Gina joined Neighborhood Partnerships in July 2019 to provide evaluation support to the Oregon IDA Initiative. She graduated from Oregon State University in 2016, and spent the past few years working in higher education and student services. She came to Neighborhood Partnerships after serving as an AmeriCorps Member at College Possible Oregon. Gina grew up in San Jose, California and moved to Oregon in 2012. She likes to spend her free time outside, sharing good food, or keeping up with sports, but preferably all at the same time.
For starters, tell me a little about yourself.
I am originally from San Jose, California where I lived for most of my life. In 2012, I moved to Corvallis to attend Oregon State University and studied sociology and writing. In 2018, I moved to Portland to serve as an AmeriCorps member. I spend my free time doing lots of different things but lately it’s centered around hiking, learning about fermentation, and keeping up with baseball and the Portland Thorns.
What area of expertise and interest do you have?
Most of my professional background is in higher education and student services. After graduating from OSU, I worked in various programs supporting student-athletes, in community education, and then supported low-income and first generation students in their academic journeys.
What does opportunity mean to you?
To me, opportunity means access and a chance to grow.
What difference can financial security make for individuals and communities?
Financial security means stability and balance in a community. Having a safety net can create opportunities for individuals, families, and communities to build, breathe, and thrive together. It can make all the difference for the health and well-being of communities today, but even more so for future generations.
Choose one author, living or dead, that you’d like to have dinner with.
Shea Serrano
What are you looking forward to most about this position?
I’m looking forward to learning more about the IDA Initiative, supporting the team around it, and the participants who utilize it.