Carlos Tinoco

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, California. I came to RVM to work with youth in a more involved and meaningful way: I was hired as a Lead Mentor in January, 2022, and promoted to Unidos Program Coordinator in October, 2023.

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.

Emilio McCutcheon

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.

Sayuri Pineda

Sayuri moved to Medford from Mexico with her family at the age of 6, and has lived in the valley since. Before becoming a mentor, she was a caregiver. She enjoys helping people of all ages, and is looking forward to her new journey mentoring and making memories with the youth. When she is not working, she likes to volunteer to share what she has learned about the Bible with others, offering and providing free Bible courses. She enjoys being outdoors, especially fishing with her husband and her two yorkies, Java and Canela.

She calls herself a “plant mom”; as she likes to collect different indoor plants. Other things she likes are calligraphy, painting, drawing, and cooking recipes from different countries.

Lilith Allred

Lilith grew up in the small university town of Missoula, Montana, where she became involved with social justice and queer liberation as a youth leader with Empower MT, serving schools and workplaces with diversity training and community art projects. She moved to Southern Oregon in 2018, with their parents and two brothers. Lilith carried on with her passion for building community interning with Unite Oregon and Rogue Climate, until graduating as valedictorian at Central Medford High School. Since then, she has been learning about grassroots organizing, inclusive and trauma-informed youth support, as well as writing and singing original music locally in Ashland.

In her free time, she is a member of the Sustainability Collective, a creative space for bringing healing arts and inspiring conversation to all through music, art, dance, storytelling, and brainstorming ways to bring our community together to restore ecological balance.

Freddy Banda

My name is Freddy Banda; I was born in Northern California, and raised in Mexico for most of my childhood. I moved back to the U.S. by the age of 9, and I have been living in the Rogue Valley for the past 23 years. I’m bilingual, but Spanish is my first language. I graduated from South Medford High School in 2009. Shortly after graduating, I became a part owner of my family’s restaurant, where I’ve managed to build many relationships with families in the Rogue Valley.

After working for 17 years with my family business, I decided to make a career change to have more family time of my own. I recently joined RVM and look forward to this new journey and mentoring the youth. In my free time I enjoy going on runs, hikes, playing video games, and spending time with my kids having adventures.

Jimena Franco

Hi! My name is Jimena Franco; I was born in Mexico and lived there for most of my life, until I moved to the U.S when I was 16. I have been living in the Rogue Valley for the last 5 years. I graduated from Eagle Point High School in 2020 with the Oregon Biliteracy Seal, and since then I have been developing and growing my own small business, creating handmade crafts and jewelry.

I recently joined Rogue Valley Mentoring to pursue another of my interests: working with youth and the community. In my free time, I enjoy going to the library to read, watching weird movies, cooking for my family, and my favorite, making arts and crafts.

Lynn Chertkov, MSW

Lynn came to RVM from 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, and 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 enrich Lynn’s life, and that of others’.

Kat DeCayette

I see my journey as an amazing tapestry woven with adventures, memories and meaningful relationships. My daughter—Krista, and my cat, Maji– are central to and inspire my passion to make a difference in the world and help others make a difference in their lives. Teaching, listening, sharing, these are my cornerstones. One of the most rewarding steps on my life path has been as an educator. I taught High School English, where I both empowered and became empowered by my students through the singular gift of education—the willingness to listen, to share and to learn.

Working as Program Director for Rogue Valley Mentoring is natural to my journey. We all have the ability to leave a meaningful footprint—a small gift of ourselves that shapes the world in which we live. It comes down to choice. The choice to care about the legacy we leave and our imprint on the lives around us. As Program Director for Rogue Valley Mentoring, I am afforded the opportunity to work, teach and learn with incredible individuals who care about the youth in our communities, to share knowledge and ways of being that facilitate empowerment and aid in choosing a mindful legacy—that footprint on a path toward meaning and making a difference.