SW-23

See inside for:

• Carolyn Decker

• Kris Lachenmeier, Tillamook School Board

• Mary Faith Bell, Tillamook County Commissioner

• Michele Bradley, Port of Tillamook Bay

• Erin Skaar, Tillamook County Commissioner

• Heather Taksdal, Zwald Transport

• Katie Vokelke, Executive Director of NCLC

• Kelli Ennis, Director of HRAP

• North Coast EOL Collective

• Tamara Mautner, Garibaldi Charters

• Neskowin Farm & Fest

Carolyn Decker inside Tillamook Air Museum’s Hanger B

Carolyn Decker, working for Tillamook County since 1975

I started in the real estate business in September 1975 working for King Realty under Haden Haupert.

After three years of learning the business and coming out of my closet of shyness, my husband and I opened the doors of Stan Decker Real Estate. My husband was already known as a natural salesperson. We did well together and I became interested in what makes the economy tick. In the late 70’s and early 80’s the State of Oregon deemed it necessary to redo the state’s comprehensive plan. I learned so much by going to most of the meetings and passing the information on to my clients. It was my duty to keep them aware of the changes that were about to happen in the zoning of their land. There was distrust and dislike for many of the changes about to take place.

When my husband retired to Arizona, I changed the name of the company to Decker Real Estate Inc. My husband was an awesome teacher. I wanted to learn more about civic opportunities. I ran for city council and served for about 10 years. During that period, Doug Henson,

also on the council, got us all interested in urban renewal for the city. Bob McPheeters was mayor at that time. After a lot of preparation, we got it done. I asked to be one of the Board Members. It was a slow start; we did not know what we were doing until Don Hurd came to the rescue. I was on that board for about 8 years. Urban renewal is one of the best programs the city can be a part of.

I branched out with another office on Third Street and had one in Garibaldi that had been setup by my husband but found it to be too busy. I cannot be in more than one office at a time so went back to one office. Real Estate can be

stressful. But I love this business.

Due to a huge and dangerous storm, rain, rain and more rain in 2007, there was flooding throughout the county. The farmers lost cattle and crops and businesses on Hwy 101 were flooded with no access for some. The Port lost its’ railroad. It would have cost a lot to rebuild the slide area in the Tillamook Forest.

FEMA came in with a huge amount of money to the port. So, it was now up to port’s board

of to make decisions that would help the port to grow and become a more lucrative Industrial Park. Many of us wanted to use the money to make repairs or renew the tracks and keep the railroad. According to the Board at that time, the railroad was not making money. So, the Board developed large warehouses for storage or to set up new businesses. I was interested in those choices so I ran for port board and served for 8 years. By the time I got there all the decisions about how to invest the money had been made. Not that I could have swayed the decisions. Now we come to Hangar ‘B’. The port did not discuss this much while I was there. The port was using money well, cleaning up, building, remodeling the office complex, paving roads and more. While I was there the Port Board discussed the hangar and what to do. Lots of ideas came up and what we need is money for repairs, so Friends of Tillamook

air Museum was created. I asked to be on that Board. The goal of the board is to raise money to make those repairs. The roof leaks hundreds of gallons during every rainy day and night. The Port hired a structural engineer to give an estimate of costs for repairs to the roof, which came in at $1.5 million. After serving on the Port Board for 8 years, my fear is we will not be able to save Hangar ‘B’ due to a lack of interest or failed fund raisers. We have already lost one hangar to a fire and the railroad.

During all of these meetings and extra projects

I was involved with, I still spent most of my days and nights working with clients showing homes, farms, forests, and working Listing. I love my job and I Love being a part of what makes Tillamook special.

- Carolyn H. Decker, Decker Real Estate Inc.

I have been Selling and Listing real estate for 45 years, giving our clients personalized service with professional representation. Your patronage is never taken for granted. Our aim is to please and satisfy your real estate needs.

Feel free to call with any questions you may have about the buying and selling process.

Carolyn Decker in her office

entry cement tower, Hanger

Tillamook Air Museum Hanger B

Mini Guppy cargo plane in front of Hanger B

Tillamook County Commissioners Series

Kris Lachenmeier, Tillamook School Board Member

By Chelsea Yarnell Guest Contributor

Business owner, School Board member and volunteer are roles Kris Lachenmeier holds in the Tillamook Community. Born and raised in Western South Dakota, Kris attended public schools in Rapid City and graduated from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with a BS Degree in Chemistry in 1984. Her first job out of college was as a Materials Engineer in a company that was a world leader in scientific and hot air ballooning. There she met her husband Tim, a Balloon Engineer, and together started

Near Space Corporation in 1996. Located at the Port of Tillamook Bay, Near Space Corporation is a commercial provider of high altitude/near space platforms and flight services for government, academic and commercial customers.

In addition to being a local business owner, Lachenmeier has served on the Tillamook School Board since 2011, and was reelected this May for another four-year term.

“Over the last 12 years, you may have seen me around our community advocating for Tillamook schools as a member of the TSD9 School Board,” Lachenmeier said. “I

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Owned and operated by a sustainable fashion educator and her small team of women, our mission is to help people reduce their impact on the natural environment by making secondhand shopping easier and of higher quality than shopping new.

have a passion for public education, our staff, our students and our community.”

Lachenmeier also

spends her time volunteering for Tillamook Rotary, AAUW and the Tillamook County Housing Commission.

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Kris Lachenmeier

Tillamook County Commissioners Series

Mary

Faith Bell, Tillamook County Board of Commissioners

By Chelsea Yarnell Guest Contributor

A piece of property on the upper Nestucca River caught Mary Faith Bell’s eye. In fact, it was one of the main reasons she chose to relocate to the area.

“I looked at this ad for the property and it just sounded beautiful,” Bell said. “One of my favorite things to do is camping and being out in nature. I thought living there would feel like camping all the time. I fell in love with Tillamook County for the nature.”

She spent 11 years living on that property, and although she no longer resides there, Bell has chosen Tillamook County as

her home.

In her years here, Bell has held many leadership positions, including editor-in-chief of the Headlight Herald, Director of Communications and Marketing for Tillamook Adventist Health and her current position as a Tillamook County Commissioner.

“I wasn’t planning on becoming a Commissioner,” Bell said. “Other people started recruiting me, and I just thought that I should try this. It feels that, to me, the most significant point of my life is to be of service to others.”

Commissioner Bell was elected first in 2018 and then won reelection in 2022 for

her second term.

“It’s very meaningful work; I love the variety and all the things you are involved in,” she said. “There are lots of ways I feel like I’m contributing to the wellbeing of the community and the county’s employees.”

In her role, Commissioner Bell is the liaison to the Fair, Visitor Association, circuit court, public works, library and sits on the Tides of Change Board.

In addition to her work for the County, Commissioner Bell has also served ten years on the Tillamook Bay Community College Board.

“I got involved there because I went to community college and it was life changing for me,” she said. ”I

believe in it for our students and the community.”

What initially brought Commissioner Bell to the area was the natural beauty and recreational opportunities. But what’s kept her here all these years?

The generosity of the community.

“What really made me plant roots here was that when I was at the Headlight Herald I got to know the people in the community,” she said. “I found that for our size community, there is a stronger volunteer base than just about anywhere else. People here are more open and willing to invest their time and resources in extraordinary ways.”

Services:

Crisis intervention

Safety planning

System navigation

Protection orders

Support groups

Counseling

Accompaniment services Shelter

Our philosophy is to empower survivors “Women empowering survivors”

All services are free and confidential. Available in Spanish. Services for current or past trauma related to domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking. We serve survivors of all ages, gender and backgrounds.

(Left to right) Valerie, Monica, Maggie, Paulina, Charmaine, Cinthia, Natalia  Back row (left to right) Norma, Shelby

Mary Faith Bell

Tillamook County Commissioners Series

Michele Bradley, Port of Tillamook Bay General Manager

By Chelsea Yarnell Guest Contributor

Michele Bradley has overseen the happenings at the Port of Tillamook Bay as the General Manager since 2008.

“I actually started at the Port in 1997,” Bradley said. “I was sent there from a temp agency. I worked as a file clerk at first and then just kept working my way up.”

Bradley came to Tillamook after graduating from Oregon State University with a degree in historical archeology and having

served 2.5 years in the Peace Corps.

“By 2008, I was the interim manager [for the Port] for a few months before receiving an official contract,” Bradley recalled.

For 15 years, Bradley has worked to make the Port a valuable asset for the community.

“I have a really good Board and really good support for what we’re doing out here,” Bradley said. “I want the Port to be viewed as a community resource.”

What’s kept Bradley invested in her work all these years?

“It’s never the same day twice” she said. “With the Port being focused on

economic development and being an economic hub, I never know what to expect. I could talk about what the Port is doing all day and I’m happy to talk to anyone about what is happening at the Port.”

What’s new at the Port?

“Next summer the disc golf course will be ready,” Bradley said. “And keep an eye out for all the events celebrating the 80th

anniversary of Hangar B this August.”

In addition to overseeing the Port, Bradley also sits on the Fairview Grange Executive Committee and the executive team for the Oregon Public Ports Association. She is also the Ports representative for the Special Districts Association of Oregon, which supports over 950 special service districts.

SUCCESSFUL WOMEN 2023

Publication of the Tillamook Headlight Herald and Country Media. Inc. 1906 Second Street, Tillamook, OR 97141 • tillamookheadlightherald.com

To advertise in Successful Women 2024 contact Katherine Mace at headlightads@countrymedia.net or call 503-842-7535

Nikole Clark Bay City Arts Center Britta Lawrence President, Rotary Club of Tillamook, Young Pros Tillamook

Heidi Luquette President, American Association of University Women, Tillamook Housing Commission, NKN School District Budget Committee

Beth McBride Friends of Netarts Bay-WEBS

Angelica Ortiz Rios Treasurer, Tides of Change Kristin Reagan Tides of Change

Michele Bradley

Graphic Design: Stephania Baumgart Cover image: Katherine Mace

Tillamook County Commissioners Series

Erin Skaar, Tillamook County Board of Commissioners

By Chelsea Yarnell Guest Contributor

When Erin Skaar looks back on her life, she wants to know that she’s made a positive impact.

“I want the work I’ve done to have made someone’s life better,” she said.

Skaar has worked for non-profits since 1995, holding positions in project management and fundraising.

“My first non-profit job was with struggling teens,” she said. “I [myself] was not the best teenager. I had a little bumpier time and had some people that

stood by me during that time and made sure I graduated and was off to college. I really wanted to make a difference and help in the way that I was helped.”

In 2003, she arrived in Tillamook and began working with Tides of Change and Community Action Resource Enterprises (CARE). By 2009, Skaar was the executive director for CARE.

“It tied into my desire to help people,” Skaar said. “CARE was an opportunity to expand those services in Tillamook County.

While overseeing CARE, Skaar saw the organization grow from three employees to 50, and oversaw the capital campaign that resulted in the purchase of the building from which they operate.

“It was a great opportunity to be at the helm for good change,” she said. “We provided a permanent home for poverty services in Tillamook County. When you have a permanent space, you’re so much more stable.”

In 2021, Skaar became Commissioner Skaar with her election to the Tillamook County Board

of Commissioners.

“I would have a greater opportunity to make an impact and ensure that more people would have housing,” she said of her decision to run for office, pointing to a recently completed strategic plan to help those experiencing homelessness in Tillamook County as one example.

“Homelessness impacts a broad spectrum,” Skaar said. “We have a lot of people who are working hard here, but are still struggling. A lot of people think that homelessness is only those who you see that are struggling with mental health or a substance use disorder. But it may be your child’s teacher who is living in their car.”

In addition to improving services to the homeless population in Tillamook County, Skaar enjoys the many facets that comes with her position.

“We get to be involved in a myriad of projects,” she said. “As we look at the needs of the County for the future, I look forward to getting out in to the community and talking to people and hearing what’s on peoples’ minds. If you have a question or a thought, reach out to your commissioner directly. We are here to work with you.”

Erin Skaar and family

Heather Taksdal focuses on creating a family atmosphere at Zwald Transport Inc.

“As a small business owner there are many hats one has to wear,” she said. “My job has evolved immensely due to business growth. Right now, aspects involve financial health and sustainability, supporting and empowering our leadership team,

finding creative ways to promote the truck industry workforce, customer relations, business development, and maintaining a healthy workforce and culture that employees want to be a part of.”

Taksdal is the president and co-owns Zwald

Transport with her brother Nick. Prior to purchasing the company, Taksdal had worked in the business for her father for 11 years prior.

She attributes her family as a major factor to her success.

“My husband works

side-by-side with me while raising three children,” she said. “My children have always been supportive of our family business and workload. My brother and business partner; we are very like-minded and complement each other well in our strengths and

weaknesses. I’m inspired by my dad’s determination and drive to build a business that could carry on to the next generation, and my step-mom for helping him grow the business. My mom is an example of following your dreams. My grandparents are at the helm of our family. I have an amazing tribe of people that have helped me with my kids throughout years as I navigate building a career and motherhood.”

Since taking over the family business, Taksdal has helped oversee aggressive growth and expansion to create a company that offers tanker, flatbed, refrigerated and commodity hauling services.

“I have surrounded myself with the right people. I have an excellent leadership team that ensures the daily operations get completed,” she said. “I’m open-minded and willing to adapt and grow as a person and in business.”

As for advice for women in business?

“Know your worth. For a long time, I thought worth equaled production,” Taksdal said. “I couldn’t work as many hours or have the same skillset as the men in my life. Then I realized, the skillset I brought to the table was just as valuable and I deserved an equal place there. Respect is earned, not given. I work extremely hard at this being a young female in a male dominated industry.”

Heather Taksdal, Ken Zwald, and Nick Zwald.

Photo Courtesy of Emma Taksdal

Women Making a Difference: Katie Voelke

By Deb Atiyeh

Katie Voelke’s passion for nature started during her childhood in Central California, where much of her time was spent outdoors camping, collecting bugs and building forts. A seventhgrade zoology class where students used microscopes and dissected animals, along with other hands-on experiences, deepened her appreciation for the natural world. “That’s when I decided I was going to be a biologist’” says Katie Voelke, Executive Director of North Coast Land Conservancy (NCLC), a nonprofit that conserves coastal lands and waters from the Columbia River to Siletz Bay (south of Lincoln City)

Katie was further inspired to pursue ecological conservation by witnessing the rapid development around her family home. Today it’s just two acres of residential land surrounded by a concrete jungle of business parks, apartment buildings, and gated communities. “In my short little life, I saw things go away.” Her passion took her to the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she studied biology and took a field class in Yellowstone National Park. Being in the wilderness transformed scientific concepts from theoretical to tangible, and gave her a taste of on-the-ground, place-based scientific practice. “That was amazing and likely inspired my love of conservation ecology.”

It was while working for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and volunteering on the north Oregon coast in the early 2000’s that she recalls

hearing from numerous people “you need to meet Neal Maine,” the executive director of NCLC. Katie got that opportunity while volunteering with NCLC, and she viewed Neal as an example of someone who was actually making a positive difference, something she always wanted to do. This small group of passionate people were taking real, practical action in their corner of the world; planting native vegetation and conserving and restoring land.  Her first job with NCLC was a temporary seasonal position that was partially funded by the Nature Conservancy. It involved studying Oregon Silverspot Butterfly habitat on the Clatsop Plains, and creating a manage-

ment plan for the Circle Creek Conservation Center, a reserve that NCLC purchased in 2004. Katie later became a full-time land steward with NCLC while working closely with Neal, whose guidance and mentorship was invaluable. By 2008, Neal was looking to retire. At first, Katie wondered who her new boss would be. Then, she was struck by the idea of pursuing the position herself, while continuing to cultivate the ideas of conservation that Neal and other visionaries had planted on the Oregon coast. Despite being relatively young and inexperienced, not to mention 8-months pregnant with her first child, the board hired Katie as the new Executive Director. “I

experienced within the NCLC community and the north coast community at large.

“People saw the potential and were willing to help me. I think there’s a culture of success around this organization that pulls in people who care, and we all work together to make it happen. There are not individual goals. People are not in it for themselves. They are in it for the collective good, so it lifts us all up.”

reflect on that now as being one of the most meaningful things that could have ever happened to me, because in a lot of places, I wouldn’t have even had an interview,” she said.

For Katie, that is just one example of the support she’s

Katie said that when she started “it was a much smaller organization and that we have all grown NCLC together.” NCLC has grown significantly over the past 15 years, and the organization now has 12 employees and more than 70 fee-title properties and conservation easements. What has remained the same is the culture of positivity that the founders created. Katie Voelke has invested much time and energy nurturing that part of the NCLC culture, which she believes is a particularly effective attitude towards conserving land. “Even though we have lives that might be different from each other, when it comes to why we’re at NCLC, it’s always for the same very clear reason; place-based land conservation.”

Katie Voelke, photo by Broken Banjo Photography

Women Making a Difference: Kelli Ennis

By Deb Atiyeh

One of the women making a difference in Cannon Beach is Kelli Ennis, Director of the Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) for the City of Cannon Beach.

Born and raised in Mulino Oregon, Kelli attended Oregon State University, where she met her husband Steven Dailey, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in molecular biology. After graduating they moved to New Orleans, and then to Cincinnati Ohio. While her husband was finishing his Orthopedic Surgery residency, Kelli worked doing research in a cancer biology lab, while also earning a Masters Degree in Education.

After her husband finished his residency, they decided they missed Oregon and moved back to the Pacific Northwest to be closer to family. Her husband took a job at Providence Seaside Hospital while Kelli looked for a job that fit her degrees in science and education. Her passion was being able to link science, communication and education, and she found an online post for a position as the Director of HRAP in Cannon Beach. The job was the right fit and exactly what she was looking for, so she applied and was hired. Her first day on the job was March 16th, 2020, just as the Covid shut-down was beginning. As a result of Covid, the HRAP budget was cut to a minimum, but it provided her with the time to adapt to her new job.

In 1984, Neal and Karen Maine, two north coast resi-

dents who were passionate about the environment, set up an interpretative program at Haystack Rock and presented it to the City of Cannon Beach. This program was the beginning of HRAP, which the City of Cannon Beach fully implemented in 1985.

HRAP coordinates with several other agencies involved with managing the area and wildlife around Haystack Rock. Haystack Rock itself is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who also oversee the migratory bird populations. The surrounding beach areas are under the jurisdiction of Oregon State Parks, the intertidal life around Haystack Rock are the responsibility of the Oregon Department of

Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) manages the marine life, while the air space is managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

As the director of HRAP, Kelli is responsible for coordinating with all of these groups. Each of these groups has different missions and rules and Kelli must have an understanding of all of them. Due to the limited staffing and large land coverage within these agencies, these groups rely on local programs such as HRAP.

Cannon Beach and Seaside are the closest coastal areas to the Portland metropolitan area, so the influx of visitors continues to increase. Cannon Beach, along with the famous Haystack Rock, are a nationally

resources while being respectful of all of the fascinating creatures that live in the rocky areas and tide pools around Haystack Rock. Kelli’s mission at HRAP is to help get that message out while bringing awareness to visitors of why it is so important to care for our fragile ecosystems. Haystack Rock encompasses a unique ecosystem, and teaching visitors about awareness of responsible environmental stewardship can begin at Haystack Rock. Her passion and mission is to make a difference for ecosystems everywhere.

and internationally recognized tourist destination, which creates challenges to educate visitors about protecting the marine resources surrounding Haystack Rock. HRAP is facing difficulties in recruiting enough volunteers and staff to fill all of the demand for a continuing educational presence on the beach during low tide.

HRAP supports and teaches environmental stewardship, and how to responsibly enjoy and observe the intertidal

Kelli has a passion for conservation and education, and during Covid she was inspired to expand online education and outreach. HRAP began live-streaming virtual field trips to Haystack Rock so that people living in areas far from the sea, who may have never experienced the ocean, could learn about Haystack Rock and environmental conservation. The program is expected to release a free online education center on their website in the near future.

Partnering with the other organizations who have the same goal is important to Kelli. Her mission is to continue to love Haystack Rock and HRAP and to grow an awareness of conservation.

Kelli Ennis standing in front of Haystack Rock, photo by HRAP

Acceptance

To b e a c ontainer f or t he joy, suffering, and uncertainty o f e ach person’s lived e xperience and r elationship w ith d e ath a nd d ying.

Be longing

Person-centered, inclusive, equitable. Each person has a u nique l ived experience a nd st ory within o ur sh ared humanity.

North Coast EOL Collective

A Collective Approach to Death and Dying

F ounded 2023

Services

EOL Doula

Education

Community Engagement

Grief, Bereavement, Traumatic Loss

Legacy Projects

Nurse Consultation

Death Cafes

Resources

Connection

With a servant’s heart t o listen, bear w itness to, and hold t he st ory of each individual a nd f amily a s a unique a nd i ntegral part of our shared humanity a nd sense of place

Legacy

The i nvitation t o create beauty a nd m eaning from our l ived e xperience and story.

O ur practice is based on the belief that the North Coast EOL Collective has a collective responsibility to the community by making visible what is too often invisible.

Garibaldi Charters supports women fishers

Tamara Mautner and her husband Ty Mautner have been the proud owners of Garibaldi Charters Deep Sea Fishing for over 10 years. After her first year of college, Tamara began working on charter boats as a deckhand during the summer. After gain -

ing over 720 logged days on the water, and taking the required Coast Guard tests, Tamara got her captain’s license, which allows her to take passengers for hire on a vessel of up to 100 gross tons. She has worked in Florida as a dive boat operator, in Alaska as

a fishing guide, and here at home in Oregon as a 3rd generation charter operator. She feels extremely lucky to have such a supportive family. She is especially thankful for her husband Ty, the talented mechanic who keeps the boats running smoothly and safely; and for her father Captain Mick, who never let her believeeven for a moment - that working on a fishing boat was not a job for a girl. Both Tamara and Ty believe it’s important to recognize all of the talented women that work with Garibaldi Charters. Recently, Tamara has started scheduling a “Ladies Trip” each year, where she sets aside her normal role in the office to skipper a fishing trip with just women. Her lady deckhands

Alanna Kieffer and Misty Hadermann play essential roles helping the women passengers land their fish, and helping to keep the deck running smoothly.

Filleters Lorie Welch and JJ Johnson are always happy

to be on the schedule to take care of the fish cutting after the trip. Women showing support for other women has had a cascading effect, and Garibaldi Charters has received several other requests for private-party Women’s Trips this year. They hope to continue this tradition, and to keep bringing the joy of fishing to women (and men and children!) for years to come!

Lorie Welch, Filleter

Misty Hadermann, Deckhand

Tamara Mautner, Captain Alanna Kieffer, Deckhand

2022 Ladies Trip

JJ Johnson, Filleter