Prineville, OR 97754
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the team
the team
Deb
Operations Manager, Prineville - Crook County Chamber of Commerce
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If you could write your own job title concerning what you do here, what would it be? Chaos Coordinator Extraordinaire – that does it all with a sense of humor and a smile. I have also been referred to as “Prineville’s Cheerleader”.
Describe any professional designations and industry-related accomplishments. I graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelors degree in Journalism and Communication. I have 15 years experience as a marketing coordinator for Les Schwab who was a very community oriented company. That and my love for Prineville, prepared me for this position. I also served on the Prineville – Crook County Chamber Board of Directors for a year prior to taking my position with the Chamber.
What inspires you about working for the Prineville – Crook County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center? I love helping people. Being able to draw people to our community and provide our local businesses with the tools and resources very rewarding. I also love how this town is getting known and making a larger mark on the map. Whatever we do to bring tourists into Prineville trickles down and helps fund so much in this town. Jobs, economic development, infrastructure, real estate and development, arts and entertainment, and recreation opportunities are all given a boost from our local tourism dollars.
Give us a few personal details. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, my teenage girls and tending to my four dogs (Luda, Nate Dogg, Hazel and Hope) and one cat. I also love spending time out and about in Prineville getting to visit the shops, restaurants, and events that make this town so special. But lately the travel bug has hit and I can’t wait to visit destinations near and far!
Tell us your favorite inspirational quote. I love the words of Allen Drury: Be kind, be decent, be generous, be tolerant, compassionate and understanding. Be fast to praise, slow to judge. Remember, we’re all human and don’t cast the first stone.
What are three things still left on your bucket list?
If you could write your own job title concerning what you do here, what would it be?
The Little Mermaid – “I want to be where the people are”. People-ing is what I do.
Developing meaningful working relationships with the members of the Chamber, Business Community, and public.
Describe a professional accomplishments of yours.
Landing this job! Working at the Chamber where I get to serve the community I love isde finitely a professional accomplishment of mine.
What inspires you about working for the Prineville – Crook County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center?
It’s not a “what’ as much as it is the “who”. The people are what inspire me. This community is truly made up of the most wonderful, eclectic group of humans and working to ensure that our community continues to be a warm, kind, and a thriving place to live, work, recreate, and visit inspires me.
Give us a few personal details.
I have a size 7.5 shoe, mustard is my favorite condiment…. Just kidding! I was born and raised in Prineville and chose to remain a lifelong resident. I have two sons and extensive family in the area who love the people and location here as much as I do. I enjoy volunteering in youth sports and activities, spending my free time outside playing or watching sports, hiking, hunting, fishing or back porch sitting with my people.
Tell us your favorite inspirational quote.
“Finding your purpose does not have to be about your career. Your purpose is about your soul. It’s about how you engage in life.”
What are three things still left on your bucket list?
1. Raise good humans
2. Retire with benefits
3. Shrink my pores
If you could write your own job title concerning what you do here, what would it be?
Friendly Prineville welcomer with an information hub in the office and OCD organizer behind the scenes!
Describe any professional designations and industry-related accomplishments.
I have had a variety of jobs from running heavy equipment at a Rock Crushing Mine to banking (jack of all trades master of none?). I settled into a career of Certified Pharmacy Technician for eleven years, until I had my second child and decided that staying home with our two boys was top priority. Since 2016 I was able to work from home and help my husband manage our own successful business. Customer service has always been at my forefront, and I love working with people.
What inspires you about working for the Prineville – Crook County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center?
I moved to Prineville in 2010 from Lakeview Oregon which is a considerably smaller town. But instantly fell in love with this community. The people are so welcoming. Businesses and the community come together to support each other when needed. Nowadays that is a rare find. I am so excited to be able to work with our local businesses and help be successful any way I can. Crook County has so much potential to do amazing things for its community to grow and be successful, but not lose the heart of what the town is. The team we have at the Chamber is amazing and it literally just felt like the perfect fit at the perfect time.
Give us a few personal details.
My two greatest gifts in life have been my two sons Gage and Reed. I love spending time doing anything outdoors fishing, hunting, and exploring etc. with my husband and boys as a family! Family is everything. I love music and find a deep connection through songs and lyrics. Concerts are my happy place and I love how they can bring people together. I love to travel although I haven’t got to experience very much of that yet!
Tell us your favorite inspirational quote.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”- Maya Angelou
What are three things still left on your bucket list?
1. Concert at Redrock Amphitheater, Denver, CO.
2. Travel to Belize, Italy, Germany & Ireland with my family.
3. Kill a bigger Bull Elk than my Husband!
If you could write your own job title concerning what you do here, what would it be?
Rural Experiences Enthusiast. As a RARE (Resource Assistance for Rural Environments) AmeriCorps Member, I love exploring new rural spaces and sharing my passion for the hidden gems and unique assets that can be found in any rural community.
Describe a professional accomplishments of yours.
I am a 2022 graduate from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a small liberal arts college located in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, with a double minor in Public Policy and Environmental Studies. Following graduation, I served as an AmeriCorps VISTA focusing on anti-poverty efforts through volunteer management, partnership collaboration, youth and rural engagement, and digital marketing at a non-profit in Rochester, NY. Before becoming a RARE AmeriCorps Member and moving to Oregon, I worked as a Planning Intern for Allegany County, NY, completing an open space inventory and visualization for the upcoming county comprehensive plan. These opportunities have fueled my love for service, my stewardship for the land we occupy, and my appreciation for the community-building and resourcefulness of rural communities.
What inspires you about working for the Prineville – Crook County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center?
My rural community in New York has played a huge role in shaping who I am, the relationships I build, and the work I find meaningful. Working with the Prineville – Crook County Chamber and Visitor Center provides me with the perfect opportunity to give back to rural communities and continue to gain skills that can help small towns leverage their spaces and businesses. Tourism is a great way to introduce sustainable revenue sources to support the individuals that live, work, and play here.
Give us a few personal details.
I am the proud daughter of a dairy farmer from Western NY in a county with more cows than people – something that likely Crook County has in common with my hometown. I studied abroad in Lisbon, Portugal for a semester and got to explore 8 different countries for my very first time traveling to Europe. In contrast, I had never been west of Pennsylvania until I drove 45 hours cross-country to move to Central Oregon. I hope to use my year as a RARE AmeriCorps Member to explore all of the wonders of Oregon and visit my fellow RARE members.
Tell us your favorite inspirational quote.
“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional” by John C. Maxwell. I think change expedites the opportunity to grow and regularly try to challenge myself and push myself outside of my comfort zone, despite still struggling with change.
What are three things still left on your bucket list?
If you could write your own job title concerning what you do here, what would it be? Office Team Captain, AKA: “Google”.
Describe any professional designations and industry-related accomplishments. I have extensive professional office experience and management as well as a lot of side hustle. But, by far my biggest accomplishments are my 4 amazing children.
What inspires you about working for the Prineville – Crook County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center? The atmosphere we create at the Chamber between the three of us makes working at the Chamber quite entertaining. But this small town and genuine people I’ve met over the last couple years and the relationships I’ve formed really make the difference in my work. Being the hub of information and working with the business community and helping navigate the world of business is both challenging and satisfying. Knowing that I am helping in my own way makes me happy at the end of the day.
Give us a few personal details. It’s no surprise that God and family is the most precious and important thing in my life. You can find me at high school sporting events, cheering my oldest daughter through dance. At middle school choir listening to my youngest daughter sing like an angel. Driving my mom or youngest boy to appointments or shopping, making sure they have everything they want and need. You can find me snuggling my oldest son’s new baby or just out with friends catching up over a beer. I’m surrounded by good people but more than anything I also enjoy a good hike and a place that I can spend time talking to God.
Tell us what inspires you, or provide your favorite inspirational quote. “Live in such a way, that those who know you, but don’t know God, will come to know God because they know you”
