Board of Directors

Phyllis Haddox PHD - Board of Directors President 

Phyllis began her career in education more than 40 years ago as a classroom teacher and then reading specialist in California. Now retired, she was a faculty member at the University of Oregon where she provided hands-on training to doctoral students and others in supervisory, teaching and management techniques. Dr. Haddox has also worked as an instructional design consultant on training videos for the University of Oregon and the Mayo Clinic and on books for author, Barbara Sher.

Elaine Phillips - Board of Directors Secretary 

Elaine is a graduate student at the University of Oregon and began service on the board as part of a class project last year. She plans to continue her service as part of her commitment to helping our community continue to move towards sustainability. Elaine has over 15 years of experience working with non-profit organizations, and is pursuing a double Master's Degree in planning and Conflict Resolution.

Michele Henney CPA PHD - Board of Directors Treasurer 

BMichele is an Instructor of Accounting at the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business.  She has been on the faculty since 2004.  She also holds an active CPA license in the state of Oregon and has practiced as a CPA for more than 25 years. In addition to her faculty position and professional activities, Michele is an active volunteer in the community and within her professions.

Patrick Stevens, Attorney at Law 

Patrick  is a partner at Hutchinson, Cox, Coons, DuPriest, Orr & Sherlock, a general practice law firm in Eugene. Stevens graduated from Texas A & M and the University of Oregon School of Law. He has had an active practice in the Eugene area for six years that focuses on civil litigation, creditors' rights and construction law.

Alan Evans 

Alan is the founder/president of Evans, Elder & Brown, Inc., a commercial real estate firm. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Oregon Bach Festival and is on the Board of the Arts Foundation of Western Oregon. He has previously served on the Boards of the Eugene Opera, Planned Parenthood and the Hult Endowment. He is also a director of Summit Bank.

Mike Grudzien 

As a Sr. Sales Executive at Teles USA, Div. of New World Brands, Mike specializes in VoIP networks for International phone companies.  Mike has been a telecommunications consultant for over 16 years.  He is a long standing Rotarian and former Board Member of the Eugene Rotary Club.  Mike holds a Masters of Advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A Marine Corps veteran, Mike served as a Marine Security Guard for American Embassies in Europe and did Presidential Security Duty.

Denise Vendley 

Denise is President of Rossetti Marketing and has successfully planned, implemented, monitored and measured marketing plans for several small businesses in the Eugene area. She is a creative, out-of-the-box thinker with over 20 years of knowledge and experience in the areas of sales training and management, graphic design/ad layout, media buying, event coordination, creating promotional campaigns and strategic planning. Denise also serves on the leadership committee for Women Business Leaders, a Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce Committee.

NextStep’s Board Stewardship Council:

Lois Day, Administrator Oregon Office of Safety and Permanency for Children 

Lois has worked in the field of child welfare for 20 years, first as a social worker and for the last 15 years in management. Prior to her experience in child welfare, Lois was a staff attorney at Lane County Legal Aid and remains a member of the Oregon State Bar. She has an Bachelors of Science in Microbiology and Immunology. In her spare time, Lois is an avid quilter and is raising a teen-aged daughter.

Tim Foelker, President, Professional Techworks, LLC

 Tim is an information systems management consultant, and president of Professional Techworks, LLC. Education: B.S. Geology, UO '82. He has worked as a chemist, geologist, environmental health and safety professional, certified hazardous materials manager, systems analyst, web developer, and database programmer. Lane County Master Recycler since 2003, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager since 1998, FileMaker Solutions Alliance member since 1997, American Chemical Society member since 1986. Tim is an organic gardener specializing in in northwest native landscaping, vegetables, herbs, and bamboo.

John Marshall 

John has worked with, trained and managed typically marginalized populations. He was part owner of the worker-owned co-op Genesis Juice in Eugene. He went back to school after 25 years and earned a teaching certificate. He is currently employed at Early Education Program a special education pre-school. Issues of economic, environmental, and social justice have always been a passion for him.

David Newman 

David currently works as a chemical plant operator for Arclin Corporation. David has worked in community based ventures including management of a retail food co-op and participation in Hoedads, a groundbreaking reforestation co-operative based in the Pacific Northwest. David worked as a professional musician for ten years. His current interests include gardening and puppies. David is proud of his association with NextStep and has great admiration for the employees and volunteers who have helped define the effort as a forward-looking, progressive organization.

Cathy Verrét
Cathy is President of Product Awareness Consulting. For the last 15 years, Cathy has been assisting facilities to be compliant with OSHA's Hazard Communication standard, and helping individuals find least-toxic products for home use. Cathy served on the Toxics Board for 6 years. Cathy is currently on the Board and Treasurer for the Willamette Farm & Food Coalition. Cathy spends as much time as she can in the outdoors hiking, biking, backpacking, camping, and snowshoeing. As of summer 2009, Cathy  is headed back to school for her next career as a physical therapist assistant.

NextStep's (newly formed) Advisory Council:

David Kamrat (Mr. Kamrat is leading the formation of our Advisory Council)

David's chief unifying goal as a businessman has long been to improve the art of human communications. In 1995, MCI hired David as a Major Account Executive for International Sales and Affinity Markets. David left MCI to accept a position as Director of Sales for GTM. He also worked as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions for Geotel and as Head of Global Development for Exus Networks. In early 2001, David and his son, Noah, founded Qualmax in order to address the diversity of telecom needs specific to Service Providers. Qualmax, became public in 2006 and later sold its assets to New World Brands (NWBD), where David serves as its CEO/COB. David is an active board member of several peace organizations and believes the goals of capitalism are compatible with the goals of fair trade.