Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce
Government Affairs Committee

John has been an integral part of the Newberg community for many years. He has served in a variety of leadership roles including President of the Evergreen Doe Humane Society, President of Newberg Earlybird Rotary Club, President of Newberg Earlybird Rotary Foundation, President of the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Providence Newberg Health Foundation Board. He has also served as Chair of the New Lawyer’s Division of the Oregon State Bar, the Oregon State Bar’s Strategic Planning Committee, on the Chief Justice’s Future of the Court Committee, and the Regional Advisory Counsel for the Oregon Community Foundation. He is a member of the Oregon State Bar Association, the Yamhill County Bar Association, the Real Estate and Land Use Section of the Oregon State Bar, and the Debtor Creditor Section of the Oregon State Bar.

Mark, his wife, and two children, own and operate La Bastide Bed & Breakfast, an 8-room inn located in Dundee.  Prior to his time building the inn, he was a Senior Administrator with Kaiser Permanente.  He is involved with our community on the Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. He is past President of the Chamber, recent Past President of the Earlybirds Rotary Club, former board member and Chair of KaiPerm Credit Union, and current Treasurer of the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association.  Mark is passionate in his view that strong civic engagement is the foundation of a healthy democracy. 

Philip grew up in Yamhill Oregon and moved to Newberg to attend George Fox College. After graduating with a degree in Literature, Philip worked in the wine industry and owned and operated a restaurant in Newberg before becoming a Commercial Real Estate Broker. Philip has been a Licensed Broker for 25 years. He and his wife Katrina, also a licensed Broker, founded Pacific Crest Real Estate advisors in 2013 to specifically serve Yamhill County’s Commercial Real Estate needs. Philip is active in the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce, as well as several local economic development organizations and committees.

Alyssa is a graduate of Linfield College with a degree in Business Management. She also holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in finance from George Fox University. Currently she serves as Executive Director for Yamhill Enrichment Society, where she is able to combine her goal of community impact with a career in leadership, education, and the arts. Prior to her time with YES, she held positions with Austin Industries, NW Wine Company, and the Newberg School District. 

Alyssa is an active member of the Newberg Community. She is a volunteer with the St. Paul Rodeo Association, serving as a committee chair for the organization. Additionally, she serves on the Chehalem Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Her roles within the Chamber have included positions on the Finance Committee, Government Affairs Committee, and the Executive Committee holding the role of Treasurer. Also, of note, she honors her Tigard roots by being an occasional volunteer with Just Compassion of East Washington County. 

Wade has been in education for 30+ years as a teacher, principal, and academic dean. He has taught in international schools and has founded two Christian schools here in Newberg that have now merged to become C.S. Lewis Academy.

Wade and his wife, Jere, made Newberg home for 20 years before moving to Lafayette six years ago. Wade has served on the Newberg City Council, Lafayette City Council, the Yamhill Commission on Children and Families, the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, and the George Fox Alumni Board. Wade is also a certified life coach, a certified mediator, and an educational consultant.

Om is a Thai native from Bangkok, a minority woman who started up Chehalem Insurance Associates, LLC in 2001 providing medical insurance and financial services throughout Portland Metro areas with a slogan “Every day is a sunny day!

In July 2013, Om located her agency in downtown Newberg. Following the Affordable Care Act(ACA), Om put her efforts to make sure everyone can receive help to obtain health coverage easily with no stress. With her dedicated works, she has earned certificate of recognition “Elite Marketplace Circle of Champions” from Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) for 100+consumers enrolled in qualified health coverage every single year.

Om believes in serving communities and connecting people. She was past president of Newberg Rotary Noon club and Chehalem valley chamber ambassador. Currently she serves as chamber board member and health insurance marketplace advisory committee (HIMAC). Om enjoys experimental cooking which she is a three-time winner of “Soup’s On” Judge’s choice award!

For the last eight years, Scott served as the Executive Director of the Friends of the Chief Foundation/Friends of Yampa Valley Arts in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  In this position, Scott worked with local business leaders to sponsor, market and co-promote events. He collaborated with over thirty different non-profit organizations each year for a variety of events and fundraisers and led the non-profit organization to economic health.  His efforts were rewarded with the Navigator Award for “Business of the Year” by the Steamboat Chamber and the Steamboat Pilot Newspaper.  Parker has a vast amount of leadership training and has served as a corporate leadership trainer to provide education to businesses on teamwork, goal setting and creating a positive work environment.

Maryl is the Director of Operations for the Chehalem Valley Chamber. In partnership with the Chamber Executive Director, Maryl oversees the day-to-day operations at the Chamber, including membership renewals and outreach, social media & marketing, graphic design, and events management. Maryl is a member of the Chamber Leadership Chehalem Valley Committee, Finance Committee & Government Affairs Committee. Maryl was previously Chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee for the City of Newberg stormwater master plan update, and water & wastewater master plan updates. Prior to working at the Chamber, Maryl co-owned a family business out of Yamhill, Oregon for 8 years.

Maryl is a graduate of UC Berkeley and has lived in Newberg since 2018. She and her husband have two kids that attend Newberg public schools. Maryl is passionate about community building, sustainable economic development, and advocating for local businesses.

Ron directs the university’s Civility Project.  Ron has worked and taught at George Fox for nearly 38 years.  He served on the Newberg School Board from 2012 to 2021, and on the Dundee Planning Commission from 2001 – 2012, and again from 2021 – present.  He is active in the local United as Neighbors group, working with conservatives, progressives, and the “exhausted majority” to encourage robust, problem-solving civility across our partisan divides. All four of Ron’s children graduated from Newberg High School.

Kat has lived in Newberg for 20+ years. She spent years as a news reporter, KOIN TV News, the News Guard in Lincoln City, Capital Press, and more, and has been widely published on various topics, as a freelance writer. She has taught English, professional writing, and creative writing, at WSU, Chemeketa online, a handful of community colleges, and Linfield. Kat holds a master’s degree (M.A.) in English with a focus on professional writing from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.