Staff Info and Contact Form

Naomi is excited to bring her background in science education and natural resource management research to the Our Future team. She received her MS at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences and her BS from Pitzer College in California. Naomi lives in Bend and loves running, camping, and exploring all that Oregon has to offer with her husband and dog.

Kathryn grew up in Beaverton and has always called Oregon home. From childhood she was passionate about environmental issues, becoming a vegetarian at age 11 and participating in Eco Club in high school. She spent the last decade and a half mentoring middle and high school youth to plan and carry out service projects in their communities, including many tree planting projects and community garden/composting endeavors. She is very excited to collaborate with others across the state through Partners for Sustainable Schools!

Jaymee began her work with Our Future in 2023, leading the Clubs Collaboration team as a college intern while pursuing a BS in Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon. After graduating, she has continued her work with the organization as a staff member and is excited to work with driven high school students, helping them make change in their schools and communities. She loves being outside and can often be found running, hiking, and camping.

Kate Rivera is a college intern at Our Future Oregon studying Environmental Science and Biology at Willamette University. She has a passion for the environment and climate justice and hopes to work in conservation in the future, furthering Our Future’s goals of creating a sustainable world. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, cooking, and getting outdoors as much as possible.

Kylie is a college senior majoring in Environmental Science & Policy and minoring in Health Promotion. She enjoys hiking, swimming, and paddleboarding. She is the staff lead for the Southern Oregon region.

Tara Kajtaniak is an educator in the redwoods of far northern California who is passionate about environmental literacy and global competence in the English-Language Arts classroom. She is a contributor to the California Writing Project Environmental Literacy and Justice Collaborative and designs and implements professional learning for local educators through the Redwood Writing Project. She is also the founder of the Humboldt Youth Climate Action Summit and the former Education Coordinator of Asia Society’s COAL+ICE climate change art and photography exhibition, which was part of Jerry Brown’s 2018 Climate Action Summit. Tara is also a University Supervisor for the Secondary Education Program at Cal-Poly Humboldt. Her commitment to environmental literacy and climate action is deeply connected to her family and ancestral land in Sápmi (northern Norway).

Shiloh Capiak is an undergraduate at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a double major in English and Legal Studies. Her passion for climate education and advocacy has been evident throughout her involvement with Partners for Sustainable Schools. Shiloh initially joined the organization as a Regional Leader for the Our Future initiative, distinguishing herself through her dedication and leadership. This commitment led to her current position as a Board Member, where she continues to advance the organization’s mission of integrating climate education into schools, fostering civic engagement, and advocating for environmental justice. In her personal life, Shiloh is an avid reader, often found immersed in a book, and enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, where she finds joy in cooking and baking for family and friends.

Nischal (Nisch) is a grants consultant at the Mind & Life Institute. He recently graduated from UMass Amherst with a Master’s in Environmental Conservation during which his research investigated the relationship between Mindfulness and Pro-environmental behaviors. Before that, he worked in outreach, communications, and coordination positions in non-profits in Nepal and the Philippines. Nisch is currently deconstructing and (re)establishing his understanding of environmentalism and is passionate about integrating compassion, kindness, and justice into conversations around climate adaptation. He reads fiction, runs a little, and tries to play guitar.

Siri is a junior at Westview High School, Portland, OR. Her areas of expertise include coding, cafeteria waste reduction, microplastic pollution, and sustainability. She has been a core regional leader for Our Future for the past 2 years. She works closely with the cafeteria waste reduction and environmental/climate justice teams. Looking ahead, she intends to pursue a major in electrical engineering to help with clean energy tech development.

Arun Toké is the executive editor of Skipping Stones: A Multicultural Literary Magazine for today’s youth which he established in 1988. Skipping Stones, under Arun’s guidance, has published artwork, articles, photographs, poetry, and stories on nature awareness and multicultural/ international understanding for the last 36 years. Arun has previously worked as an engineer and taught at a state college, and he has been our board for the last two years and volunteered with us for almost ten years.

Marcy Hellman has been involved as a PSS board member since the beginning of the organization in 2008. During this period of time she has been a Spanish teacher at a local Spanish immersion school. This work is near and dear to my heart as she sees the importance of climate action and its importance for our children, especially to students who come from historically undermined communities. Currently, she also serves as a secretary in the PSS Board of Directors.

With over 16 years of experience in public education, she is dedicated to supporting Climate Education for teachers and students. Her lifelong passion for environmental stewardship has driven her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and a Master of Arts in Education. She has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. This breadth of experience has equipped her with the tools to be of service in many areas. She looks forward to leveraging her diverse experience and profound commitment to environmental education in a role that supports and amplifies the impact of Climate Education and action. 

PSS founder and executive director, Mel Bankoff is the founder of 4 non-profit organizations and a national organic food business.  He founded Partners for Sustainable Schools in 2008, and has dedicated his time, energy, and passion in the service of empowering youth for almost two decades.