We engage students to foster self-awareness, interpersonal understanding, and social justice through civic leadership.
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Vision in Action
Passion Impact students are self-affirmed community members who pursue their passions to achieve a healthier world.
Students
Student are constantly front and center with everything we do. From programs, to staff hiring, to the defining of our cultural fabric, students are in the drivers' seat.
Partnerships
Reciprocal relationships are crucial to supporting students' and each of their communities. We strive to build long-term relationships that enable more meaningful impact.
Internal Structure
We strive to represent the students we support internally. Board, staff, and students are encouraged to constantly sharpen our DEI lens to better understand and empathize with one other's vision of a healthier world.
Community Feedback
As a community connector, we aspire to understand and support students in achieving their visions. This requires feedback from all teachers, parents, partners, and students themelves.
How to Get Involved
Students
High School and College students are trained to run the programs that impact the community. Find out more!
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Committees
Project based collaborative committees support PI internally. Find out if you're a good fit for one!
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Donate
Thank you for supporting PI with a monthly donation, one-time gift, with supplies, or all the above!
Learn MorePassion For Passion Impact
"We did a lot of self reflection in the [Summer Internship] workshops. We talked a lot about social issues and social topics and took turns listening to what each of us had to say. Some of the conversations could be uncomfortable because they are topics we aren't used to talking about. I think it was a really good opportunity to grow and to listen and hear other people's perspectives without trying to argue with them. And to see what you can understand from them through their point of view."
Christina Ou
Summer Intern and VEP Leader at Franklin High School
"Gaining online leadership skills and being able to work with a group of people and create something without the supervision of an adult, a parent, or teacher guiding you through the whole process. It feels really accomplishing to have a useable end goal from something that you and three other people alone made. It's the best feeling ever and it's super fun!"
Calder Nakell
VEP Student at Franklin High School
"One of the things that I was really shocked by in coming into VEP was just how strong of a community you can build so quickly. I didn't feel out of place or unwelcome. It was just a nice thing to come into. Having that type of environment around you while also working and growing skills that are really useful for my future has been something that's really awesome to me!"
Anabelle Jukkala
Current VEP Member and Franklin High School student
"We did a lot of self reflection in the [Summer Internship] workshops. We talked a lot about social issues and social topics and took turns listening to what each of us had to say. Some of the conversations could be uncomfortable because they are topics we aren't used to talking about. I think it was a really good opportunity to grow and to listen and hear other people's perspectives without trying to argue with them. And to see what you can understand from them through their point of view."
Christina Ou
Summer Intern and VEP Leader at Franklin High School
"Gaining online leadership skills and being able to work with a group of people and create something without the supervision of an adult, a parent, or teacher guiding you through the whole process. It feels really accomplishing to have a useable end goal from something that you and three other people alone made. It's the best feeling ever and it's super fun!"
Calder Nakell
VEP Student at Franklin High School
"One of the things that I was really shocked by in coming into VEP was just how strong of a community you can build so quickly. I didn't feel out of place or unwelcome. It was just a nice thing to come into. Having that type of environment around you while also working and growing skills that are really useful for my future has been something that's really awesome to me!"
Anabelle Jukkala
Current VEP Member and Franklin High School student
Our Team
We love learning from one another, engaging in difficult discussions, and empowering each other to grow from uncomfortably. Meet the people who support students behind the scenes!
Adrianna Davis (she/her/hers)
High School Program Manager
Hello! My name is Adrianna (I use sher/her pronouns) and I am the High School Program Manager here at Passion Impact. I’m really excited to be working with Passion Impact and the students at both Franklin & Madison High School. I grew up in Portland and graduated high school from Reynolds. I went to Oregon State University (go beavs!) where I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology and Sociology. While in college I found a passion in social justice advocacy while working at the Cultural Resource Centers on campus. Some other little facts about me, I love to travel and am always listening to music. If you ever see me walking out and about, I’ll most likely have my headphones in bopping around to some music.
Davida McCauley
College Program Coordinator
My name is Davida McCauley, pronounced (Duh-vee-duh) and I use she/her pronouns. I am the College Program Coordinator and a former ACE. I am really excited to invest in the ACE program and build relationships with high school, PCC and PSU students this school year. I am set to receive my associates degree this term and am enrolled at PSU in the fall to complete my Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Black Studies. My passion is in Social Justice, specifically Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the workplace and I am a part of the PI DEI Committee and the Cultural Audit Lead. In my personal time, I enjoy hanging out with my partner and dog, hiking and backpacking as well as trying out new restaurants in Portland (yes, I take photos of my food), highlighting local businesses on social media and building relationships with local business owners.
Kayley Blethen
High School Program Assistant
Hi friends! My name is Kayley (she/her/hers) and I am the High School Program Assistant. I’m thrilled to be working at Passion Impact in order to help students develop, grow, and strengthen their civic engagement skills. I grew up in Albany, OR but moved to Portland in order to enhance my cultural competency and advance my education while attending Portland State University. I graduated from PSU with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a minor in Child, Youth, & Family Studies. With that degree, I intend to make a lasting, positive impact on my community. Part of the vision at Passion Impact is to support students in pursuing their passions to achieve a healthier world; I personally define a healthier world as a world that fosters empathy, equitability, mental/physical well-being, diversity, and inclusion. A little more about me: I have a black cat named Squid, I enjoy listening to rock and alternative rock music (Queen, Cage the Elephant, The Strokes, etc.), and I love outdoor activities such as hiking and camping.
Our Board
Committees
Board Of Directors
Our Board of Directors is devoted to fostering our mission through inclusiveness, capacity support, and student focus. If you are interested to see if you are a good fit for our Board of Directors, learn more here. Click to learn more about each Board Member.
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Maiyee Yuan (They/Them, She/Her)
VP of Partnerships
Portland, OR
I am a queer, sweets-eating, second generation Chinese American and work at APANO - a local advocacy non-profit working with Asians and Pacific Islanders! What inspires you to be a part of your community? EVERYTHING!! We are all interdependent and interconnected! I want to uplift and strengthen the ways that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (and the global majority) have been doing to support and sustain one another and communities. I love that Passion Impact is focused on how to support our youth to THRIVE in power and self-determination! It invites all of us to think towards a bigger vision and hope for ourselves and communities. I hope to bring my experiences and perspectives to help build a strong organization that supports our youth and staff do the amazing work and programs that they do! For fun, I'm either full child - playing video games and watching anime OR full grandma - crocheting hella hats and scarves and gifting them
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Bradley Burns
Board Member and Co-Founder
Austin, TX
Bradley introspective and deliberate as he strategizes his moves in life and on the gameboard. Info to come soon.
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Krista Nussbaum (she/her/hers)
Board Treasurer
Portland, OR
I am an enthusiastic and fun CPA working at a local accounting firm. I love exploring and adventuring in the world, reading deeply, and connecting with the various communities I exist in. Also, I grew up in Kodiak, AK. I am inspired to be a part of my community because I value connection and empathy and believe that we all deserve mutual thriving. I am inspired by Passion Impact and the work they do. They enthusiastically move forward toward better ways of centering equity and students in ways are necessary and important. I hope to contribute my skills towards maintaining financials that are both transparent and informative so the board and community can use them to make good financial decisions and steward the finances well.
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Pete Pham (they/them)
Board Member
Portland, OR
I grew up in Boise, ID and moved to Portland to complete my studies in Biology and Statistics. When I'm not pouring over data, you can find me mountain biking, climbing, or skiing. There is nothing more inspirational than strong relationships between members of our community. These relationships inspire me to be a better neighbor and to support my community as much as I can. Passion Impact's mission to extend opportunities to the youth in our community is a cornerstone of building a strong community. With this in mind, I joined Passion Impact in hopes to contributing and furthering its mission. I hope to bring modern empirical thinking and methods into the development process. This hopefully allows us to challenge our pre-conceived notions and inform our decision making. I'm also an aspiring wood worker!
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Dave Lowe (He/Him/His)
Board Member
Portland, OR
I try not to take myself too seriously, but am in the throws of adulting hard now with a 3 year old keeping me honest. Fun but sincere, light yet earnest - I'm an eager chaser of self evolution. What inspires you to be a part of your community? This is a big question with BIG answers! I suppose it all boils down to the little ecosystems we all create just by being near one another. What I do (or don't do) has an effect on the lives of others. How one prioritizes others in the consideration of their own actions holds a lot of power over how happy a person - and by extension, those that interface with them - can be in community. I strive to be a positive influence on others and myself by acknowledging and acting upon this belief. I started working with PI when I was in the Volunteer Administration field. As I was leaning my current organization towards an educative approach to volunteerism, I wanted to see this community based learning idea start taking hold in local schools. I want to help create a system where students have both the ability and empowerment to make some more decisions about their own education Any fun facts? I wear shorts AS SOON as the weather hits 60 degrees. Thusly, by will of force, it becomes summertime as early as March. http
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Helen Dillen (she/her/hers)
Board Member
Hillsboro, OR
Helen is a cheerleader and takes on challenges with a smile! Info to come soon.
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William Moore
Board Secretary
Portland, OR
Tyler is a goofball and has info coming about him soon.
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Stefan Peierls (he/him/his)
Exeuctive Director and Board Chair
Portland, OR
Hey there! I’m Stefan (pronounced St/e/-fon) and I use he/him/his pronouns. I am a passionate individual and when we have the pleasure of meeting, I look forward to listening to what makes you wake up in the morning. As the Executive Director, I make it my priority to not only support and engage our staff and Board, but to meaningfully integrate students into everything we do. In my free time, I dabble with Improv, love to jam on the drums, tend to my garden, and enjoy traveling to places where I can practice Spanish.
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Nina Nguyen (she/her)
Board Member
Portland, OR
Nina is a mother to all and has info coming soon.
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Simeon Jacob (he/they)
Board Member
Chicago, IL
Simeon is incredibly balanced and loves to run long distances. Info coming soon!
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Brian Peierls (him/his)
Board Member
Austin, TX
I have been working with non-profits for most of my adult life. Helping others and working with young people has always brought me a great deal of satisfaction and enjoyment. When we all work collaboratively, we can do amazing things! I wanted to support Stefan and Brad as they started Passion Impact. Now after all these years, I hope my presence brings an older person's perspective to the Board. I hope my presence on Passion Impact's Board will bring greater stability to our organization and opportunities for me to reach out to influential adults in our community to create collaborations! Being 100% vegan for the past 3 years has changed my life for the better in sooo many ways!
Our Current Committees
Passion Impact has 5 active committees that meet monthly to support the mission by taking charge behind the scenes. Our goal is to include at least one student on each committee in order to keep the focus on students in all aspects of our endeavors. If your curious about joining any of the following committees, feel free to reach out to start volunteering with us!
DEI Committee
The purpose of the DEI committee is to: create a brave space and a culture of accountability within Passion Impact, to help identify opportunities for...
Learn MorePrograms and Partners Committee
To provide support and guidance for program staff plan and evaluate programs while building and maintaining strong relationships with partners.
Development Committee
To support the sustainability of Passion Impact through resource generation, relationship stewardship, financial stability.
Learn MoreFinance Committee
To provide easily accessible financial insight that provides he data necessary to make sustainable and transparent decisions.
Hiring Committee
To provide equitable and inclusive pathways for community members to join Passion Impact as staff.
Student Advisory Board
More to come!