Board

Peter Cornelison - President

Peter has been serving as the HRVRC President since August, 2008. He holds a B.S. in Community Service & Public Affairs from the University of Oregon. He has served in many local government positions, been a private business owner and worked and volunteered for various non-profit organizations.

Judie Hanel - Vice-president

Judie holds a degree in Theatre Arts. She moved to the Hood River Valley in 1975 and was a licensed realtor from 1979 thru 2004. She was the Executive Director of the Columbia Center for the Arts and is a current Board Member of the Gorge Community Foundation

Margo Earley - Secretary

Margo has served for five years as our Secretary and also serves on the Hood River Wilderness Committee Board. She has been active in the Sierra Club National Outings program for 22 years as a backpack leader, finance officer, and builder of trails. In the winter, she has been training sled dogs for the past 15 years.

Larry Martin - Treasurer

Larry is a local pear and apple orchardist serving as Treasurer of HRVRC. He also serves as vice-chair of the Hood River Soil & Water Conservation District. Larry works closely with OSU’s Agricultural Research and Extension Service to incorporate the latest technologies and practices in his own farming operation.

Ron Cohen - Board Member

Ron has served on the Resident’s Committee Board for 29 years. Before starting his own business and becoming a successful tax accountant and financial advisor, he worked for the Forest Service. He is an involved community member and serves as Vice President of Housing for People, Treasurer of Hospice of the Gorge, and President of Columbia Arts.

Scott Franke - Board Member

Scott has been a Board member of the Hood River Valley Residents’ Committee for six years. Scott is a practicing attorney in Hood River and continues to be a pivotal player in the resolution with Mt. Hood Meadows and Hood River County. He has also served with the Collier County Audubon Society from 1990-1994, an affiliate of Florida Audubon.

Deanna Joyer - Board Member

Deanna first came to the Columbia River Gorge in l976. Thus began a long lasting love affair with the people, rivers, mountains, vistas and views of the Hood River Valley. Today, Deanna and her husband John Joyer own and operate Sakura Ridge, a 44-acre organic farm, orchard and bed & breakfast. Deanna holds a degree in Art from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Of great inspiration to her is the late, Nancy Russell.

Mike McCarthy - Board Member

Mike has been a self-employed farmer since 1980. He sits on many different boards including the HRVRC, Middle Fork Irrigation District, 1000 Friends of Oregon Farmer Advisory Committee, and the Hood River Grower Shipper Association Marketing Committee.

Steve Hunt - Board Member

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Steve saw much of the beautiful open space of that area consumed by haphazard sprawl and un-planed development. That experience developed in Steve a respect and appreciation for attempts in Oregon and Hood River to find a better way, a more thoughtful manner in which to sheppard and care for our most irreplaceable land so that it might persist and en-rich us for many generations. Steve grew his first crop in Hood River in 1982 on 14 acres in Dee Flat. Today, Steve farms 100 acres in both Dee Flat and Parkdale. Steve’s two sons are fourth generation lovers of Hood River and he hopes they will have the opportunity to grow many fine crops here, as hopefully will their sons and daughters.

Polly Wood - Board Member

Polly Wood is a fifth generation Oregonian. She moved to Hood River in 2002 after marrying her husband John Wood. Her business, Polly's Cakes moved with her and she set up shop in the downtown area. In 2008 Polly traded in her cake pans to raise their daughter, ski with her husband and engage in community activism.

Kate McCarthy - Emeritus Board

Kate’s family has been in the Hood River Valley for five generations. She attended Reed College and received her Master’s degree from OHSU. Kate is the founding member of the HRVRC. She received the Mazama Award in 2002 for Honorary Membership for Distinguished Achievement for Environmentalism. She also received the Soroptimist International Award – Woman of Distinction Award in 2002.

Nancy Moller - Emeritus Board

Nancy will be 86 years old in March 2007. She taught high school social studies from 1969 to 1989. In 1987, she started a local bottled water company called H2Oregon. Nancy sat on and served as President for the Port of Hood River. She has been a member of the HRVRC since 1979 and served as Chair for four years. In 2007, she retired as a board member and now serves on the HRVRC emeritus board.

Jeff Hunter - Emeritus Board

Jeff has been a member of the HRVRC since 1981 and has served as president and been on the board since 1983. He has worked in the real estate field as a broker in Hood River since 1979. Jeff has also served as a County Planning Commissioner and on various city and county panels relating to land use issues.

Kate Mills - Emeritus Board