MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Erik Richmond, Chair

Erik Richmond is one of the founding members of the EJC. He has been involved with the organization since the first meeting on April 26th, 2017. He is passionate about building the EJC and committed to its longevity. He was the organization's first treasurer for five years. He has lived on the Eastside of Portland since 1995. Over the years he has served as a volunteer board or committee member for Congregation Shaarie Torah, The Jewish Federation of Portland, and MJCC/PJA. He is married to Annette Demsey, and they have two adult children.

Yvonne Cohen

Yvonne Cohen was drawn to the Northwest to be closer to her grandchildren. With a background in business, she has spent much of her life engaged in international family business matters. As a second-generation Holocaust survivor from the Netherlands, Yvonne feels a deep responsibility to share her family’s story and experiences. This mission drives her commitment to keeping these important histories alive.

She is a speaker for the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education as well as Jewish Family and Community Service in Jacksonville, Florida. Yvonne is also an active member of the Women’s Giving Circle and Ninety-Nine Girlfriends in Portland.

An avid traveler with a focus on lifelong learning, Yvonne embraces global exploration as part of her personal growth. She is a founding member of the Craft Circle at the Eastside Jewish Commons (EJC) and a member of Havurah Shalom.

Karen Blauer

Karen grew up in Portland and has been deeply involved in the Jewish community. Currently, she serves on the board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. Now retired, her career focused primarily on community outreach and engagement, fundraising, and grant administration in the nonprofit and public sectors. She and her spouse Dvora live in Southeast Portland and enjoy spending time with family and friends, gardening, and exploring the world on foot and by bike.

Brian Scott, Co-chair, Treasurer

Born in Portland, Brian comes from generations of Jewish eastsiders and has raised a family with his partner, Marianne in Portland for the past 30+ years. They have dreamed and worked on creating a Jewish entity on the east side for years and are super excited to be able to work with the EJC. Brian owns and runs a business in northeast Portland, and has purchased, renovated, leased and continues to own commercial properties. Other than work, he is into gardening, many outdoor sporty activities, and attending Timbers and Thorns games.

Noah Barish, Secretary

Noah lives in Mt. Tabor with his wife, Callie, and their four energetic and curly-haired children. He is a partner at the law firm of McKanna Bishop Joffe LLP, where he represents labor unions and workers throughout the Northwest. He is also a trained mediator, both in legal and community settings. He has served on the boards of Tivnu: Building Justice and Congregation Neveh Shalom, and has been involved in various Jewish communal organizing efforts in Portland. Noah is excited to continue to build Eastside Jewish community through the EJC.

Sarah Rosenberg Brown

Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sarah has proudly called Oregon home since 1994. She is deeply involved in the Portland Jewish community, contributing her time and talents to organizations such as Chabad of NE Portland, Kollel, Rachel's Well, and JFGP. Sarah is now delighted to serve as a board member for the Eastside Jewish Commons.

Bringing over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, along with her background as a small business owner, master trainer, and champion of DEI initiatives, Sarah founded Sarah Rosenberg Brown Coaching & Consulting. Her positive impact business focuses on mental health support for the Jewish community, fostering compassionate leadership, and providing expert nonprofit consulting.

Sarah lives in NE Portland with her husband, 16-year-old son, and two rescue mutts, in a charming home built in 1908.

Hope Peskin-Shepherd, Co-chair

Hope Peskin-Shepherd grew up in metro-Detroit and moved to Portland by way of NYC in 2018; since then she has been in Northeast. Hope helped start and was on the founding boards of the Jewish Young Professionals of Ann Arbor (JYP). She works on health policy and public health. Hope enjoys hiking, singing, cooking, SUPing, reading, beer, and spending time with friends and family. She is excited to build on east side Jewish communal efforts and create connections.

Andrew Tertes Kedem

Andrew moved from Israel to Portland's Hollywood neighborhood with his spouse and 2 children in 2016. Novel writing orients his days. Edgy Jewish themes take primary interest. He served as founding Coordinator of Jewish Healing Programs in Berkeley for Chochmat HaLev. He's been keeping financial books for businesses the past 30 years to support his art and his family. He loves hiking, rain or shine, and baking and playing games with his family and friends.

Ellie Simon Goldman

Ellie Simon Goldman has called NE Portland home since 2017. She has proudly led programming with TischPDX, Moishe House, Tivnu: Building Justice, and Shir Tikvah's Nashira Project, and informally in the broader community. People also know her for her Shabbat potlucks, group singing events, and once-yearly rainbow challah. She is a Data Specialist for Franz Family Bakery, and she has been described by loved ones as an exclamation point.

Mark Meyer

Mark is a native Oregonian. As an entrepreneur, he has run a number of small businesses including his current gig as co-owner of Lice Clinics of America Northwest. In addition, he is a business advisor and investor. Mark has been involved in many Jewish organizations including PJA, MJCC, Tivnu, OJCF and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. He and his wife Marcia have two grown children. Mark’s real passions are his family, the Oregon Coast, photography, biking, hiking and tennis.

Eliana Temkin

Eliana is a member of Congregation Havurah Shalom and have served on the Jewish Federation board, the Allocations Committee, and chaired the Rogoway Jewish Professional Award committee. She has worked as  a Jewish communal professional for the MJCC and PJA. Today she works  for Kaiser Permanente as an Organizational Effectiveness consultant working with leaders and teams. She has a master’s degree in organizational leadership, and is a Professional Certified Coach. The mother of three adult sons, Elijah, Isaac, and Gabriel, Eliana is married to Alan Sprints, owner of Hair of the Dog Brewing Company. She enjoys reading, studying Jewish texts, making mixed media art, Pilates, yoga, movies, travel and sharing meals with family and friends.

Hannah Berg

Hannah is a native Eastside Portlander and resides with her family, including two little boys and husband Daniel Mandel in SE. She has worked in healthcare management for over a decade. Her eastside passion is strong; many of Hannah’s high school friends have “NEP” tattoos. For those that haven’t heard this, it means NE Portland- EJC’s new claim to fame. While growing up, Hannah was one of a handful of Jewish students at her public schools. In the past ten years however, Hannah has seen the Eastside Jewish population explode not only with transplants, but kids she grew up with at Neveh Shalom that would never cross the river. Hannah and Daniel found it hard to meet older millennials in synagogue sponsored activities and are hopeful to bring all generations together at the EJC to build up Eastside Jewish life and community.

Thanks to our Founding Steering Committee & Board Members

  • Steve Albert

  • Joshua Bar-Lev

  • Mia Birk

  • Margot Feves

  • David Forman

  • Dan Gerber

  • Michael Hanna

  • Nan Lipton

  • Erik Richmond

  • Alysa Rose

  •  Lesley Sacks

  • Jonathan Singer

  • Robyn Tenenbaum

  • Jeffrey Weitz

Past Board Members

  • Mia Birk

  • Walker Clark

  • Leah Conley

  • Bonnie Newman

  • Sharon Pollin

  • Sara Radcliffe

  • Alysa Rose

  • Lesley Sacks

  • Tamar Wyte Lake