Laura Pinney has worked with nonprofit organizations, communities, schools, and individuals across North America, bringing connective practices, and fostering education programs that nourish communities for over 15 years. She has a background in expressive arts therapy, the art of mentoring, community systems, and nature connection. Laura is passionate about building bridges of connection that create meaning for individuals and foster stronger, more resilient communities. A mother of two, and known for her laughter, compassionate questions and deep listening, Laura is thrilled to be able to work with RVM to support our youth to find a true sense of belonging and purpose through their connection to this amazing community.

Email: laura@rvmentoring.org

Jenna comes to Rogue Valley Mentoring following a desire to contribute to healthier, safer, kinder communities in Southern Oregon. She completed a B.S. in Healthcare Administration from SOU in Summer 2019, and has a decade of varied administrative and communications experience. She enjoys exploring the wilderness in warm weather, and big pots of veggie soup with crusty bread when it’s cold out. She has 4 children, ages 9 to 14, and a little rescue dog named Max.

Email: jenna@rvmentoring.org

Lynn came to RVM from the Washington, D.C. where she devoted her professional life to work with under-served children and their families. Graduating with a Masters in Social Work she established a cooperative preschool for working parents, and a center that provided after school and summer programs for children who needed specialized emotional support.  Developing programs that boost children and families toward emotional health and well-being have been a driving force in her life. Living in the Valley she is finding time to paint, enjoy theatre and the outdoors while bringing her background in youth work to RVM. Training and supporting mentors, responding to schools who want to bring mentor circles to students and facilitating circles both enrich her life and that of others.

Email: lynn@rvmentoring.org

Adelaide holds a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management and a Master of Art in Curatorial Studies from the University of Louisville. With a background in human service nonprofits, she brings a highly analytical and human-centered approach to fundraising and including individuals in community solutions. Her work focuses on public services, social justice, and developing an equitable future.

Email: adelaide@rvmentoring.org

Chelsea grew up in Medford and is delighted to call this beautiful valley home. She studied at Pitzer College in Southern California, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Studies, with minors in Spanish and Chican@/Latin@ Studies. Before returning to Oregon, Chelsea spent two years living in San Jose, CA, participating in community transformation in the same neighborhood where Cesar Chaves started his community organizing work. Chelsea comes to RVM with years of experience working with volunteers and with children who have experienced trauma and neglect. She believes strongly in the power of community and connection, especially for youth. She enjoys backcountry backpacking, playing with her cats Cash and Bash, and renovating her 110 year old home. 

Email: chelsea@rvmentoring.org

Nechelle (pronounced knee-shell) is from Etna California but came to Southern Oregon in 2005 after experiencing homelessness and is happy to now call herself an official Oregonian. She is a survivor of many things and has never let anything stop her from creating the stable life she always dreamed of. 

She became the first person in her immediate family to not only graduate high school but move onto higher education where she graduated from SOU in 2014 with a Bachelors of Psychology and an Associates in Gender, Sexuality and Women Studies in tandem with further education in bully prevention and sexual assault advocacy.  She enjoys singing, crafting with friends, going to concerts, getting tattoos, traveling and having down time with her husband and animals Juniper and Meepins.

Email: nechelle@rvmentoring.org

Everardo but call me E. I  have a dog named Eddie. We can say he is my best buddy. Music, soccer, paintings, and trying out new things are some things I enjoy. I am very passionate about youth work, making meaningful connections, and giving the youth their voice to pave their path. Knowledge is shown in many different ways, which is important to me because no one person learns the same. I came to RVM because this is an opportunity for me to grow and provide growth. 

Email: EMartinez@rvmentoring.org

Asking questions and learning on the way is Emilio’s philosophy in life.  While he is observant and curious, Emilio McCutcheon has a passion for human mental well-being; he aspires to be the shoulder for people to lean on during times of strife, and he is also open to talking about anything and everything.  He is excited to be working with youth from many different backgrounds, and hopes to be a positive role model for them along the way.  

Outside of Rogue Valley Mentoring, Emilio loves to travel, and explore the beauty of the west coast. He is always up for a long run and a day trip to a new place. He is studying for his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology; he someday hopes to get his doctoral degree, and continue to help at-risk youth in his work.

Email: emilio@rvmentoring.org

My name’s Amaya: I’m currently in the Army National Guard, and am working to obtain a degree in Psychology.  Some of my favorite things to do are hang out with my family, friends and dogs, and listen to music. I came to RVM because I believe that having a mentor as a youth, or someone to simply talk to, can truly change a life. I’m very passionate about giving youth space to speak freely, and to feel seen and heard. Making connections with people is a vital part of growth; I’m always looking for ways to better myself and help my community in any way I can. 

Email: amaya@rvmentoring.org

Aedan spent his teen years living here in the valley, after moving regularly throughout his childhood. He holds a great deal of love and appreciation for this area, and gratitude for the people he’s had the opportunity to meet, and learn from. The chance to serve the youth in this valley that Rogue Valley Mentoring provides has been incredibly rewarding, and thoroughly exhilarating to him. His goal in this work is to provide youth with support in recognizing their own strengths, and how they can take advantage of those skills to overcome adversities, as well as to offer a safe, stable, and reliable space for them to feel witnessed through both hardship and happiness. He believes the path to a better future lies in how we nurture one another, and in building caring, resilient communities.

Email: aedan@rvmentoring.org

Beckie spent the past 25 years teaching elementary and middle school students in California and Nevada. Her passion for working with youth brought her to RVM as a lead mentor. Beckie moved to Oregon recently with her husband for a career change and a new environment to explore. She is recently an empty nester while her 2 daughters attend college. Beckie enjoys spending time practicing yoga, hiking, playing pickleball and traveling. She also loves reading and relaxing while surrounded by her furry friends Cleo, Ethel, Ginger and Squash. Beckie is excited to get involved be a part of this wonderful community.

Email: beckie@rvmentoring.org

My name Is Carlos Tinoco, I was born outside of Mexico City and raised in Medford. I recently returned to the Rogue Valley after living in Anaheim, California for about 2 years. I have an Associates degree in Graphic Design from RCC.

I found my passion for working with youth during my time as a skateboarding instructor for a company in Long Beach/Orange County. I came to RVM to work with youth in a more involved and meaningful way. I believe in the power of community, and the importance of uplifting marginalized and BIPOC communities. I know firsthand the importance of having supportive elders in your life. I want to provide a space where youth feel, seen, heard and supported.  Outside of work I spend my time skateboarding, riding and maintaining my motorcycles or art.

Email: carlos@rvmentoring.org

Jim is a Lead Mentor for Rogue Valley Mentoring; he is married and the father of one son.  Jim is a retired Christmas Tree Farmer and corporate Sales Professional.  He has been mentoring boys for approximately 10 years.  Jim’s favorite past-times include reading, motorcycles, tennis, hiking, coffee breaks, and conversations with friends.

Email: jim@rvmentoring.org

Ken came to RV Mentoring from Santa Rosa, CA; he has been mentoring young men for over 30 years.  His career was in juvenile probation, where he worked as a Counselor in a county residential program for boys and girls in trouble with the law.  A particular 12-year-old boy was having an especially hard time, and Ken’s supervisor asked if he would want to spend extra time mentoring him: that young man turned 43-years-old this year.  Mentoring became a lifelong passion for Ken that has not diminished with time. 

Tom Marks-Ladd is a husband, father, and friend who lives in Ashland Oregon with his wife and two children.  He enjoys yoga, music, mountain biking, and martial arts.  He is the Founder of Rogue Natural Foods, the Rogue Valley’s only certified organic food distribution center. Tom is a fierce champion of life and the commitment it takes to focus in the age of distraction.  He believes that having the right mix of strength and technique to meet life’s challenges is crucial to being healthy and happy.  Recently, after some deeply challenging personal times, Tom shifted his focus into leadership and mentoring work.

Email: tom@rvmentoring.org

Todd Iversen joined the Board of Directors in 2016.  With over 15 years in various leadership and management roles in the software industry, Todd brings extensive organizational, operational and financial management skills to Rogue Valley Mentoring.  Having been the beneficiary of many formal and informal mentoring relationships both in his personal and professional life, Todd is passionate about fulfilling and strengthening the agency’s mission to serve the community’s need for youth mentoring in the Rogue Valley.

Email: todd@rvmentoring.org

Jessica Therkelsen is a strategist and human rights lawyer who advocates for the rights of all persons, regardless of migration status. She believes deeply that equitable organizations share power and insert transparency in every process and decision. Jessica currently serves as Director of Legal Protection at HIAS, where she works to ensure refugees have access to their rights, no matter where they are. As the Director of the Pro Bono Justice Program at OneJustice, she organized life changing legal services for travelers trapped by the 2017 travel bans, survivors of 2017 wildfires across California, DACA recipients losing status, and immigrants seeking defense from deportation. As Global Director of Advocacy and Communications at Asylum Access, an international refugee rights nonprofit, Jessica worked closely with leaders in refugee response at the UN – and in the US, Ecuador, Tanzania, Thailand and Malaysia – to advocate for systems, laws and policies that help refugees build a new life. Her work has focused on access to jobs and labor protections for refugees around the world.

Jessica is currently a Tutor at the University of London, and has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco, School of Law (USF Law). She received her JD and Honors Certificate in International Law from USF Law, and her BA from the University of California, Irvine. She has been named one of the American Bar Association’s 2016 Top 40 Young Lawyers on the Rise.

Email: jessica@rvmentoring.org

Kellie England joined the RV Mentoring Board of Directors in 2022 and is excited to work with the organization. Previously, Kellie spent 12 years working with a Sacramento, California-based non-profit, Women’s Empowerment, which focuses on job readiness for homeless women and children.  While there, she was a mentor to homeless women, as well as served various Board of Directors positions, including Secretary, Vice President, President, and past-President.

Kellie leads Member Experience at Rogue Credit Union, including branches, the contact center, and remote delivery. She is new to the Rogue Valley, and is enjoying the new landscape.  Kellie has over 30 years of experience in financial services.  Before Rogue Credit Union, she led the branch network in California and Nevada for Umpqua Bank.

Outside work, Kellie enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs.

Email: kellie@rvmentoring.org