FHCO Featured Volunteers

We have a growing number of volunteers who lend their time and expertise to assist in our nonprofit mission. Periodically we feature volunteers in our newsletter and here online as a thank you for their service.

If you're interested in volunteering or otherwise getting involved please visit our Get Involved page at www.FHCO.org/get_involved.htm.

Maria Walters, Written to Be Read

When Maria started her own freelance writing business in January 2011, a friend pointed her to FHCO’s call for website volunteers, and it turned out to be a perfect fit.

Maria was able to completely overhaul the “Tours” page of the FHCO website in anticipation of April’s Fair Housing Month activities. She incorporated an interactive slideshow and completely rewrote the web page content, while improving the page loading speed. You can see Maria’s handiwork at www.FHCO.org/tours.htm.

Since the FHCO page rewrite, Maria has gone on to serve multiple clients with ongoing blogging and newsletter writing services. FHCO’s Jo Becker speaks highly of Maria’s services, saying, “She was fast and yet still thoughtful in the work she did.  We recommend her most highly!” Maria especially enjoys working with small businesses and helping them establish their presence on the web.

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Mary Dagget, Income Property Management

Despite her many volunteer activities and her work in the housing industry, Mary graciously offered to help keep the “Breaking News” feature of FHCO’s website up-to-date.  The “Breaking News” can be found on both the entry page (www.FHCO.org) and at www.FHCO.org/breaking_news.htm which includes an extended,historical inventory of news items.

Mary joined Income Property Management (IPM) in March 2001 where she has worked with the accounting and property management departments.  In 2005, Mary accepted the position she holds today as the Human Resource and Marketing Specialist.  In her spare time, she works with groups and small businesses to develop their social media presence and search engine optimization. 

In addition to her responsibilities at IPM, Mary has volunteered with Metro Multifamily Housing Authority working on the ACE Awards, Spectrum, and Marketing Committees.  In 2009, she held the position of Marketing Chair and worked to create a style guide and streamline their marketing image. Mary has also introduced MMHA to the wonderful world of social media by creating LinkedIn and Facebook pages for the organization. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors for MMHA.  

Mary has also worked with Hands On Greater Portland, an organization that coordinates volunteers with opportunities to give their time to over 400 non-profit partner organizations.  She acted as the Marketing Committee Chair for Hands On Greater Portland for two years and served on the Serve-a-thon committee; the organization’s annual fundraiser that brings over 1000 volunteers out work at over 11 different area schools and non-profit organizations in a one day event. 

She has also sat on the Board of Growing With Music, a nonprofit that brings music and movement classes to at-risk teen-age parents and their children. In 1999, Mary won a Student Spotlight Award from the Portland chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. “I’m not surprised,” says FHCO’s Jo Becker, “Mary has a passion and a knack for marketing and outreach and she’s good at it!”

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Kris McVicar, Polygon Home Loans

Kris has offered tireless assistance to the FHCO since she joined our Board of Directors in 2005. Kris has done everything from serving on Board committees and staffing home buying fair booths for us to helping out at our April Fair Housing Month events.

Perhaps most remarkably, Kris gave considerable time and help as we developed the route for our historic bus tour in Portland (www.FHCO.org/tours.htm). What’s more, Kris continues to help out as needed with tours on an ongoing basis.

Kris has been a Home Mortgage Consultant with Polygon Home Loans, an affiliate of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage since 2009, but boasts 15 years of finance background in financial planning, insurance, taxation, banking, and lending. She moved to Oregon from Michigan in 2002.

Personally, Kris married William McVicar in 2004. They enjoy snowboarding, fishing, crabbing, and watching hockey and baseball games. Kris also places a high priority on giving back to the local community and supporting common sense activities that further the
betterment of all humankind. She fulfills this need not only by serving the FHCO but is also the current President of the Northeast Portland Rotary Club.

Of her work with the FHCO she says, “The fact fair housing is an issue here in Oregon, in 2010, is distressing which has prompted a personal passion to ensure everyone has equal opportunity to housing—whether it be leasing or home ownership.” She’s also an
ardent FHCO donor saying, “The fact that the Fair Housing Council is often mistaken for a government agency, also fuels my fire to spread the word. As a nonprofit the Council relies on personal contributions and corporate sponsorships to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to housing.”

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Corey Eubanks, Capstone Real Estate

Just eight weeks after relocating to Portland from California, Corey jumped in with both feet offering to help staff a booth at the Asian Pacific Islander Home Fair in August 2010. As a seasoned Realtor®, he’s now licensed in both states and looking forward to not only growing his local practice but to licensing in Washington state as well.

Corey describes himself as a detective at heart—every house has a story, and he enjoys figuring each one out. He’s put his sleuthing skills to work for first-time homebuyers, investors, nonprofit housing groups, condo converters, and bankruptcy trustees, to name a few.

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Nancy Roach

Nancy has served on the FHCO Board of Directors since 2008. In August 2010, she offered to staff a booth at the Asian Pacific Islander Home Buying Fair along side Corey Eubanks. She was eager to be of help and to see, first hand, what a home buying fair was really like.

In a former life, Nancy was the Lead Investigator in the Fair Housing Enforcement Center, Portland HUD Office. She retired from HUD in February of 2008. Prior to retiring, Nancy worked for the federal government for 34 years in the area of civil rights, first for 20 years as an investigator with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and then 14 years as an investigator with HUD / Fair Housing Enforcement Center.

Since retiring, Nancy has spent her time doing all the things there was never time to do before.

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Debra Neal, Realty Trust

Debra is a real star! We met her at the Portland Metro. Assn. of Realtors®’ Homeownership Opportunity Committee where she’s been involved for some time. In April 2010, Debra agreed to volunteer at our big Fair Housing Month event. She deftly greeted attendees and plugged our stylish fair housing tees (www.FHCO.org/get_involved.htm) to all who came. Debra readily represented us again in July at the Native American Home Fair.

Debra’s a Portland native who’s made her career in real estate. Her passion for helping clients reach beyond their present situation to achieve their dream of homeownership is self evident in all that she does.

Not only is she involved with housing-related organizations, she also gives of herself via short term mission trips and at women shelter’s. When she’s not working or volunteering you can find her outdoors, training for marathons, or perhaps on the water competing with her Rose Festival dragon boat team.

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	"Thank You" The FHCO would like to thank our partners and members for their support. Their contributions and grants have helped to make the resources on this site possible. Please join them in supporting our efforts!

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