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The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers whose vision, energy, and generosity have enabled us to meet the growing demand for emergency shelter in Central Oregon. 
Thomas O'Brien, President
I first experienced the Bethlehem Inn working as a church group volunteer preparing meals for residents. In May 2008, I sought out membership on the board in order to build the organization’s capacity to fulfill its mission of improving and saving lives. It has been an honor and privilege to work shoulder to shoulder with the Bethlehem Inn’s excellent staff and to see the Inn grow its capabilities to serve a record number of single residents and families so far this year. My education included a BS from Penn State and an MS& PhD from Harvard. In my corporate life, I worked for Polaroid for 27 years mainly in international roles. After 1996 I taught International Business and Marketing at Syracuse Univ. and the University of Washington. My wife, Leslie Koc, and I moved to Bend in early 2007 where we launched our post-corporate lives and our own coaching firm "Coaching What's Next, LLC".
Dave Goodwin,Vice President
My wife, Joan, and I came to Bend in 2006. I grew up in Western New York and was graduated from Antioch College in Ohio in 1954. I began a career in public relations with a six-year stint at Goodwill Industries of Dayton, OH, then spent the next 32 years with Mead Corporation, a major producer of paper and packaging. Upon retirement, I volunteered with Antioch College and its Glen Helen Nature preserve, primarily in development and fundraising. I am excited about being on the Board of the Bethlehem Inn. The energy and dedication I see here is inspiring.
 Gayle Willett, Treasurer The strength of a community is in many ways measured by how that community cares for its most disadvantaged citizens. Central Oregon is fortunate in that regard, since high quality emergency shelter is available for the homeless from the Bethlehem Inn. The heightened need for emergency shelter, due to the economic recession, stimulated my interest in working with the Inn. I am a native Oregonian, born and raised on a fourth generation ranch in Wallowa County in northeast Oregon. My education includes a B.S. degree from Oregon State University, and M.S. and PhD. degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. All degrees are in Agricultural Economics. I spent 30 years as a college professor, the last 24 on the faculty of Washington State University. While at WSU, I developed and implemented educational programs and conducted research in the areas of agricultural economics/finance for agricultural audiences. Upon retirement, I moved to Bend 11 years ago. I enjoy spending time with my two sons, their wives and three grandsons. I also do volunteer work for St. Charles Hospital and the Red Cross. I look forward to working with the dedicated and talented board and staff of Bethlehem Inn.
Jenny Hoffmann, Secretary
I am one of the rare Bend natives who remembers life in pre-Costco Bend, when Wagner's was a grocery store and the Old Mill was...a mill. I went to college in the Midwest long enough to realize I needed to be in a place where I could smell forest fires in August. Bend was in my soul, so I brought my fiance, Steve from St. Louis. Eighteen years later, we have two excellent boys, Caleb and Jordan and are deeply involved in the Central Oregon community. My work experience runs the gamut from media (a stint at KTVZ), to youth work, to construction and real-estate and now public education. I am currently an educational assistant and technology facilitator at Highland Elementary. I am also a full time student at OSU-Cascades where I'm completing a Bachelor's in Social Science followed by a Master's in teaching.
My interest in Bethlehem Inn began while the Inn was mobile and our family got to serve dinner to folks staying at a local church. I've come to realize, besides having our natural beauty to offer, this community has a deeply compassionate and generous nature about it that you don't find in most places. Most people I'm connected with have a genuine desire to give of themselves, their time, money, and resources and lack only a worthy opportunity. With connections in various faith communities, real-estate, media, and educational communities, I began to search out opportunities for my friends, family and neighbors to give back in meaningful ways. That led me to join the Homeless Leadership Coalition and to become the Volunteer Coordinator for Project Homeless Connect for the last four years. Joining the Bethlehem Inn Board in the summer of 2010 was a natural next step as our generous community looks for viable long term solutions to our homelessness and poverty issues.
Suzy Reininger
I grew up in Pasadena, CA, received my BA from UNC-Charlotte and then moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1990. I received my MAT from Pacific University in 1999. In March 2000 I moved to Bend with Bob, my husband and Alexandra, my daughter. I began work as an AOD Counselor in 2001 and learned first-hand that many people in Central Oregon were experiencing homelessness. In 2005 I joined the Homeless Leadership Coalition and became the Homeless Liaison for the Bend/LaPine Schools. In the two years I worked for the school district I saw an incredible increase in the number of homeless students. I am currently a full time mom and volunteer. In April of 2008 I joined the Board of the Bethlehem Inn. I am extremely impressed with the management and staff at the Inn.
Helen Pruitt
In the early 70’s, my husband, Maurice, and I moved our family to Bend and “discovered” a charming little city of about 14,000 people. Now, at almost six times that population Bend still holds its charm – yet with many accompanying challenges. I was introduced to the area’s homeless problem when serving one night at the new Bethlehem Inn project. That night the “homeless” became unique individuals to me, each with different stories, hopes and diverse needs. In 2003 I retired from 20 years at Central Oregon Community College where I worked in Financial Aid and as Admissions and Records administrator and Registrar. I am a graduate of Oregon State University and have three grown children each of whom graduated from Southern Oregon State University. I’ve long volunteered with Girl Scouts and now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Julia Kennedy Cochran
In 2008, as the economy worsened, I decided to shift my contributions to local rather than national charities because I felt donations made here would have more of an impact. One of the local charities I donated to was Bethlehem Inn. I was tremendously impressed by the work Bethlehem Inn does and concerned about the growing number of homeless people in our community. In 2009. I was invited to join the Board of Directors and am honored to be part of this great effort.
I received my B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and then spent 10 years as a journalist in New York, writing for the Associated Press, Reuters, Business Week Magazine, The New York Times and Barron's. I returned to school to earn my MBA from Columbia University and then spent 14 years as a marketing manager and new product developer for telecommunications and Internet-related companies in New York and Seattle. My husband, Ron Cochran, and I moved to Tumalo in 2003.
Chris Bridges
I believe that the foundation of our community is only as strong as the Non-Profits that serve the basic needs of its citizens that are suffering and in need of a helping hand. Without organizations like the Bethlehem Inn the fabric of society would be darker and more hopeless, resulting in the further breakdown of the human spirit. I have spent the majority of my professional career in varying Business Development, Sales and Marketing, and Account Management Roles along with increasing responsibilities. I joined the team at Bank of the Cascades in 2007 and currently serve as Branch Manager for the Sunriver Branch. Before being elected to the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Inn, I was actively involved with the Non-Profit Association of Oregon/TACS local steering committee and spent 2 years on the Hunger Prevention Coalition Board in various capacities. I have been a resident of Central Oregon since 1998. My wife and I have a three year old son that we look forward to teaching the ideas of giving back to community.
David Brown
David Brown is a 2002 graduate of the University of Oregon Law School, and has resided in Oregon since 1999. He practices with Merrill-O’Sullivan, one of the longest standing and most well respected law firms in Central Oregon, located in the heart of Bend, Oregon’s Old Mill District. His clients include a broad cross-section of individual, small business and corporate clients across a across a diverse range of practice areas: Civil and Business Litigation; General Business and Corporate Law; Commercial Transactions; Employment Law; Construction Law and Domestic Relations. David graduated cum laude from Duke University with a B.A. in History and Classical Studies in 1995.
David’s interests include swimming, rock-climbing, kayaking, cycling, skiing, and anything else that fuels his hyperactive personality. He believes that “service is an important part of life,” and has consistently been involved in giving back to the communities where he lives in one fashion or another, as evidenced by his serving as the Outreach Coordinator for the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund or working with Oregon State Bar Programs. When not at work, he loves to spend time with the lights of his life, Monica and daughter Zoe. Among other things, he tries to live his life by the Marcel Proust’s maxim that: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking out new lands, but in having new vision." 
Pat Ackley
For me, the problem of homelessness is personal. I grew up in poverty and have first-hand experience of worrying about where I was going to sleep, if I would have to change schools again, or whether I would have enough to eat. We relied on the generosity of family, friends and strangers to survive. In those days, there was no such refuge as the Bethlehem Inn. I’ve had a rewarding professional life, working as an educator (K-14) for 15 years; productivity director for several high tech corporations; and organization development consultant for 25 years. I also taught Organizational Leadership and Managing Change & Transition courses for San Jose State University, the University of California, and Oregon State University. I received my B.A. in Education from the University of Northern Iowa, M.S. in Industrial Psychology from San Jose State University, and Ed.D. in education administration from USC. My husband, Dave, and I moved to Sunriver over 18 years ago. During the past ten years, I served on several boards, including Central Oregon Jobs with Justice, Oregon Progress Board and Central Oregon Partnership (now Partnership to End Poverty). This past spring, I taught conversational English at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam with Global Volunteers.  The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated volunteers whose vision, energy, and generosity have enabled us to meet the growing demand for emergency shelter in Central Oregon.
Thomas O'Brien, President I first experienced the Bethlehem Inn working as a church group volunteer preparing meals for residents. In May 2008, I sought out membership on the board in order to build the organization’s capacity to fulfill its mission of improving and saving lives. It has been an honor and privilege to work shoulder to shoulder with the Bethlehem Inn’s excellent staff and to see the Inn grow its capabilities to serve a record number of single residents and families so far this year. My education included a BS from Penn State and an MS& PhD from Harvard. In my corporate life, I worked for Polaroid for 27 years mainly in international roles. After 1996 I taught International Business and Marketing at Syracuse Univ. and the University of Washington. My wife, Leslie Koc, and I moved to Bend in early 2007 where we launched our post-corporate lives and our own coaching firm "Coaching What's Next, LLC".
Dave Goodwin,Vice President
My wife, Joan, and I came to Bend in 2006. I grew up in Western New York and was graduated from Antioch College in Ohio in 1954. I began a career in public relations with a six-year stint at Goodwill Industries of Dayton, OH, then spent the next 32 years with Mead Corporation, a major producer of paper and packaging. Upon retirement, I volunteered with Antioch College and its Glen Helen Nature preserve, primarily in development and fundraising. I am excited about being on the Board of the Bethlehem Inn. The energy and dedication I see here is inspiring.
Gayle Willett, Treasurer The strength of a community is in many ways measured by how that community cares for its most disadvantaged citizens. Central Oregon is fortunate in that regard, since high quality emergency shelter is available for the homeless from the Bethlehem Inn. The heightened need for emergency shelter, due to the economic recession, stimulated my interest in working with the Inn. I am a native Oregonian, born and raised on a fourth generation ranch in Wallowa County in northeast Oregon. My education includes a B.S. degree from Oregon State University, and M.S. and PhD. degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. All degrees are in Agricultural Economics. I spent 30 years as a college professor, the last 24 on the faculty of Washington State University. While at WSU, I developed and implemented educational programs and conducted research in the areas of agricultural economics/finance for agricultural audiences. Upon retirement, I moved to Bend 11 years ago. I enjoy spending time with my two sons, their wives and three grandsons. I also do volunteer work for St. Charles Hospital and the Red Cross. I look forward to working with the dedicated and talented board and staff of Bethlehem Inn.
Jenny Hoffmann, Secretary
I am one of the rare Bend natives who remembers life in pre-Costco Bend, when Wagner's was a grocery store and the Old Mill was...a mill. I went to college in the Midwest long enough to realize I needed to be in a place where I could smell forest fires in August. Bend was in my soul, so I brought my fiance, Steve from St. Louis. Eighteen years later, we have two excellent boys, Caleb and Jordan and are deeply involved in the Central Oregon community. My work experience runs the gamut from media (a stint at KTVZ), to youth work, to construction and real-estate and now public education. I am currently an educational assistant and technology facilitator at Highland Elementary. I am also a full time student at OSU-Cascades where I'm completing a Bachelor's in Social Science followed by a Master's in teaching.
My interest in Bethlehem Inn began while the Inn was mobile and our family got to serve dinner to folks staying at a local church. I've come to realize, besides having our natural beauty to offer, this community has a deeply compassionate and generous nature about it that you don't find in most places. Most people I'm connected with have a genuine desire to give of themselves, their time, money, and resources and lack only a worthy opportunity. With connections in various faith communities, real-estate, media, and educational communities, I began to search out opportunities for my friends, family and neighbors to give back in meaningful ways. That led me to join the Homeless Leadership Coalition and to become the Volunteer Coordinator for Project Homeless Connect for the last four years. Joining the Bethlehem Inn Board in the summer of 2010 was a natural next step as our generous community looks for viable long term solutions to our homelessness and poverty issues.
Suzy Reininger
I grew up in Pasadena, CA, received my BA from UNC-Charlotte and then moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 1990. I received my MAT from Pacific University in 1999. In March 2000 I moved to Bend with Bob, my husband and Alexandra, my daughter. I began work as an AOD Counselor in 2001 and learned first-hand that many people in Central Oregon were experiencing homelessness. In 2005 I joined the Homeless Leadership Coalition and became the Homeless Liaison for the Bend/LaPine Schools. In the two years I worked for the school district I saw an incredible increase in the number of homeless students. I am currently a full time mom and volunteer. In April of 2008 I joined the Board of the Bethlehem Inn. I am extremely impressed with the management and staff at the Inn.
Helen Pruitt
In the early 70’s, my husband, Maurice, and I moved our family to Bend and “discovered” a charming little city of about 14,000 people. Now, at almost six times that population Bend still holds its charm – yet with many accompanying challenges. I was introduced to the area’s homeless problem when serving one night at the new Bethlehem Inn project. That night the “homeless” became unique individuals to me, each with different stories, hopes and diverse needs. In 2003 I retired from 20 years at Central Oregon Community College where I worked in Financial Aid and as Admissions and Records administrator and Registrar. I am a graduate of Oregon State University and have three grown children each of whom graduated from Southern Oregon State University. I’ve long volunteered with Girl Scouts and now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. Julia Kennedy Cochran
In 2008, as the economy worsened, I decided to shift my contributions to local rather than national charities because I felt donations made here would have more of an impact. One of the local charities I donated to was Bethlehem Inn. I was tremendously impressed by the work Bethlehem Inn does and concerned about the growing number of homeless people in our community. In 2009. I was invited to join the Board of Directors and am honored to be part of this great effort.
I received my B.A. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and then spent 10 years as a journalist in New York, writing for the Associated Press, Reuters, Business Week Magazine, The New York Times and Barron's. I returned to school to earn my MBA from Columbia University and then spent 14 years as a marketing manager and new product developer for telecommunications and Internet-related companies in New York and Seattle. My husband, Ron Cochran, and I moved to Tumalo in 2003.
Chris Bridges
I believe that the foundation of our community is only as strong as the Non-Profits that serve the basic needs of its citizens that are suffering and in need of a helping hand. Without organizations like the Bethlehem Inn the fabric of society would be darker and more hopeless, resulting in the further breakdown of the human spirit. I have spent the majority of my professional career in varying Business Development, Sales and Marketing, and Account Management Roles along with increasing responsibilities. I joined the team at Bank of the Cascades in 2007 and currently serve as Branch Manager for the Sunriver Branch. Before being elected to the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Inn, I was actively involved with the Non-Profit Association of Oregon/TACS local steering committee and spent 2 years on the Hunger Prevention Coalition Board in various capacities. I have been a resident of Central Oregon since 1998. My wife and I have a three year old son that we look forward to teaching the ideas of giving back to community.
David Brown
David Brown is a 2002 graduate of the University of Oregon Law School, and has resided in Oregon since 1999. He practices with Merrill-O’Sullivan, one of the longest standing and most well respected law firms in Central Oregon, located in the heart of Bend, Oregon’s Old Mill District. His clients include a broad cross-section of individual, small business and corporate clients across a across a diverse range of practice areas: Civil and Business Litigation; General Business and Corporate Law; Commercial Transactions; Employment Law; Construction Law and Domestic Relations. David graduated cum laude from Duke University with a B.A. in History and Classical Studies in 1995.
David’s interests include swimming, rock-climbing, kayaking, cycling, skiing, and anything else that fuels his hyperactive personality. He believes that “service is an important part of life,” and has consistently been involved in giving back to the communities where he lives in one fashion or another, as evidenced by his serving as the Outreach Coordinator for the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund or working with Oregon State Bar Programs. When not at work, he loves to spend time with the lights of his life, Monica and daughter Zoe. Among other things, he tries to live his life by the Marcel Proust’s maxim that: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking out new lands, but in having new vision."
Pat Ackley
For me, the problem of homelessness is personal. I grew up in poverty and have first-hand experience of worrying about where I was going to sleep, if I would have to change schools again, or whether I would have enough to eat. We relied on the generosity of family, friends and strangers to survive. In those days, there was no such refuge as the Bethlehem Inn. I’ve had a rewarding professional life, working as an educator (K-14) for 15 years; productivity director for several high tech corporations; and organization development consultant for 25 years. I also taught Organizational Leadership and Managing Change & Transition courses for San Jose State University, the University of California, and Oregon State University. I received my B.A. in Education from the University of Northern Iowa, M.S. in Industrial Psychology from San Jose State University, and Ed.D. in education administration from USC. My husband, Dave, and I moved to Sunriver over 18 years ago. During the past ten years, I served on several boards, including Central Oregon Jobs with Justice, Oregon Progress Board and Central Oregon Partnership (now Partnership to End Poverty). This past spring, I taught conversational English at a school in Hanoi, Vietnam with Global Volunteers. |