Leadership
River West Village Governing Council
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Lyn Trainer
A summer job in the Volunteer Services office at OHSU led Lyn Trainer to a career in nonprofits at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation and several professional associations. One of the first employees hired when Doernbecher resurrected its community-based fundraising activities after a 50-year hiatus, she was privileged to be part of the team that built the new hospital which opened in 1998.
Lyn was excited to “discover” Villages NW in 2015 as she was looking for a way to expand the options for older adults to retain their independence and autonomy. Her background with nonprofits drew her to volunteering with the “hub”. She joined the Villages NW Board of Directors in December 2015 where she serves as managing director, sharing day-to-day operations responsibilities with Dick Eyde. An active River West Villager, Lyn has participated on the coordinating team for the past year.
She also serves on the boards of the Oregon Chapter of the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Kiwanis Doernbecher Children’s Cancer Program, and Oswego Friends of Doernbecher.
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Frost Johnson
"I would like to begin by first stating that I am very concerned about how we as human beings are taking care of each other on a global level. The Village movement provides us as neighbors the opportunity to take care of each other at a very local level. While global solutions tend to overwhelm us, we can at least try to get a handle on things locally. For me, I guess it all goes back to the old adage 'Think globally, act locally'. River West Village is my local action.
"I am a retired higher-education professional and project manager. I have lived in the same house here in unincorporated Washington County just off Garden Home Road since 1994. Prior to that I was a resident of New Mexico. My wife and I recently celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. As we both move toward a total retirement, we are trying to envision the next phase of our lives. We see River West Village as being a part of that."
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Darl Kleinbach
Darl Eves Kleinbach grew up and went to college in Pennsylvania. After college she did a brief stint as teacher of French. However, by the age of 26 she had launched into her new career, agricultural price research. For 25 years, in many formats, she talked to farmers about how to improve their marketing skills. She was a member of the Oregon Wheat Grower’s League, the first woman public director of the Chicago Board of Trade, and the first woman member of the Oregon Wheat Commission. She also worked in China as advisor to the first commodity futures exchange in China. Darl completed her Masters in Public Administration in 1995. When she went to Pennsylvania to help her mother and aunt she found work as Executive Director of the Berwick Industrial Development Association. Darl’s retirement years have been spent enjoying grandchildren, travel to exotic destinations, and volunteering. Darl first heard of the village movement about 5 years ago and knew it was a perfect place for her energy. She has been active in the development and outreach for River West Village since its inception.
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Charlie Meyer
Charlie served as a City and County Manager for nearly 40 years in several local governments in New York, Minnesota, Virginia and Arizona. He was responsible for overseeing the full range of services that cities and counties provide as well as managing the people and finances to provide them. The experience solving community problems and capturing opportunities has helped him to understand the balance that is necessary to deliver programs that are informed by the people who will use them with the energy of volunteers and nonprofit organizations resources and the authority and resources of government agencies to produce sustainable and meaningful change in people's lives.
Now retired and recently moved to Portland, Charlie is seeking to use that experience to advance an important cause.
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Beth Williams
"Hi! I’m Beth Godard Williams. I was born in Corvallis and grew up in the rural Milwaukie/Oak Grove area. After graduating Oregon State, we spent time in New Jersey and Germany (courtesy of the US Army) and in Iowa City. We raised our three daughters and enjoyed our teaching careers in Arizona. Hanging out by the pool, camping, boating, and fishing with family and friends featured strongly in our leisure-time activities. After retirement we split the year between AZ and OR, where many members of our extended family live, and now I’ve returned to Portland full time. Two daughters and their families live here in Portland and the third is in Atlanta – five grandchildren total.
"I enjoy working with RWV because it gives me the opportunity to assist others and to contribute to my community. The social activities – coffees, mingles, events, walking, happy hours, and movies – give me many opportunities to get out and about and to make new friends. When I’m on my own, I enjoy reading and working in my yard".
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Jeff Skinner
As a child, 5-8, Jeff Skinner lived in Asuncion, Paraguay. His father was part of an oil exploration group in the Chaco. Upon returning to the U.S., after missing several years of school, adjusting was a challenge. Jeff attended San Diego State College, graduating with a BS in Marketing. His first exposure to volunteering was with Student Faculty Activities Board, and he served as Chair. After graduation, Jeff served two years in the Army, which included a year tour south of the DMZ in Vietnam, a life altering experience.
Jeff met his wife, Linda, while working in Portland. They married in 1974 and have been in their current home since 1975. They have a good life together, with many trips to Europe, spending time with Linda’s relatives in Switzerland, their exchange student in Copenhagen, and nephew in London.
In the early 1980’s Jeff started one of his many volunteering adventures coaching youth recreational soccer for 28 years. During this period, Jeff served as President of Portland Youth Soccer Association.
Besides travel, Jeff’s other interests include gardening, tennis and racquetball. He has also spent a lifetime backpacking and has rafted many of the rivers in the northwest. The pinnacle of his rafting adventures was a seventy-mile trip down the South Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho, a class five river.
Jeff’s working career started in sales, moving into the corporate ranks and back to sales. He was responsible for decaling the entire Olympia Brewing fleet and active in the labeling of Reser’s products. He has also been an active investor since his teen age years.
Jeff came to the Village movement four years ago after reading an article about it in Barron’s magazine.
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Rick Castle
I am the new treasurer for RWV. Still learning the ropes but getting better each month. Now, a little bit about myself.
I was born in Richmond, Indiana and mostly spent my upbringing in Iowa. Upon graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa I headed west and never looked back! I started with a job in Glacier National Park, then on to the radio business as GM and SM for several years in Montana and Idaho.
I came to Portland in the mid 80's where I started working in the mortgage business - I even owned my own company for 7 years! I am currently doing Reverse mortgages in Oregon and Washington.
I have had great opportunities to work with many non-profits and service organizations including Civitans (President), Habitat for Humanity (Committee Chair), homeless shelter, Certified Fraud Examiners (Board), Lion's (Board), and many other organizations.
I have always enjoyed helping others whether it's eyeglasses for kids to yardwork for seniors. I find the experiences very rewarding and seeing people’s appreciation is very special. RWV is special. In my short time in the organization, I have already experienced a special bonding with the volunteers. They really do care about the members and want to give them the best service.
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Dale Pope
Dale Pope was born in Southern California and lived in both Camarillo and Santa Barbara. While attending college, he met his future wife Niki. In 1974, they moved to San Mateo, Ca., were married and worked in the Bay Area for the next 3 1/2 years.
Moving to Portland for jobs & graduate school, Dale completed the Oregon carpentry apprenticeship program and worked as a carpenter here for 43 years. The satisfaction he got from working with clients towards a shared goal was something that motivated him, and still does in volunteering.
Dale enjoys travel, music, photography, fly-fishing and gardening. Dale & Niki have been involved with Meals on Wheels and currently volunteer with other organizations every week.
Dale & Niki are very proud of their son & daughter who are successful professionals, and who have also caught the volunteer "bug".
The idea of giving back called to Dale, so after retirement the Village movement appealed to him to use his skills to help others and meet others of like mind. A positive byproduct has been the social connections and new friendships that have been developed along the way!
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Janet Liu
As I met with Janet Liu on a cold February morning, I was quickly transported by her immigrant story and lovely Chinese New Year’s decorations. Janet was born in Taiwan. She came to the United States when she was 10 with her mother and brother to join their father, who had recently completed his PhD here. One can barely imagine the challenges she faced as she began school, speaking no English and going from the warm climate of Taiwan to Wisconsin. Fortunately, several years later she found a sense of home when her family moved to San Jose, CA; she was among extended family, and an established Asian community. She loved playing the piano and blossomed academically.
Janet moved to Oregon in 1992, seeking a place that could provide a more positive quality of life. Throughout her career and now in retirement she has sought a sense of meaning in her life. She developed an interest in meditation as a connection to her spirituality. This continues to be an important part of her daily routine as well as practicing piano, healthy eating, and a rigorous exercise routine: cycling, hiking, and cross-country skiing.
Janet always valued the sense of being part of a community. After attending a lecture on the Village movement she was committed to helping to pioneer the development of the RWV. Since its inception she has played multiple volunteer roles, and is currently Chairman of Coordinating Social Activities. She has experienced a great deal of satisfaction, seeing her dream of establishing a Village realized, and the peace of mind that she can “age in place with a sense of community.” She hopes that other members/volunteers can find ways for increased happiness and well-being through their participation.
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