennis.