Our Team
SAGE advances its mission through teamwork
SAGE is supported by dedicated board members, staff, and volunteers who collectively help advance our mission and programs. We value opportunities to engage people of all ages and from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, knowing that these perspectives strengthen our work and our community.
Click on these links to learn about our values and non-discrimination policy.
Staff Members
Julie Gefroh
Julie coordinates SAGE’s Citizen Project to inspire and support people to work across differences to solve problems. She manages our events and supports our partners who are working to build bridges across political and other divides.
Steve Higgs
Steve supports all of SAGE’s efforts to inspire older adults to give forward so that younger and future generations can thrive. He works with a great team to guide our organization and to implement programs that make a difference.
Erwin Mendoza
Erwin coordinates SAGE’s programs, supporting the planning and execution of events and initiatives. He supports logistics, streamlines operations, and works closely with collaborators to ensure programs run smoothly and effectively.
Pat De Vol Nadon
Pat coordinates SAGE's initiatives in Deschutes County, Central Oregon. She manages SAGE events and provides one-to-one advice for people seeking a meaningful pathway to service and advocacy with our partners in the region.
Jody Tucker
Jody manages SAGE’s Mentoring Program at Parkrose Middle School. Her role is to liaison between mentors and students who are are gaining support for English language learning and more.
Board of Directors
Ben Manny
Ben retired after 30 years with Intel and last served as their Director of Wireless Technology research lab in Oregon. After retirement, he helped organize the Intel Retiree Organization and served as was one of their charter board members where he established and still chairs the Intel Retiree Volunteer and Donation Committee.
Joyce McCulloch
Sheila Panyam
Sheila graduated from the University of Washington and Harvard Law School. A life-long resident of Portland, she was an alumna of Lincoln High School’s We the People Team and a coach for the program. She was a former vice president of Mission: Citizen, an organization that provides free citizenship classes for immigrants, and is currently the co-executive director of the Kids First Project, another nonprofit in Portland. She is a published novelist and loves to spend her free time reading, writing, and studying classical history.
Stephanie Smith
Stephanie serves as a Senior Business Systems Analyst at Multnomah County working with the Health Department where she introduces emerging and innovative technologies. She is currently on the Equity Committee and the Career Pathways Committee at Multnomah County. Prior to her work with the County, Stephanie also served in project management and business analyst roles with Kaiser Permanente, Daimler Trucks, and Bonneville Power Administration.
Neal Naigus
Neal retired after 42 years at Portland Community College. He served as Assistant to the President for the last 6 PCC Presidents and represented the College throughout the community.
Rick Nitti
Rick served as Executive Director of Neighborhood House for 18 years. He is a highly regarded leader in the Oregon nonprofit community, having served as President of the Board of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, and on the Board of the Southwest Community Health Center.
Cameron Wick
Marcus Wood
Board Member, Chair
Marcus is a retired attorney. He spent his legal career at Stoel Rives LLP, where he served on the firm’s Executive Committee and led its 11-office energy and renewable energy practice groups. He has served as Chair of the Board of the former Indochinese Cultural and Service Center and Chair of the Board of the Oregon Ballet Theatre, and also was a long-time member of the Outside In Board.
Jeff Gudman
Treasurer