OUR TEAM
Leadership Team
Donna Hammond
Interim Executive Director
donna@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 139
Donna Hammond is a seasoned trades professional with more than 45 years experience as a licensed union electrician. Donna’s passion and value for the Union movement grew out of having been raised by two active union member parents. Her parents directed her education and skills for numerous career opportunities with two caveats- you must love what you do and it must be a union job!
Donna is a Portland native and started her career in her hometown as an electrical apprentice with the IBEW Local Union 48 in 1978. As a journeyman, she “journeyed” and traveled from Oregon to South Carolina to New York and worked and honed her skills.
During her 20 year career with the City of Portland as a maintenance electrician, foreman, and electrical planner, she was granted two sabbaticals for project management: one with the Columbia Pacific Building Trades and then another with Oregon Tradeswomen. Donna has served on many community and civic boards and is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, National Training Institute - Electrical Training Alliance. Donna has now gone full circle and after serving as a Business Representative with IBEW Local Union 48, where her journey started she's now the Interim Executive Director at Oregon Tradeswomen, a non-profit that she cofounded. She loves working in the electrical trades and working for the union! Donna currently resides in Vancouver, Washington, and is the proud mother of Yusuf Word and his wife, Danielle Sims.
Nami Bigos
Deputy Director
nami@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.449.3315
Nami brings over 15 years of non-profit management experience to the OTW’s team, with a focus on fundraising, communications, and operations. Nami fell in love with event coordination because she likes seeing people enjoy the experience, and has always been driven to make a difference in her community. She was inspired by her immigrant grandmother who formed a “gardening club” whose purpose was to aid and support the local community of new arrivals. From there, she has been involved in organizations of all sizes, supporting women’s sports, animal rights, community and cultural institutions, and other causes dear to her heart. At home, she balances the peace in the Bigos household with her dog and cat, if she is not out swimming at the local city pool.
Development + Communications
Paul F. Morris
Development Director
paul@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
A highly-skilled professional comfortable with strategic visioning and “brass-tacks” tactical fundraising. Over a 30+ year career in fundraising, Paul’s work has resulted in tens of millions of dollars being raised and thousands of donors being engaged for a wide spectrum of not-for-profit organizations. He has led successful development efforts in direct health services at the state and national levels; regional theatre; architectural preservation; a statewide organization offering chess to low-income students; lead development, communication, and operations for an organization focused on breaking generational cycles of poverty in outer NE Portland through a classroom curriculum and 1:1 mentoring; and most recently lead development efforts for an environmental education organization set on a 100-acre site in the metro area. Now, in his consulting practice, Paul works with clients nationwide with a focus on planning/systems, annual and major gift support, and grants.
Paul has a commitment to giving back to the community and the profession, including regular speaking and teaching engagements focused on small or emerging not-for-profits navigating success. In his volunteer work, he utilizes his background and expertise to help other not-for-profits develop their own sustainable and scalable fundraising programs.
Paul lives in Beaverton with his family.
Trytten Essing
Communications & Marketing Manager
trytten@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 141
Trytten grew up in the heart of the Silicon Valley and always had a knack for the arts. Starting his own photography business at the age of 16, he gained real life experience taking portraits, shooting events, and maintaining a social media presence.
His experience with online communications and digital media led him to Oregon Tradeswomen (OTW) to cover the annual Career Fair on social media as a volunteer. Trytten joined Oregon’s team officially in July 2017, where he coordinates OTW’s social media, develops our newsletters, writes content for a variety of channels, makes video, takes photos, and more! Trytten is also currently in school working towards his Bachelor's in Computer Science at Oregon State University.
In his precious free time, he loves camping with his wife Chelsea, filling up rolls of film, and avidly follows the San Jose Sharks.
Xavier Juhala
Development Manager
xavier@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 120
Xavier brings a growing background in nonprofit development and a passion for event planning to his role at Oregon Tradeswomen. After graduating from New York University, he started as a Fundraising Assistant on the development team at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) in Portland. There, he played a hands-on role in donor outreach, communications, tracking donations, financial reconciliation, and keeping the team organized.
His passion for event planning, which began back in college, really came to life at IRCO, where he helped pull off two successful fundraising events. These experiences gave him the chance to dive into donor relations and fine-tune his skills in event coordination and financial tracking.
After spending a year teaching 5th grade in Shanghai, he felt drawn back to the nonprofit and fundraising world, ready to continue using his skills to support causes he cares about. At Oregon Tradeswomen, Xavier is excited to be part of a mission that empowers women and helps them build economic independence through careers in the skilled trades.
Operations
Pat Casteel
Operations & Professional Development Manager
pat@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 121
Pat was born in North Eastern Texas area. After graduating from high school, Pat moved to Portland, Oregon and began her career in the Administrative field. After 30 + years, Pat opted for a change with the idea of improving her wages. After completing her Paralegal/Legal Assistant Degree, she was offered a Legal Receptionist position with a Law firm, and after almost five years, she decided it was time for another change and began job searching.
After interviewing for Oregon Tradeswomen, Pat was offered a position. She now has been promoted several times and is currently the Operations Manager where she works directly with staff, vendors, students, and the public. It gives Pat great satisfaction and offers quite a bit of challenge. She has the opportunity to support students directly and to contribute to Oregon Tradeswomen team in so many ways.
In Pat’s spare time, she enjoys crocheting, sewing, music, and hanging out with her family. Oregon Tradeswomen has been the best fit career wise for Pat. She works with a diversified group of extraordinary people and very happy to be a part of this team.
Pathways to Success Program
Courtney Hamilton
Workforce Development Manager
courtney@oregontradeswomen.org | 971.825.3855
Courtney has over 10 years of non-profit management experience, with a focus on serving women experiencing houselessness and women re-entering society after being incarcerated. Courtney believes that we need to approach the homeless epidemic by meeting individuals on a holistic level: affordable housing, trauma-informed integrated health care, and job training. Courtney has earned a PhD in Behavioral Health and has a passion to use her education and experience to better serve the people going through the OTW TACC program.
Debbie Spickerman
Training Instructor
debbie@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Debbie came to Oregon Tradeswomen from IBEW Local 48 as a licensed electrician specializing in low voltage. She has worked for IBEW Local 48 since 2004 and holds an Oregon LEA license. When Debbie got her first electrical license as a non-union worker it was a LEB license. She got only the LEB license because that is all her employer would pay for due to her being a woman. Once Debbie started at the Local, she became involved in union politics. She ran for Chairperson of the Sound and Communication side of things and held that position until 2016 when she ran for the E-board. She didn't win that race and figured it was time for her to step back and let someone else lead. Debbie is semi-retired now and wanted to give back to the community, so she thought "what place is better than Oregon Tradeswomen?" She went through a program similar to Oregon Tradeswomen's back in 1999 called B-FIT at PCC and says, "I have been where you are, and I am here to show you how to do it. Put your boots on and let's go!"
Elle Madison
Workforce Development Coordinator
elle@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Elle has spent the past 15 years helping students succeed first in higher education as an academic advisor, then as a history professor, and now in the trade's professions. Her passion is learning and helping others learn. In her own pursuit of learning and finding her place, she has received multiple degrees, first a Bachelor of Science in Marketing, then a Master of Arts in Ancient Celtic History and a Master of Arts in Public History.
Elle's work history is varied, she has extensive experience as a professor, professional resume writer, corporate trainer, and even a fire and theft investigator.
She loves to spend time with her husband and two dogs, either crocheting, or cooking. She loves to bake and has perfected cheesecake and makes a great French bread.
Ivan Castille
Training Instructor
ivan@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Ivan is a retired LiUNA Local 737 Oregon Laborer with 30 years of experience in all phases of the building trades. He started as a Construction Craft Concrete Laborer and worked his way to become a concrete foreman with several Local Union General Contractors under a Collective Bargaining Agreement. He then became a Safety Superintendent for Mill Creek Residential Trust, a local Developer.
Ivan worked as an apprenticeship coordinator with the Oregon Laborers Training Center for the last four years of his working career as an Oregon Laborer, before pulling his pension and semi retiring in 2022. Ivan has worked with Oregon Tradeswomen for the past 6 years as an industry partner in support of the program, recruiting tradeswomen into the field. Ivan most recently worked as a Workforce Advocate on the Albina I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement project. Working on mentoring and recruiting people of color in the Albina Community and greater Portland Metro area into the Construction Trades. Ivan came to help with the OTW Career Fair in May of 2024 and is now working as an instructor for the Oregon Tradeswomen.
Ivan is originally from Hawaii, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and has been in Oregon with his family since 1992. He is a father of 5 and a grandfather of 4 and enjoys spending his spare time with his Ohana, especially back home in Hawaii. He also taught Snowboarding up on Mt. Hood for 24 years.
Me ke Aloha
Kelly Baumann
Workforce Development Coordinator
kellyb@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Kelly has acquired a diverse set of career experiences with over 15 years of work in administration, teaching, writing, editing, and academia. Her previous position as Workforce Development Coordinator at Springdale-PIVOT Job Corps allowed her to understand the labor market from a regional perspective and work with students individually to overcome systemic barriers. Through this position, Kelly recognized intersectional issues within the job market and developed her knowledge of alternative pathways to employment. Her passion for social justice began in college and continues to this day. Most recently, she headed the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee at Springdale-PIVOT Job Corps.
Kelly is originally from New York and has lived in Germany and Iceland. She received a DAAD grant for independent research in Germany and completed a one-year term of service for AmeriCorps at Inland Empire United Way in California. Kelly has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology and Political Science and an M.A. in Public Policy from Stony Brook University. She credits these educational experiences with elevating her critical thinking, analytical, and research skills.
Since moving to Portland in January 2019, Kelly has discovered a deep love of the Pacific Northwest and feels completely at home. In her free time, she explores nature, hiking, ecstatic dance, biking, reading, writing, yoga, kirtan, board games, and cooking. She shares her life with her husband, Jay, whom she married in July 2024, and their two cats.
Kim Neel
Retention Services Coordinator
kim@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 123
Kim has been in the social work field for more than 24 years. After moving to Oregon from Florida, she landed a job with an all-female work crew remodeling a house. Kim loved the demolition process, and for the first time, knew how it felt to go home physically tired and happy! She never forgot the empowerment she felt on that job.
When a Career Counselor position at Oregon Tradeswomen (OTW) opened in 2012, Kim jumped at the opportunity and has been working at OTW ever since. As Retention Coordinator, Kim supports women who have been through our pre-apprenticeship program, plus she coordinates monthly social hours, the annual Trades Leadership Institute, and supports various local women's committees.
Liv Edens
Monica "Moe" Gauthier
Training Instructor
moe@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Monica, or Moe as most might know her, began her career in construction trades back in 2005 after attending an Oregon Tradeswomen Career Fair where she signed up to become a laborer with LiUNA Local 757. As an apprentice, Moe got her start working at the Swan Island Pump Station shafts for the West-Side Big Pipe Tunnel project. It was fitting that she soon later began working for Kiewit on the joint venture for the East-Side of the project as part of the Bull Gang crew and the intervention teams doing hyperbaric compressed air work and maintenance at the head of the tunnel boring machine. Moe was the only female laborer in the nation to be performing this work with Kiewit. With 52 “dry dives,” she had the second highest amount of times worked in the front of the TBM at 100 feet deep. Moe was able to complete her apprenticeship on that job and received her journeyman certificate as a laborer. Once the 4 year project was complete, a business representative from the Piledrivers Local 2416 approached her and invited her to join their trade. She started the program as third term apprentice piledriver after being given credit for her training with the Laborers. Some of the larger projects she was part of were the underground parking structure on the waterfront, the TriMet Street Car, and various site locations for the TriMet Orange Line. While working on the Sellwood Bridge, Moe earned her certification as a journeyman piledriver. During her time in the field, Moe was a member of the Safety Committee, and implemented a mentorship program to help apprentices who wanted more guidance working with tools, and gave them the opportunity to ask the questions that don’t get answered right away.
Susan Rodway
Training Instructor / Administrative Assistant
susan@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Bio coming soon...
Tiffany Bowie
Department of Energy Project Manager
tiffany_b@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Bio coming soon...
Vanessa Escobedo
Admissions Coordinator
vanessa@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200 x 104
Vanessa can speak from firsthand experience about how impactful Oregon Tradeswomen’s program is, not only the people who go through the Trades and Apprenticeship Career Class, but also for their families. Vanessa has been part of the Oregon Tradeswomen community for over ten years. Inspired by the potential to make a difference in the lives of others, Vanessa started as an intern in January of 2019. Now, Vanessa is proud to have grown into the Admissions Coordinator role and continues to uphold our mission to help women and gender minorities achieve economic independence through empowerment, training, career education, advocacy, and leadership development in the skilled trades.
Zoe Stansbury
Training Manager
zoe@oregontradeswomen.org | 503.335.8200
Zoe began her career in the trades at Marine Mechanic, working on numerous vessels including, ferries, research vessels, cruise ship, and multiple navy ships.
She later became a mechanical inspector, where she worked alongside, US Coast Guard and other regulatory bodies to ensure the safety and sea worthiness of numerous mechanical systems on ships.
As the Training Manager at Oregon Tradeswomen, she is passionate about building a curriculum that both challenges pre-apprentices and helps them gain tools to be successful in their future careers.
Outside of work Zoe enjoys volunteering for recovery-based organizations, and agility training with her dog.
We Value
