Brian Towey
President
Brian was born in Seattle and spent most of his life in the Northwest before moving to Hood River full time in 1997. His work experience includes computing operations, food and hospitality, automotive services, communications, coaching and risk management in motorsports engineering and competition. He is self-employed. He came to Hood River for access to outdoor recreation and the opportunity to live in a small town with other self-reliant, independent thinking and innovative people.
David Russo
Vice President
Dr. Russo was born and raised in the California Central Valley. After completing concomitant degrees in medicine, public health, and clinical research he went on to graduate medical training in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. Finally, he finished his training in Pain Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University.
He moved to Hood River with his wife Jessica in 2006 because he enjoyed the collegial relationships and small-town vibe of rural medicine. Dr. Russo has been in active practice in Hood River, Oregon focusing on comprehensive and interventional pain management, rehabilitation medicine, and non-operative orthopedics. He’s a recent Ohio University Health Policy Fellowship graduate where he focused on federal and state policy issues related to the opioid epidemic, workforce issues, and telemedicine.
A passionate, lifelong learner and advocate for education, he’s served on a variety of state and regional task forces and commissions and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Hood River County School District Board of Directors.
Gretchen Goss
Board Member
Gretchen is a homegrown Hood Rat. She is a proud alumni of Westside Elementary (Go Wildcats!), HRMS and HRVHS and remembers when there were only two stop lights in town. She left the valley for college, attending Roanoke College in Virginia and later received her grad degree from the University of East Anglia in England. She has BA in History and an Masters in Art History... which makes her really interesting at cocktail parties and museums. She is a full-time working mom, and outside of the office, spends her time running a tightly run shipwreck that is her life with three young kids. She married a guy she met at Pub Quiz (which she still attends, occasionally getting to use her liberal arts degrees), and who is related to half the valley. Her favorite thing about small town life is the relationship her kids have with their grandparents, and the crazy rule that the one time you run to Rosauers in your work clothes with no makeup, is when you run into everyone you went to school with.
Sandy Bielen
Board Member
Sandy Bielen grew up on the East coast in a small community much like Hood River. After graduating college, she joined the Navy in 2000 and after 9 years of roaming the world and the U.S. on active duty she and her family moved out to the Northwest to settle in for the long haul. Sandy is an aerospace professional with experience that now spans both manned and unmanned flight. She is a a Navy helicopter pilot turned Program Manager – with a few stints as stay at home mom thrown in (this is the REAL work). Sandy has also dabbled in many other technical and operational roles at Insitu Inc.; Technical Writer, Accident Investigator, and Aviation Safety Official. Between this line-up of work and momming, Sandy maintains her military status as a Navy Reservist finding herself now at 20 years of service. Sandy also serves the community as a member of the Hood River County School District Finance Advisory and Bond Oversight Committee, a VITA /AARP TAX AIDE volunteer, and a member of the Hood River Youth Lacrosse board. A road trip warrior and loves camping and skiing. As a mom of three (1 daughter, 2 sons), always on the go trying to keep up with the mayhem! …. never a dull moment.
Katie Haynie
board member
Katie Haynie was born and raised in Hood River. Deep rooted in the Hood River community as her family has been in the valley since the 1920s. She’s grateful to raise her children near family, for the local schools that provide her children opportunities, and for an incredible community that her family gets to be a part of. Outside of carpools and managing the calendars of three active kids, she enjoys yoga, hiking, and exploring. Katie is also on the boards of and invests time in Helping Hands Against Violence, and FISH Food Bank.
Kristi Chapman
Board Member
Kristi grew up just outside of Golden, Colorado where she thought she would stay forever and work in the family business. Life had other plans however, and after meeting her husband, he joined the Navy and they moved to Hawaii and started their family. After a decade, they moved to El Segundo, CA for her husband to advance his education. Living in California greatly solidified that they wanted to raise their family in a small town and moved to Hood River where her husband grew up. They enjoy knowing that the local community works together as a village, a.k.a their kids can’t get away with anything. Kristi now manages a dental practice and is the personal assistant to two great kids. Kristi is also currently serving as a Commissioner for the Port of Hood River.
