Board Of Directors
The Friendly House Board of Directors is charged with the overall management and governance of Friendly House, and we value a diverse array of perspectives to help lead Friendly House into the future. Each member serves as an ambassador for Friendly House’s community-building mission.
Learn more about becoming a Board Member.
Current Board Members

President, Jake Warr
Thank goodness Jake Warr likes to play basketball. He was introduced to Friendly House through his friend and fellow baller Aaron Lande, and they have both played here for years. Soon after becoming a member of our Community Center, Jake became a volunteer. He is passionate about marginalized people getting the support they need, which is what motivated him to become a board member. He’s been a Jake-of-All-Trades, filling roles as needed as a poutine judge, raffle ticket king, and event emcee. Currently, Jake is the board liaison to Friendly House’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

Vice President, Chris Carson
Chris lives just up the street from Friendly House and has been an integral part of our community for years. His legal expertise and insights into our capital campagin and other facilities projects have been invaluable to the success of Friendly House’s mission, and we are so grateful to have him and his amazing wife (former Board President Regina Hauser) in our neighborhood.

Treasurer, Wendy Hain
Senior Deputy City Attorney Wendy Hain brings a plethora of experience in legal, real estate and communications sectors to the Friendly House Board of Directors.
She has been involved with the FH community for over 13 years, and we are so pleased to have her passion and expertise in our corner.

Secretary, Sergio Aguilera
Sergio has been a steadfast supporter of Friendly House for many years and a vital connection for our community through his professional ties to financial institutions such as Homestreet and Umpqua Banks. His expertise and experience combined with his commitment to community service have proven invaluable to Friendly House time after time.

Val Aitchison
None of us were quite ready for the level of insight and enthusiasm for FH’s role in the community that Val would bring to the table when she joined our Capital Campaign Task Force in 2019. While the pandemic put the campaign on hold, Val was able to continue helping FH find ways to better serve the community and spread the word about all the ways our services had adapted to meet the needs of our community in the midst of COVID-19. Now, as the co-chair of our Development Task Force and through her role on the board, Val is a guiding force for the future of FH.

Jason Campbell
Jason found Friendly House on Facebook! As a young gay man, he was looking for opportunities to support LGBT older adults and build his leadership skills. Jason attended a SAGE Metro Portland barbeque, and we saw in him great potential as a board member. Today, Jason is a thought leader on the board, has served as the secretary, vice-president, and president of Friendly House’s Board. He has also been active at the Human Rights Campaign as their Volunteer Engagement Committee Co-Chair.

Mike Funke
A funny thing happened at ESCO Corp’s 100th anniversary celebration. Executive Director Vaune Albanese was in line waiting for an ice cream cone when Mike sidled up with his two adorable young children. They started a conversation during which Mike made it known that besides being the Vice President of the Global Supply Chain at ESCO, he was also a trained auctioneer. The following March, Mike debuted as our new auctioneer. Following his smash-hit performance, Mike was asked to join the board as our ESCO rep. He continues to be our favorite auctioneer of all time.

Chris Hagerman
Chris’s extensive experience with urban planning, philanthropy, and fundraising aside, it’s his deep roots in our community that make him an indispensable member of the Friendly House team. Chris’s kids are Friendly House Children’s Programs alumni, and his family continues to build connections to the community through Friendly House’s work and his service on our board.

Gabriela P. Hendricks
Gaby and her family live in Northwest Portland, and she was introduced to Friendly House while searching for a preschool for her son. Not stopping there, she later brought her talents as a fitness and dance instructor for older adults in the community as a beloved and respected teacher. Gaby joined the board with the knowledge of someone active in the Friendly House community.

Paul Kirshman
As Senior Director of Marketing at Adidas, Paul brings much needed marketing expertise to Friendly House. The parent of two young children, Paul’s motivation for adding board member responsibilities to his already busy schedule serves as a shining example to his children of a volunteer actively giving back to the community.

Christy Marten
Christy has been a part of the FH family for the better part of a decade and has given so much of her time and resources in support of so many facets of our community, from volunteering in our Children’s Programs, to helping prepare for our Annual Spring Auction, to supporting our Development Department with invaluable guidance and positive energy. Christy is the personification of community, and we are so lucky she’s part of ours.

Chiharu Olsson
With 15 years of Human Resources experience at Sony, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and other top firms, Chiharu Olsson joined the board in 2020 and quickly made a positive impact on a community reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. With her husband, she founded Adopt a Restaurant PDX, a creative program that encourages neighbors to support local restaurants and enables restaurants to pass on some of this bounty (with help from community partners like Friendly House) to people experiencing lost income and hunger. In addition to Friendly House, Chiharu is a founding member of the Women in Leadership Council of the Japan-America Society of Oregon.

Ruth Roth
We really don’t have adequate words to articulate how deeply Ruth Roth’s connection to Friendly House runs. She has given FH many years of leadership and guidance, both through her service on our Board of Directors (including serving as the Board President in 2004) and her countless hours spent chairing our Annual Spring Auction, among many other instances of indispensable wisdom and support. Through all these years, Ruth has been our rock.

Amy Wood
Amy has been a part of the Friendly House community for decades, since she first entered our doors as a preschooler. She later attended as an elementary school day camper, then a day camp volunteer, and finally became a teacher in our Friendly Chaps program and eventually a program director. She later moved on to Portland Public Schools, where she was a teacher for 25 years. She is closely connected with First Presbyterian Church, and she is a vocal supporter of FH’s ever-evolving programs to meet the needs of the community as they arise.
Former Board Presidents
Jason Campbell: 2020, 2021
Misti Ernsberger: 2020
Regina Hauser: 2015, 2016, 2019
Aaron Lande: 2017, 2018
Sam Galbreath: 2014, 2013
Cam Birnie: 2012, 2011
Marie Benedetti: 2010
Liz Schilling: 2009, 2008
Ann Bartsch: 2007, 2006
Walt Meihoff: 2005
Ruth Roth: 2004
Sarah Ferguson: 2003
Nancy Winter: 2002, 2001
Terry Fitzpatrick: 2000, 1999
Steve Chown: 1998
Ted Kaye: 1997
Joan Shireman: 1996
Brian Carleton: 1995, 1994
Tom Cave: 1993, 1992
Midge Birnie: 1991
Past Board Members, 2010-2020
Jutta Allen, Sergio Aguillera, Bill Baldwin, Ann Bartsch, Marie Benedetti, Michael Bigelow, Cam Birnie, Doug Blomgren, Craig Boretz , Nancy Brown, Cary Bubenik, John Calvin, Careen Ciehola, Cynthia Crose, Lauren Foote Christensen, Bruce Farrer, Terry Fitzpatrick, Greta Floding, Sam Galbreath, Amy Gray, Regina Hauser, David Hawkins, Mark Holman,Rachel Showalter Inman, Delores Jolly, David Kafoury, Jen Keesey, Aaron Lande, Wayne Landsverk, David Leatherwood, Jud Longaker, Kimberly Lyons, Dick McFall, Nancy McNeill, Susan Miner, Marylee Morris, Peter Michaelson, Amber Nettleton, Tonya Nichols, Jan Pailthorp,Marion Pender, Julie Proksch, John Purdy, Ruth Roth, Lou Savage, Liz Schilling, Joan Shireman, Robin Stevens, Kim Sordyl, Bill Tucker, Dan Wade, Mary Ann Watson.
Are you interested in serving on our Board of Directors?
The Friendly House Board of Directors oversees and governs all aspects of Friendly House. For more details, please take a look at our Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities below. If you think you would be a good candidate for Board service please fill out our Friendly House Board Application and return it to us via email at info@fhpdx.org.
Friendly House Board of Directors Bylaws
Board of Directors Roles and Responsibilities
- Planning and Evaluation: create a vision, encourage and participate in agency planning, ensure mission is honored, evaluate organization and Executive Director.
- Financial and Fundraising: help ensure Friendly House operates in a financially healthy manner, fundraise, review and approve annual operating budget, review financial reports and organization health.
- Policy Development: develop policies and review compliance, public relations, ensure positive image of Friendly House in the community.
- Legal: develop and maintain articles of incorporation and bylaws, assure compliance with all laws, keep accurate records including minutes.
- Personnel: make sure personnel policies are current, hire and oversee Executive Director, make sure employment laws are being followed, make sure wage scales and job descriptions are consistent with market.
- Board Development: develop and maintain a strong board, monitor the health and functioning of the board, recruit and train new board and committee members.
Board terms are three years, commencing in September. Board members may serve a second three-year term.
Board Member Responsibilities
- Commit to the mission of Friendly House.
- Commit to board structure as stated in bylaws.
- Commit to developing resources for Friendly House.
- Make a personal financial commitment to Friendly House. The commitment should be at a level that you determine is a “stretch” gift for you.
- Regularly attend scheduled board meetings.
- Participate in at least one working Friendly House committee, with regular attendance.
- Act as a Friendly House ambassador in the community.
- Introduce new friends to Friendly House.
- Support development of new board members.
- Maintain open communications with Friendly House staff, board and committee members; actively provide feedback and input on pending issues.
- Commit to timely completion of committee and board action items to move work of Friendly House forward.
- Participate in annual individual board membership review based on individual specific and measurable goals.