BOARD OF DIRECTORS
In establishing the founding board for Radness Ensues, it was vital we recruit members with relevant lived experiences and expertise to fulfill critical board duties. Our mission is to foster creativity, self-expression, inclusion and compassion within our community. To authentically represent and empower our community, we knew we needed leadership that has walked this path and understands our culture. Accordingly, we have assembled a passionate, qualified team who call this community home and leverage their diverse experience and skills in service of our vision. Our board reflects the pulse of Salem across decades of grassroots creative work and fiscal strategy vital for a growing nonprofit. But we have also welcomed an outside perspective – a gifted peer support specialist who enriches our ability to promote belonging and healing. Together, this foundation of credible, skilled voices stands ready to steward Radness Ensues toward meaningful impact for years to come as we strive for a more just, equitable and supportive Salem.
BECKA BRISBIN
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Becka Brisbin founded the nonprofit Radness Ensues, which grew organically from her popular custom button shoppe Becka Makes Buttons, and her commitment to community service. Inspired by her own experiences with homelessness and adversity, Becka opened her judgment-free creative space welcoming all to make buttons, access resources, and connect. Becka strives to facilitate inclusion, empowerment, and support network building in Salem. After a lifetime of community engagement throughout Oregon and Washington, Radness Ensues has formalized to sustain and expand Becka’s hands-on mission to spread creativity and compassion while helping others find pathways of healing.
JESSICA HUTCHISON
TREASURER
Jessica Hutchison brings over 20 years of fiscal management experience to her role as treasurer on the board of Radness Ensues. As a skilled Revenue Auditor 3 at Spirit Mountain Casino, Jessica has cultivated sharp analytical abilities and attention to detail while upholding accountability. She leverages these professional skills to safeguard the financial health of Radness Ensues as treasurer. Outside of her number-crunching expertise, Jessica is a loving kitty mama and provides a balanced perspective through varied personal interests, from hiking and family time to gaming, reading, and writing poetry – one of her deepest passions. Jessica is committed to applying her financial insight paired with her well-rounded viewpoint to advance Radness Ensues’ mission of fostering creativity, self-expression, inclusion and community building during her tenure as treasurer. She believes wholeheartedly in the organization’s vision for a more just, equitable and compassionate world for all.
JARED SHERIDAN
SECRETARY
Jared Sheridan is a prolific Salem-based musician, artist and community organizer who has been an integral part of the local music scene for over 30 years. As a multi-instrumentalist, Jared lends his talents to multiple bands and musical collaborations across genres. He is constantly pushing creative boundaries with his art and champions various social causes with unwavering passion. Jared has selflessly dedicated countless hours to organizing and volunteering impactful artistic events and fundraising initiatives to support humanitarian efforts in the community. His spirit and determination are invaluable assets that enrich Salem’s vibrant local arts culture and advance significant positive change.
KRISTIN GRIFFEY
BOARD MEMBER
Kristin Griffey, PSS, PWS, CRM is a trauma-informed care specialist as well as a community and workplace traumatologist and compassion fatigue specialist. Empowering others in the wake of trauma and/or severe life stressors is one of Kristin’s greatest joys. A mother, a friend, and a fierce advocate, Kristin roots her lived experience in Portland, Oregon. She believes deeply in trauma-informed care and providing space for those who may be struggling with compassion fatigue.
PRISCILLA LOWELLS
BOARD MEMBER
PEGGY MISCHKE
BOARD MEMBER
Peggy Mischke is a dedicated 3rd grade teacher with decades of experience educating young minds and fostering their intellectual and socio-emotional growth. She employs innovative and imaginative techniques in the classroom to spark children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and compassion. Outside of teaching, Peggy actively volunteers with various community organizations, bringing her warmth, positivity and love of learning to benefit many lives. Her passion for education and child development shines through in and outside the classroom.
STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
To uphold the core values and vision of Radness Ensues for generations to come, we have established a Stewardship Council of impassioned community members. This council has been entrusted as an independent voice to guide and advise the Board of Directors, stepping in to settle disputes if ever necessary. Their duty is to Radness Ensues’ mission first and foremost. The Council will monitor the Board to ensure it remains diverse and focused wholly on our founding mission of spreading creativity, empowerment, and compassion through artistic expression and community building. When our founder moves on one day, it is the Stewardship Council’s responsibility to preserve this mission intact into the future. We believe this oversight model is the best way to maintain that critical balance of new ideas and steadfast founding principles as Radness Ensues evolves over decades of community service.
BECKA BRISBIN
FOUNDER
Becka Brisbin founded the nonprofit Radness Ensues, which grew organically from her popular custom button shoppe Becka Makes Buttons, and her commitment to community service. Inspired by her own experiences with homelessness and adversity, Becka opened her judgment-free creative space welcoming all to make buttons, access resources, and connect. Becka strives to facilitate inclusion, empowerment, and support network building in Salem. After a lifetime of community engagement throughout Oregon and Washington, Radness Ensues has formalized to sustain and expand Becka’s hands-on mission to spread creativity and compassion while helping others find pathways of healing.
TRAVIS BRISBIN
Travis Brisbin’s journey through homelessness and adversity as a teen fuels a personal understanding of barriers facing Salem’s most disadvantaged youth. Alongside his partner, Radness Ensues’ founder Becka, he endured economic and societal inequities firsthand. Now Travis leverages this lens to inform his governance role on the nonprofit’s Stewardship Council, upholding the organization’s founding principles and mission. As a shop steward for his local union which upholds strict FAA regulations, he brings oversight expertise rooted in compliance. Having grown up facing significant barriers that Radness Ensues aims to address, Travis firmly believes in the vision of creative engagement and compassion as vehicles for youth and family support. His personal experiences drive strategic guidance to preserve Radness Ensues’ dedication to building up local young people and families facing similar systemic challenges.
SARAH TAYLOR
Sarah Taylor is a dedicated youth advocate and community leader leveraging her deeply informed perspective to empower vulnerable young people. As a former homeless youth navigator in Salem for over 8 years, Sarah draws on her own lived experiences with adversity to connect with individuals, families, and organizers. She has helped guide countless youth to resources and support systems to foster stability and self-sufficiency. Sarah assists with grant writing efforts to secure critical funding for programs assisting underserved communities. As a mother and peer mentor, Sarah leads with empathy, compassion, and an unflinching drive to affect positive change for youth facing systemic barriers. Her wealth of knowledge and connections continue to steer marginalized young people toward brighter futures.
JESSICA CARPENTER
Jessica Carpenter brings over a decade of nonprofit leadership and administrative expertise to the Radness Ensues Stewardship Council. As owner of Meetings, Management, and More, Jessica leverages 22 years of event planning and customer service savvy to advise nonprofits. She currently serves as Board President for the Recovery Outreach Community Center (ROCC), helping govern Salem’s premier peer-run organization creating judgment-free spaces for marginalized groups. Jessica is deeply embedded in local social services, from contracting with Special Olympics to previously serving on the Board of Travel Salem. Across her extensive event planning, nonprofit governance, and hospitality management career, she has championed inclusion, empowerment, and accessibility for vulnerable communities. Jessica will utilize this informed perspective on Radness Ensues’ Stewardship Council to uphold the organization’s vision of building compassion and creative engagement pathways for area youth and their families.
DUSTIN MORSE
Dustin Morse brings personal understanding of adversity to his meaningful oversight role on the Radness Ensues Stewardship Council. Having navigated challenges facing Salem youth firsthand earlier in life, Dustin now leverages his informed perspective to uphold integrity in organizational governance. By prioritizing ethical principles over personalities, Dustin leads by example with wisdom cultivated through lived experiences. As a dedicated father and local contractor, he directs this integrity and knowledge of what vulnerable youth face toward ensuring Radness Ensues stays true to its mission of creative engagement and empowerment. As a musician himself, Dustin relates to the power of creative outlets as vehicles for youth empowerment.
PROGRAM MANAGERS
REBECCA BURPEE
Rebecca Burpee brings over four decades of multifaceted gardening experience and a vibrant, nurturing presence supporting vulnerable communities to her role as garden program manager for Radness Ensues. For 5 years, Rebecca ran the garden program at Neighbors Park in Tacoma, spearheading plant-based community enrichment from the soil up alongside event coordination and outreach. She also spent 5 years uplifting souls in need through clothing access work with Local Aid and 6 years tending gardens for homebound community members. Rebecca has further spread her green thumb magic from schools to her own backyard, always embracing opportunities to cultivate belonging through horticulture. When not playing in the dirt, she enjoys channeling her creativity into arts, crafts and cooking. As Radness Ensues expands garden offerings for marginalized Salem youth and their familie, Rebecca will continue spreading the fruits of connection, resilience and growth.
TEGAN CONKLIN
Tegan Conklin brings compassion and expertise in supporting youth from diverse backgrounds to her role as a youth program manager at Radness Ensues. Leveraging over 7 years of experience as a health and wellness coach, Tegan empowers young people facing adversity through integrative nutrition education and creative outlets. In addition, as an inclusion and diversity instructor, Tegan develops innovative workshops on inclusion, self-care, goal setting, and mindfulness to complement Radness Ensues’ arts, wellness, and Rad Internship programming. Her passion for uplifting underserved communities inspires programs fostering resilience. Outside her dedication to youth development, Tegan enjoys sharing her knowledge more widely with educational farm volunteer work. As Radness Ensues’ expands its creative youth offerings, Tegan will continue applying her interdisciplinary skills guiding vulnerable populations toward agency and brighter futures.
MARINA MENDOSA
Marina Mendosa brings compassion and prowess in managing programs uplifting disadvantaged youth to her role overseeing the café portion of our Rad Internship Program. As a devoted speech therapist empowering neurodiverse students, Marina expertly helps youth amplify their voices with skill and confidence. She also has a passion for ‘zines and creative self-expression. Marina leverages project management expertise honed in her accomplished career to coordinate Radness Ensues’ efforts providing Salem youth facing systemic barriers with barista training and empowerment through creative outlets like ‘zines and writing workshops. As Radness Ensues prepares to open a café run by local youth in the Rad Internship program, Marina will utilize her experience guiding vulnerable students and managing impactful programming to ensure an accessible, nurturing environment where all youth interns can thrive.