Our team
Sara Cervantez
Instructor
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Sara was born and raised in the Rogue Valley. They are an instructor and builder at Talent Maker City in the occupied territory of the Shasta, Takelma, Cow Creek, Umpqua, Modoc, and Siletz tribes. Her ancestral roots are in Jalisco, Mexico. They are developing their practice in youth mentoring, woodworking, and screen printing.
Alli French
Executive Director
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Alli is a long-time educator and maker - and one of the co-founders of Talent Maker City. For the past 23 years she has been involved in all aspects of education in Southern Oregon; working with middle school, high school, and college-aged youth. Her experiences have molded her beliefs in equity, diversity, cultural agility and developing meaningful community partnerships. As the Executive Director for Talent Maker City, Alli’s focus is designing hands-on workshops and programs for curious minds of all ages. TMC’s STEAM Programming has served over 1200 students and hundreds of adults since its inception in 2016.
Lucia McGuire
Maker Technician
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Lucia is a recent graduate from Armadillo Technical Institute (ATI) and is now TMC staff. She has been working with TMC since March of 2021 on the Bus Project, converting a school bus into housing. Recently she helped assist with workshops around the Mural Project. The Mural Project consists of thirty-two 4’x6’ panels of painted art with the theme, “Stronger Together.” These murals were made in response to the Almeda Fire that went through Talent and Phoenix and they are now installed around the Gateway Project. Lucia designed and painted two of these murals as her senior project.
Nina Gerona
Development Coordinator
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Nina moved to the Rogue Valley in 2023 to be closer to nature and to find a small, caring community that feels like home. A recent graduate of San Francisco State's Master of Public Administration program, she is excited to put her nonprofit management skills to work helping TMC grow! As a former educator, she is passionate about helping children and adults learn new skills and find their passions. During her free time, she loves playing outside, hiking, rock climbing, skiing, swimming, and camping. Inside you'll find Nina cooking, reading a novel, or spending time with her cat.
Victor Lopez Alcaraz
Tech Department Co-Lead
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Victor is a builder with experience in residential construction, including framing, roofing, and cement work. He enjoys creating things, making anything out of wood, using the 3D printer and CNC machine, and learning new skills. Victor enjoys teaching, and recently working with middle school students making beds has improved his teaching skills. He likes outdoor activities like fishing, especially on the coast and in Mexico. He also enjoys hiking in the mountains around the Rogue Valley, which he has called home for 19 years.
Erin Beard, D.Ed
Programs Director
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Erin has more than 20 years of practice as a secondary teacher-leader in southern Oregon where she lives with her husband, three children, and assorted pets. Erin received a D.Ed. in Educational Methods, Policy, and Leadership from the University of Oregon in 2020. Her dissertation explored the intersection of student-involved assessment for learning, equity, and trauma-informed practices. She is the Programs Director at TMC working to support professional development adventures.
Lisa Shinohara
Programs Coordinator
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Lisa grew up admiring the teapots, cups, and bowls that her parents collected from Japanese artisans. After learning how to throw on the wheel in high school, she joined a studio at UC Santa Cruz while obtaining a degree in Psychology. She spent a year teaching English in Japan and learning from local potters. Ultimately, she pieced together a small studio at home in Medford. You can see examples of her work on Instagram @ceramicsbylisa. Lisa believes that cultivating time for creativity, mindfulness and play is important for our overall well-being and loves that pottery is an intersection of all three! In her free time, you'll find her climbing rocks, mountain biking, skiing, and baking sourdough bread.
Amy Godard
Visual Arts Department Lead
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Amy Godard is an artist and printmaker born and raised in Southern Oregon. While they primarily make screenprints, woodcuts, and linco-cuts, Amy also has experience with ceramics, painting and puppetry. Amy has been teaching art for several years in both public and private settings. They have experience with Trauma Based Practices in education and have been a mentor in the arts for many years. Their interests include gardening, graphic design, beekeeping, traveling, and playing the guitar. Amy flexes between making and selling their own Art, working on the family farm and working at Talent Maker City. Amy uses their background as an educator and maker at Talent Maker City and is the Visual Arts Department lead.
Aki Robinson
Design Support
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Aki was born in Taiwa, Japan and raised in Oregon. After graduating from Portland State University with a degree in architecture, they moved to Southern Oregon to gain experience in architectural design. They are also a painter, beader and musician.
Ashley Quast
Instructor
Q is an artist, educator, and nature enthusiast. Her art practice is truly interdisciplinary working primarily at the intersection of sculpture, illustration, and storytelling. She is capable of anything from metal casting to doodling on a napkin. Q received her MFA from Washington State University in sculpture and performance where she was also a public engagement fellow. She has a commitment to the community and believes art is for everyone and that everyone is capable of engaging creatively. Q currently teaches for the City of Medford, Southern New Hampshire University, and Southern Oregon University. In her free time, you’re most likely to find her outside on her belly trying to ID a mushroom, or wildflower. She always has a couple agates in her pocket.
Katie Buttermore “Butters”
Woodshop Department Lead
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Butters joined the TMC crew soon after the Almeda fire, as part of the team who facilitated bed-frame building workshops for folks who were displaced by the fire. They have mostly worked for non-profits in an outdoor setting (teaching and coordinating) since 2005, while working on side projects in natural building & wood-work whenever they get the chance. Any kind of making is of interest to them whether it's wood-working, music, comedy, or drawing; Butters describes themself as a 'Master of None,' & likes it that way.
#makeittilyoumakeit
Molly Acord
Community Projects and Partnerships
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Molly lives in Talent with her husband and three children. She loves the intersection of business and craft, and has built two small businesses in this space. She started with an Etsy shop making monogrammed blankets when her babies were babies, and understood the value of flexible work for mothers at home. This passion developed into a fair trade business that brings customers simple goods made by women around the world. Molly loves all arts, but you will most likely find her in the fiber arts department.
Derek Boland
Mechanics Department Lead
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Derek is a cycling fiend who has worked in the industry for the past fourteen years. After becoming disillusioned by the nature of the retail cycling environment, he was compelled to change it. He is excited to share his knowledge and passion with the greater community here at TMC. He believes in the ability of the bicycle to empower and transform people's lives and that there should be no barriers to becoming a cyclist. He has lived in the Rogue Valley since 2013 and is excited to learn more skills and make more connections while working at TMC. Besides riding his bike and putting on rides, he also enjoys cooking/baking, sewing, and photography. He lives in Phoenix with his partner and two kitties.
Summer Brendlinger
Ceramics Department Lead
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Summer began working and falling in love with clay in high school, and went on to study at SOU. She has a masters and 14-year background in elementary education. She has since stepped out of the conventional classroom and currently teaches ceramics while growing her small artisan business. Her love of ceramics and the process shows in each of her classes, which blend her love of the art form and instruction. She has a focus on functional pieces made on the wheel and through various other techniques. You can feel the love in every piece!
Berkeley Skuratowicz
Tech Department Co-Lead
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Berkeley was raised in the Rogue Valley and is a recent graduate of Oregon State University, earning a degree in engineering. She is interested in the intersection of design and technology, and will soon be studying design at San Francisco State University. One of her main passions is 3D printing; she has spent over 5 years using and maintaining 3D printers. She also loves creating things using CNC machines, woodworking, and metalworking. Some of her other hobbies include reading, mountain biking, rock climbing, and exploring the trails around the Rogue Valley.
Aiden Perez
Maker Technician
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I have been a part of Talent Maker City since 8th grade. I started out volunteering, cleaning up the space, and preparing for workshops. A little after that, I was able to help out Talent with the Almeda Fire by making beds for those who lost theirs. I was also part of the Bus Project in 2020, where we turned a bus into a mobile home for a family who lost house in the fire. After that, I became an intern over the summer, and now I work at TMC. I help out with workshops, events, and programs for schools.
Sue Hawkins
Finance/Admin Director
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Susan was born and raised in Ashland and comes from a family of educators and DIYers. After graduating from SOU, she held a range of small business, non-profit, and corporate administrative management positions. She brings a calm demeanor as well as an inquisitive and curious mind to her endeavors. As an avid LEGO collector (aka fanatic) and mom, she embraces a sense of whimsy and imaginative, creative playfulness. She is often found in her LEGO room building sets and sorting pieces, in the kitchen creating beautiful, delicious meals and desserts, or in the garden feeding the birds, watching bees, and enjoying golden time sunsets with her son and their cat.
Hannah Rarick
Instructor
Hannah started sewing as a kid. She got her first sewing machine in middle school, and sewing became her thing. Glass-blowing became her main artistic outlet in her twenties. After her accident in 2018, she couldn’t blow glass anymore and she got totally into sewing as her main hobby. After the Almeda Fire, she started making quilts for friends. This grew into quilt shows. And then she met the Talent Maker City team and started teaching sewing classes in the makerspace. Hannah’s aesthetic is cozy and fluffy. She’s inspired by combinations of fabric colors and texture. And she likes that it’s art, but also a craft that can be used or worn. “It’s art…and it’s a bag!”
Project yOuth plus Interns
TMC’s Project Youth Plus Interns are an integral part of our team and we are grateful for their dedication and support. Learn more by watching the video below:
Board of Directors
Darby Ayers-Flood - Board Chair
Darby is the current mayor of Talent, Oregon. She has been a Talent City Official since 2001. Darby endeavors to enable the direct connection between creating a regional reputation for product innovation and drawing attention to our locally based economy in order to realize a robust “live where you work prosperity.”
Joe Wismann - Board Treasurer
Joe has worked at both Fortune 500 companies and startups, has over 20 years’ experience in manufacturing operations and senior management. Joe is also a retired US Army Colonel. He believes very strongly in Talent Maker City’s ability to empower its members and enrich the quality of life in the community. Joe has been a maker since he installed a steering wheel on his bicycle at age 11.
Jim Teece
Jim is a parallel entrepreneur, a maker, and a doer. He owns and operates several small companies including Project A, Ashland Home Net, Rogue Broadband, and The Southern Oregon Business Journal. Jim also owns a 3D printer, Brews Beer with a robot and a portable FarmBot that he hopes to build someday soon and teach robotic farming to kids of all ages. Jim also serves on several other Boards making his experience and expertise invaluable. He and his wife have lived in Ashland for nearly 30 years and have two adult children that were born and raised in Ashland on a small farm by Emigrant Lake.
Vanessa Robertson-Rojas - Board Secretary
Vanessa has worked as a plant ecologist and educator for more than ten years, and has focused a lot of her energy providing skills education for girls and women in the trades, and offering avenues for female mentorship in the natural sciences. Vanessa’s interests in ecology began as a studio artist and slowly evolved into her current work as a plant and restoration ecologist through the mentorship of empowering female scientists. She appreciates the complex and nonlinear nature of natural systems and seeks to perform meaningful work in the Rogue Basin. She has loved working with Talent Maker City in the past and hopes to bring positive problem solving energy to the board.
John Weston
John is a certified Oregon State teacher with endorsements in Social Studies, Industrial Arts, and Career Technical Education. In 2006, he started a custom woodworking business, Weston Woodworking, that focuses on cabinets and custom furniture. John is passionate about teaching and is a respected woodworker. John can often be found in the TMC wood shop volunteering to teach staff, students and community members how to build and create with wood.
Gil Livni
Born in Israel, Gil Livni came to the U.S. as an emigrant in 1989. His first job as a youth was building and educating others on how to build radio-controlled airplanes. Gil is a self starter and built his business from the ground up. He brings over 30 years of experience and expertise in building and development in the Rogue Valley and beyond. With licenses in Electrical, Tile/Masonry and General Contracting, Gil brings trades knowledge and experience to our Board that will help serve our programs and students. Gil is CEO of Magnolia Fine Homes and CamAgra, a Cambodian-based operation growing hardwood trees from seedling to full maturity as well as vegetable agriculture. Gil is excited to share his knowledge and experience with the community through TMC.
Risa Littman
Risa is thrilled to serve as a Talent Maker City board member. With advanced degrees in Social Entrepreneurship & Change and Communications, she embraces a growth mindset, applying endless curiosity and a hunger for continuous improvement. Risa manages employee giving and volunteering programs for Bank of America’s 200,000+ employees worldwide. She joined the Rogue Valley community in 2016 along with her husband and daughter. She has a deep passion to support nonprofit capacity building and leadership development, and volunteers on the advisory committee for the Nonprofit Association of Oregon’s annual Oregon Nonprofit Leaders Conference. She is equally passionate about spending free time immersed in all sorts of performing arts, handicrafts, and do-it-yourself projects.