Executive Director Jonathan Ostar
jon (at) opalpdx.org | (503) 342-8910
Jon has worked on environmental justice issues since arriving in Portland in 2000 to attend Lewis and Clark Law School. While a law student, Jon worked as an organizer under Jeri Sundvall-Williams for the N/NE Portland community-based Environmental Justice Action Group, where he met OPAL co-founder Kevin Odell. Jon worked as a civil rights and employment discrimination attorney for five years before leaving private practice to help build OPAL, becoming Co-Director in January 2010, and Executive Director in January 2012. Jon continues to practice law, advocating on behalf of disenfranchised communities and developing state environmental justice law and policy, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at both Lewis and Clark Law School and Willamette University College of Law, specializing in Environmental Justice, Sustainability and Civil Rights Law and Policy.
Associate Director Vivian Satterfield
vivian (at) opalpdx.org | (503) 342-8910
Vivian hails from Chicago, where a passion for working with diverse communities and a desire to live in a more temperate climate brought her to Portland in 2008 after graduating from DePaul University. She’s been lucky enough to pursue her dreams of continuing good work with the people and places that need it most, first with affordable housing in Outer Southeast Portland neighborhoods at ROSE Community Development, and now fighting for environmental justice here at OPAL. Vivian believes in the power of community, the effectiveness of collective action and the therapeutic capabilities of a long bike ride.
Community Or
ganizer Héctor Jr. Osuna
hector (at) opalpdx.org | (503) 342-8910
Héctor obtained his B.A. in Community Development from Portland State University and has worked for community-based organizations as well as the City of Portland and Metro. Hector believes it is critical for communities of color & low-income communities to pursue self-determination by being involved in issues that shape and form our urban environment and health. Sometimes that means sitting on committees in order to advocate for our communities, and sometimes that means more direct action. Showing up is 90% of the battle! Hector believes that "equity" and "sustainability" are just words, and that we must work to implement these ideals so that people of color & low-income communities can enjoy all the amenities, opportunities and benefits needed for healthy, productive lives, without being displaced from their neighborhoods.
Transportation Policy Associate Jared Franz
jared (at) opalpdx.org | (503) 342-8910
Jared is pursuing a law degree at Lewis and Clark Law School and is passionate about public interest law and environmental justice. He started volunteering with OPAL in early 2011, and brings critical legal and policy research to support our organizing work.
Youth Organizer Nicole Johnson
nicole (at) opalpdx.org | (503) 342-8910
Nicole grew up in Portland and has first-hand experience with many of the issues that OPAL tackles. Her experiences have fostered Nicole’s passions for grassroots organizing and encouraging the civic engagement of youth. These interests led her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Portland State University. It was during her Senior Capstone project that she was first introduced to OPAL. Nicole helped develop the Bus Stop Assessment Tool that OPAL now uses, then applied to and was accepted into the Organizer in Training program. In January of 2013, she transitioned into the staff position of Youth Organizer and uses this role to create space for young people to excel as leaders in their communities. Nicole loves dancing, enjoys exploring Portland, and takes comfort in our city’s abundance of trees.
