About Reneé

A Lifetime of Service

In Florence, I just finished a 3 year term serving as a volunteer on the City Planning Commission, worked as a team with other commissioners and designated city staff. Using the same team, collaborative and problem solving skills required to be a city councilor. Interviewed by City Council and Mayor for selection to the Planning Commission. My approach to difficult issues is to find a reasonable solution after careful consideration.

As a Planning Commissioner, I tackled affordable housing projects, the new hotel, the Lotus property, voluntary annexations, FEMA flood plain rules, and the lengthy process of updating city codes. These volunteer positions require time and attention to details; each commissioner must be able to read, understand, discuss, and ask probing questions after reading all the required materials before each meeting when they are distributed by the Economic Development Director and her staff. These materials can often involve 100 or more pages. These commission meetings, just like the city council, require evening meetings, and sometimes additional meetings for subcommittees; skills required are attention to detail, communications skills, active listening and ability to consistently engage in respectful interactions with the entire spectrum of Florence, including private lot owners, upset community members, large scale developers, consulting firms, and nonprofits.

Occupational Background

Created and taught 21st Century Work Skills curriculum with input from local businesses and from national surveys of employers of all types; focusing on essential soft skills like time management, work ethic, communication skills, teamwork, initiative and customer service to community college students and their diverse employers. Awarded graded internship college credits to those completing requirements.

45 years successful experience as faculty/Dean in high schools, community colleges and universities. Worked and lived abroad in Australia and Japan resulting in an enduring multicultural perspective that I bring to everything I undertake.

At a variety of jobs as a Dean, supervised millions of dollars in dept. budgets, dozens of staff, managers, and thousands of students. Implemented complex local, state and federal regulations. Wrote grants, conducted extensive marketing and collaboration with other agencies. Won several innovation awards.

Worked as the first female apprentice Millwright at the University of Oregon Central Power Plant. Took night classes at LCC in Eugene on shop math, blueprint skills and metallurgy (see photo). During the day, operated heavy equipment like front end loaders, performed welding, carpentry, repaired boilers as the only woman in the entire plant.

At LCC/Eugene designed and ran a nontraditional careers program only for women, using federal grant money to offer a 90-day program with segments for strength training, teamwork, carpentry/welding classes, set up stints at local employers to practice new skills, resulting in 25 women finding and keeping jobs in the trades achieving economic independence.

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