Center for Community Engagement,
Neighborhood Advocacy & Research

  • The Center for Community Engagement, Neighborhood Advocacy & Research (CCENAR) guides civic, non-profit, and public initiatives through equity-driven project management, strategic advisory, bilingual engagement, and storytelling. Working to ensure that diverse voices actively shape the policies, programs, and spaces in their communities.

    CCENAR is inspired by the Spanish word cenar, to have dinner, because dinner historically refers to the main meal of the day. La cena is a meal that is often shared by people coming together to foster community, ease tensions, share stories, and give acknowledgment to the land and animals that sustain us. So, it is CCENAR’s mission to bring people together to build relationships; listen to what communities need; advocate for positive change; celebrate cultural, art, and innovation; and steward the land that supports us all.

  • CCENAR envisions a future where public decision-making is authentically co-created with the communities it impacts, fostering inclusive, resilient, and thriving places for all. As a result, communities are thriving; people have their needs met in a holistic manner; the air we breathe is safe; our water are clean and protected; regenerative agricultural systems have fully replaced unstainable practices; and that ecosystems are thriving as much as the communities living in them.

    • Equitable Engagement & Culturally Responsive: Grounded in an anthropological lens, I ensure that community engagement is representative, inclusive, and equitable.

    • Universal Design: Applying an accessibility and trauma-informed approach to foster relationships between community, grassroots advocates, non-profits, and public agencies.

    • Collaborative Coalition-Building: Bridging the gaps between academia, local government, and community organizations I work to align strategic priorities into real-world impact.

    • Community Advocacy: Documenting and celebrating the people, culture, and progress of our communities by using multi-modal storytelling to elevate diverse voices and support meaningful advocacy.

    • Environmental Stewardship: Protecting our air, water, local food systems, and biodiversity to build healthy, climate-resilient communities.

Project Management

CCENAR leads complex operational projects from concept to completion, bringing structure, equity, and strategic alignment to non-profits, higher education, and community organizations. Whether managing multi-building facility renovations in Eugene and Springfield, directing academic communities at the University of Oregon, or administering statewide cultural programs, I keep stakeholders aligned while executing projects on time and within budget. I bring a unique combination of deep community engagement and technical project management, including compliance, risk assessment, and operational logistics, to ensure every project is both operationally sound and mission-driven.

Public Involvement & Community Engagement

With 5+ years of experience mobilizing diverse partners and building community capacity, my work directly bridges the gap between community needs and policy. CCENAR designs engagement strategies that bring bilingual outreach, translations, focus groups, presentations, and qualitative field analysis to public projects. Guided by equity and trauma-informed approaches, I strive to ensure that diverse local perspectives directly inform policy and planning. My goal is to foster trust, move projects forward that help communities thrive, and ensure every civic process is grounded in equity, inclusion, and collaboration.

Civic Advisory & Strategic Consulting

Guided by an anthropological lens, CCENAR brings equitable insight to municipal panels, academic boards, and community advisory committees and strive to ensure that diverse voices and lived experiences actively shape public policy. I help mission-driven partners navigate complex decisions, align urban growth with cultural values, and that decisions are inclusive. I help bridge government agencies, non-profits, and grassroots leaders to keep public processes transparent and accountable to urban, rural, and underserved communities throughout Lane County and statewide.

Photography & Visual Storytelling

Documenting the people, places, and progress behind community-driven work through visual storytelling. From urban photography for city planning departments to documenting grassroots advocacy, cultural heritage, and physical space transformations, CCENAR provides mission-driven organizations with compelling imagery for planning documents, grant proposals, annual reports, outreach, and campaigns.

If you're interested in collaborating, complete the form with a few details about your project. I'll review your message and get back to you within 48 hours.