A new person takes over this account each week to share their unique experience of Salem, Oregon.
A great conversation with Tom Hoffert, CEO of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Their organization is advocating for our business community in Salem, during this trying time we need that more than ever. Tom is a thoughtful leader that I respect!
Welcome back! We took a couple weeks off due to all of this craziness, but we’re back in action. And this week we have Reid Sund () stepping up to host a week on the account!
Reid was born and raised right here in Salem, attending Queen of Peace, Judson, and Sprague. After graduating from PLNU with an Accounting degree, Reid has worked in healthcare finance his entire career. He moved back to Salem to start a family in 2015 and is now the Director of Finance for Salem Health. Reid and his wife Maggie have 3 little kids, Charlie (4), Paul (2), and Ellie Quinn (5 months). He has served on the local board for Isaac's Room, volunteers as a treasurer for Young Life locally, and he is running for Salem City Council Ward 7. Reid enjoys the Salem community and believes that Salem is an awesome place to raise a family. He has been on the front lines of supporting the amazing work to prepare for and fight the COVID-19 pandemic at Salem Health, working hard to help our community get through this difficult time. Reid and his family often enjoy local food, the outdoors, and adventures throughout Salem.
The book is coming along!
Also: Magic Spoon cereal is a game-changer.
Also: neighborhood kids are doing good work.
Salemtakeover Quarantine Edition - Day 3
Grateful I have been able to still help people with their real estate needs. Grateful to live in Salem OR. — Grant Huhn
A story in three parts.
We spread one unit of bark dust in one day.
Fun fact: that is the same shirt I wore in the video yesterday.
— Grant Huhn
This week we have Grant Huhn () stepping up to host a week on the account!
Grant went to school in the Salem-Keizer area in the early 1980’s (which was a pretty cool time in general). He left the area for high school and college but moved back in 1994 and has lived here ever since. He and his wife have been married for 24 years and have lived in west Salem since 1998. They have two teenage daughters. He is a realtor with Blum Real Estate. The things he is most proud of are: winning a 25-year secret battle with severe depression, parenting intentionally, his ability to work 70 hours in a week and still be positive and encouraging.
This week we have Anna Walls () and Sarah Cinquini () teaming up for a takeover!
Sarah and Anna are co-workers at Partnerships in Community Living (PCL) a nonprofit supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their homes, jobs and communities. You will often find them discussing true crime, the Masked Singer, if they should cut their bangs, cat videos and where they’re going to eat for lunch.
Sarah is a native Oregonian. In fact, her three kids are fifth generation Oregonians. She’s also a lifelong Willamette Valley girl. Raised in Lebanon, graduated high school in Salem, college in Eugene and lived in Portland for 20 years. Now back in Salem and closer to family she’s enjoying all the yummy eats and good vibes Salem has to offer. She’s still debating what quadrant of the city to lay down roots so is constantly looking for the perfect home remodel project. During Stay Home, Stay Healthy she’s still working hard to advocate for people living with disabilities and making bad TikToks with her family.
Anna Lynne Walls graduated from Western Oregon University in Studio Arts and Visual Communications and Design. Soon after, she got a job at PCL doing social media, illustrations and visual communication. There she combined her love for design and passion for social justice. Anna loves to dabble in a plethora of different mediums, and recently gravitated towards expressing her interest in painting, pop culture and thrift shopping. She loves to buy pieces of art deemed undesirable and breath new life into them. You will often see her work displayed in venues around town and during First Wednesday Salem.
This week we have Rosa (.vida.mundial) taking over the account.
Rosa grew up in the Salem area. She does all the things most Salem folks do. Bike Minto Brown, eat delicious tacos on Portland Rd., and cruise the gut. (Does anyone remember the gut?) She has spent the majority of her adult life as a college student. Going from Chemeketa to PSU and finally ending her college career at Lewis & Clark.
Rosa is currently a bilingual mental health therapist with a private practice in one of downtown Salem’s historical buildings. Join her as she walks about, sharing some of her favorite places from past and present Salem.
Jessica Amos is a meditation teacher, writer, and punk rocker, as well as the founder of Stay with Yourself: The Practice of Being Who You Are, Where You are. She moved to Salem, Oregon from Truckee, California nearly two decades ago. Her most favorite thing about Salem? The humans who live here. Her second favorite thing about Salem? The awesome stuff those humans are doing and creating, to make our city so vibrant and fun.
Jessica wants to live in a world where everyone knows how valuable and worthy of love they are. Always. One of her favorite quotes by Louise Erdrich is, “Here I am where I ought to be.” And when asked what she’s hungry for, she usually says a sandwich.
As a meditation teacher, Jessica is regularly featured on , the #1 meditation app in the world, and commonly known for her TEDxSalem talk about healing anxiety through presence and self-connection.
As a punk rocker, Jessica plays bass in the all-fem punk band, , and likes to joke that she’s “the world’s most okayist bassist.”
When she’s not writing, recording new meditations, creating online courses, or teaching classes in Salem, Oregon, you can find her watching movies that make her cry + laugh in equal measure, taking obscenely long walks (is all day ever too long?) and planning her next escape from the internet.
Jessica’s most recognizable feature is her giant glasses. If you ever see her around town, she would love it if you introduced yourself and said Hi. She probably won’t remember your name but she’ll definitely recognize you next time she sees you!
This week we have Sarah Rea () taking over the account.
Sarah is an Oregon native and moved from Portland to Salem in 2017.
Sarah loves her career in the beauty industry as it’s so rewarding to make women feel even more beautiful and empowered.
Her joys in life include her beloved pup Walter, volunteer work when time permits, all things Star Wars, crime podcasts, collecting tattoos, a strong cup of coffee, and enjoying good food & drink with friends.
This week we have Chloe Larson (.buttons) taking over the account.
Chloe is a mostly native Salemander. She’s a watercolor artist who works a few odd jobs around town. But mostly, she’s a busy single mom. She enjoys dancing, art, piggy back rides and working on her health. This week you can expect to see a fun mix of kid activities, adulting festivities and montages out the w***o.
This week we have Hannah Belleque () taking over the account.
Hannah is a California transplant, an amateur millennial, and one-time roller skating champion. She has an inexplicable love for charcuterie boards and songs with horn sections. When Hannah's not watching British television on someone else's Netflix account, she's working on her new year's resolution: writing one poem a day. (You'll see some of her progress here.) In the very unlikely event that Wes Anderson is reading this bio-line right now, Hannah would just like to say, this is an honor, and do you have an opening for someone with little-to-no acting experience or discernible production skills to join your next project?
This week we have Katrina Kennedy () taking over the account.
Katrina oversees the middle school ministry and young adult ministry at Morning Star Community Church and has been on staff since 2006. She is a coach for the swim team at Salem Academy High School and has been involved with the team for the past four seasons.
She moved to Salem from Camas, Washington in 2005 to attend Corban University and graduated in 2009 with a degree in Youth and Family Studies. She is currently attending Western Seminary in Portland, OR and working on a masters degree in Ministry and Leadership with an emphasis in Life Coaching.
Katrina loves hiking, camping, hammocking, exploring, and being out in the middle of nowhere. She likes black coffee and candles and reading books and being cozy by the fireplace. She likes hanging out with friends and playing games until all hours of the night. She’s a night owl and a morning person…don’t ask her how that works. She loves road trips and driving and spends more time on Google Maps than any normal person should. Her favorite color is white, and yes, she knows it’s not technically a color. She loves knowing people’s middle names. Hers is Marie, in case you were wondering. She loves hearing people’s stories and walking through the triumphs and hardships of life together because she believes that life is better together.
♥️SALEM TAKEOVER SINGLES EDITION!♥️
This week we’re doing something a little different. Since it’s almost Valentine’s Day, we thought it would be fun to do a singles themed week! 💞
Our wonderful host and Takeover alumni, Juliet Valdez (), will be hosting this week. She’ll showcase some of the great date spots in Salem, and even host our very first Salem Takeover Meetup (more details coming soon!).
Stay tuned because it’s going to be a fun week! And leave your favorite emoji in the comments if you are single and looking to mingle with your fellow Salemites this week! 😘♥️😍
This week we have James Moller () taking over!
James is a Portland native who made his way to Salem in 2011 for University. In true Oregonian fashion, he loves to drink coffee, brew his own beer, collect new tattoos, and support local businesses. Also, like a lot of other Salem dwellers, he spends his workdays in one of the many State offices.
In his free time you’re most likely to find him testing out new cocktails on his wife Lydia, cuddling with his cat Hibachi, attending Outward Church, playing tabletop games with his friends, or reviewing independent video games for his podcast.
Although the wind could blow James and Lydia to another area in the future, Salem continues to be a wonderful place for them to spend their days and enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest!
What can I say about Minto-Brown Island Park? 1,200 acres of walkable, bikable, kid-friendly, dogmom-approved trails. I’ve biked, walked, and berrypicked (blackberries in August!) all over this place with my trusty hound, Sierra. Year round, you’ll find me here, in love with one of Salem’s finest parks in a city full of parks. We’ve got 29 miles of trails through the woods, alongside a pond, and curving along the Willamette River, plus access to Riverfront Park via the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge. Volunteer to join the park patrol: https://www.cityofsalem.net/Pages/volunteer-to-join-park-patrol-in-minto-brown-island-park.aspx
Special thanks to Blast Off Vintage for the cherry print skirt and photography by
@ Minto-Brown Island Park
“Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish,
Now are visions ne’er to vanish;
From thy spirit shall they pass
No more—like dew-drop from the grass.” - Edgar Allan Poe
Founded in 1854, Salem Pioneer Cemetery is a City of Salem Historic Landmark and registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Notables and citizens of every kind are represented here, including emancipated African-American slaves, churchmen, soldiers, laborers, craftsmen, tradesmen, explorers, educators, nurses, woman suffrage leaders, and newspapermen, just to name a few. https://www.salempioneercemetery.org/history.php
Special thanks to the South Salem Goodwill, where I found the wool cloche @ Salem Pioneer Cemetery
“Stalking” up on flowers, squash, and kale at LifeSource, Salem’s locally-owned organic grocery and deli for 25 years. Craft beer, wine, all-natural skin care products and vitamins, too. All of their products are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Sometimes my guy and I come for lunch for a quick trip around the hot food and salad bar. Free wine and chocolate tasting February 8. See their FB page for details! @ Life Source
We have Vanessa Nordyke () taking over the account for the week!
Vanessa is Salem City Councilor, a third-generation Salem lawyer and a proud dog mom. Vanessa’s community service to Salem goes back to her teens, with work on issues like homelessness, veterans, domestic violence, mental health and substance abuse. Vanessa co-founded the Marion County Veterans Treatment Court. She co-captained a mock trial team of Latinx students through the Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality. In 2018, Vanessa made history as the youngest ever-elected President of the Oregon State Bar, a unified bar of about 19,500 lawyers and judges. As President, Vanessa spearheaded a statewide mental health initiative for the Oregon legal community. Her passion for destigmatizing mental illness led Vanessa to develop and conduct mental health trainings all over the state. After completing her OSB presidency, Vanessa resumed her focus on Salem by serving as emcee at the Women’s March Salem and joining the YMCA Board of Directors and KMUZ Radio’s Advisory Council.
Tiff Reagan is a writer, a public servant, and a total nerd. She just released her first print book, a happiness workbook called "Be Happy, B*tch" and she hosts a podcast about poetry.
Tiff is a Salem area native and a graduate of Jefferson High School (Mint capital of the world, you know!) She's moved away a few times, but always finds her way back to this wonderful city.
Tiff spends her work life helping people access health care and fighting red tape as one of the more than 40,000 employees that work for the State of Oregon.
As someone who suffers from clinical depression, she is passionate about empowerment and helping people learn how to take control of their own mental health.
When she’s not writing or working, Tiff enjoys watching her best buds play live music around town, exploring new places when the weather is decent, and hanging out with her pup Roosevelt.
This week we have Brandon Smith () taking over the account!
Brandon grew up in Canby, OR, but has lived in Salem and Keizer for most of the past 30 years, and currently lives downtown. He is active in the community, including current roles on the Salem Planning Commission, the Board of Directors at Heritage Grove Federal Credit Union, and is the President of the world-wide Victory Motorcycle Club. Previously, Brandon served seven years on the Keizer City Council. He coordinates a charity poker run as part of the annual KeizerFEST. He's been accused of obsessing about tacos, Victory Motorcycles, heavy metal, and tattoos. Brandon and his wife, Krystal, are both employed at SAIF Corporation, and have two grown kids and two grandkids. They enjoy traveling, with a trip to Malta scheduled later this year.
This week we have Rae Kennedy () taking over the account!
Rae is new in town! She's a registered nurse, sex-positive educator, and yoga instructor from hot and humid Austin, Texas. She and her husband (step-dog, too!) were looking for a smaller place to land after they were married this past April. Sure ATX was fun, but Rae couldn't survive TOO long without mountains and pine trees—so Salem, Oregon seemed like a fun adventure!
Austin, TX was filled with vegetarian-friendly fare, cafes on every corner, art and music festivals, and yoga studios galore! Rae got spoiled during her time in Texas and now she's on the lookout for the creative, inclusive, and dare she say "hip" places in Salem. She is also in search of community and meaningful connection. Making friends in your early- 30's can be it's own little adventure :)
This week, Grant Yoder () will help us ring in the new year!
Grant lives, works, and explores in Salem. In addition to raising his children he is involved in several nonprofits and is passionate about his city. Grant is an active member of Salem's thriving comedy community performing stand up comedy and producing podcasts.
Grant is not a werewolf.
This week we have Victoria Latham (.xo) taking over for the week!
Victoria has lived in Salem long enough to call it home, but her blood prefers a much warmer climate like the state of California in which she was born in, but let’s be honest- an island would be most ideal.
While she is often busy raising two incredibly wise, energetic & creative kiddos, she still makes time to explore Salem’s ever growing city and doing the things she loves outside of her identity as a mother.
Passionate about flavor and food, not only does she enjoy spending time creating in the kitchen, she also finds immense joy in exploring delicious foods around town and hopes to one day bring her own tasty talents to the community.
She is a certified Yoga Teacher who leads Guided Meditation practices at a variety of cozy places throughout Salem helping the community to discover the power of taking time out to recharge the mind body & soul.
She also happens to be the founder of Oregon Moms, a statewide community based in a private Facebook group that is committed to stitching mama relationships together and empower each other through the unexpected ride of motherhood as she believes there is a shortage in this department in our world that has brought virtual connections to real life relationships.
This week we have Christina Oleskiewicz () taking over for the week!
Christina grew up in Nor Cal and went to school in San Diego, where she met her husband. They moved to Portland for a few years, then moved all over the place, had some babies, then moved to Salem in late 2014, then had some more babies. So now she has a lot of babies.
�Christina and her family decided to really settle down in Salem, buying their first home in 2015. Out of this home, she started her little commercial art business Pink House NW, naming it after that house that was pink. (It’s not pink anymore.)
In her spare time, Christina likes to quote shows and movies that no one quotes anymore, and hang with her bushel of kids. But (because of all those aforementioned babies) there are plenty of amazing things in Salem that Christina has yet to try. So join her while she enjoys Salem like the “newcomer” she is!
This week we have Stacy Jackson () taking over!
Stacy was born in Salem and raised in surrounding cities and towns. A few years back, she traveled for work and ended up living in VA, WV, and CA. She visited numerous states during that time as well, including ID, UT, PA, MD, GA, FL and TN. Oregon remained her favorite state.
This September, Stacy returned to Salem and is very grateful to have the comforts of home again. You can see her walking her two Louisiana Catahoula Leopord dogs each day after work and at one of Salem's dog parks on the weekends.
While the pups come first, Stacy also enjoys the vast entertainment and restaurants Salem has to offer in addition to its natural and manufactured beauty.
This week we have Carlee Wright () taking over for the week!
Carlee is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes.
She is the creative energy behind , the volunteer co-curator for , and the co-founder of the nonprofit . She is an artist aiming to raise awareness about consumption, reuse and waste reduction through the creation of clothing made from materials that would otherwise be thrown in the garbage, and a community supporter assisting businesses and organizations to craft and tell their story through artful design, meaning messages and engaging events.
While Carlee generally avoids the spotlight, she’s looking forward to stepping out from behind the curtain this week to share what’s inspired her to make Salem home.
This week we have Kassie Brown () taking over for the week!
Kassie has lived in Salem for 14 years. She grew up in the Sacramento area of California but was born in Alaska. She has lived in New Mexico as well. An artist at heart who participates in many local venues. She also is referred to as the hat lady by some as she had made and distributed 500 hats via a non-profit project she formerly ran. Spending time with her dog is by far her favorite activity. She hopes to show a kinder side to Salem.
This week we have Julie Shadlow () taking over for the week!
Julie has lived in Salem since 2013. What was meant to be a temporary stop while finishing school at the Oregon College of Art and Craft turned into a permanent and beloved home. She immediately immersed herself into the local comedy scene and has since taken over operations of Salem's comedy club. Beyond her love for comedy and Salem, Julie is an avid mushroom hunter and artist. She spends most of her time outside of work at the theater catching local music shows, spending time with family, and taking photos of her four pets.
Salem, OR
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A great conversation with Tom Hoffert, CEO of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Their organization is advocating for our business community in Salem, during this trying time we need that more than ever. Tom is a thoughtful leader that I respect!
