Class Notes - 1970s

1970

Rand Dawson BA is active on the Oregon Coast. He helped one small community pass a building moratorium in order to improve water-quality protection rules. Now he’s working to interest another community in creating a nonprofit, full-power FM radio station. Much work remains to prepare for the highly competitive application to the FCC, which will have a rare, short open window next October.

1972

Gary Abbott JD and Wendy Paris JD ‘88 announce the formation of Abbott & Paris, with offices in downtown Portland.

Ellen Miller O’Brien BA helped open a library in 2006 and within less than a year, more than 10 percent of the townspeople had registered for a library card. After working 40 hours a week and keeping two other part-time library jobs, O’Brien decided to simplify her life and turned the management of the Keansburg (New Jersey) Waterfront Library over to someone else. Now she’s enjoying her 18-year-old son’s last year of high school (he’s captain of the boys’ swim team) and working at libraries at Brookdale Community College and Old Bridge, New Jersey. She spends time at the local off-leash dog park with their “bassedor” (half basset hound and half black Lab), Sophie. She got involved with a group of people who own therapy dogs and hopes to have Sophie certified to work with children. She looks forward to the 35th reunion of the class of ‘72!

1973

Stephen O’Dell BA has been named president of Molina Healthcare of California. He has over 28 years of experience in the health care industry.

Jeffrey Teitel JD, of Downs Rachlin Martin, received the Extraordinary Service Award from the Auditing Roundtable last fall in recognition of his work promoting the roundtable’s relationship with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He dedicated the award to the memory of Marsh & McLennan’s former senior vice president for environmental affairs, Jeffrey B. Gardner, who died on September 11, 2001, in the World Trade Center’s north tower.

1974

John Cowden BA has joined Jackson Lewis, a national employment law firm office in Portland.

Jeffrey Foote JD, Portland attorney and mediator, was honored in July 2006 with the highest distinction granted by the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation. The Champion of Justice award recognized Foote for his years of commitment to the organization and for his contributions to the public interest.

1975

Larry Amburgey JD has been elected by colleagues as a fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers–the highest recognition of sustained outstanding performance and contribution in the labor and employment law field.

Emil Berg JD received the 2006 Max Dalton Open Government Award from the Idaho Newspaper Foundation for his work on behalf of the Idaho Conservation League enforcing the Idaho Public Records Act.

John B. Lewis JD, a Washington County senior judge, is now offering his services as mediator from Sharon Williams’ newly relocated family law practice.

1976

Elizabeth “Lisa” Gaylord BA has lived for 30 years in Madagascar. She works for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Her daughter, Katherine H. Gaylord-Ratsimbazaf, is a student at Lewis & Clark.

William Martin BA ‘76, M.MEd ‘82 is serving as grand master of the Masonic Lodge of Oregon, AF & AM. In this position he oversees all of the Masonic lodges, organizations, and charities in the state. His theme for the year, “Let There Be Light,” is aimed at making Masonic organizations more visible in their communities. In February he hosted the National Conference of Grand Masters of North America, held in Portland. Martin teaches music in Portland Public Schools and plays with the Oregon Symphonic Band.

Gwen Gronau Pacarro BA was named one the top 100 female financial advisors by Barron’s magazine. She lives in Hawaii.

Jordan Schnitzer JD received one of the University of Oregon’s highest honors, the Presidential Medal, during its 2006 commencement ceremonies, for “extraordinary service and commitment to higher education and the University of Oregon in particular.”

Tabitha Hart Whitefoot BA ‘76, MAT ‘89 has spent the last three years as assistant director of the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University.

1977

James Coon JD, a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, has been appointed to a joint committee on Oregon’s civil justice system. The committee includes the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel and members of the Oregon Court of Appeals.

David Shaff BA ‘77, JD ‘83 has been named permanent administrator of the Portland Water Bureau.

Charles Tauman JD, a member of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association, has been appointed to a joint committee on Oregon’s civil justice system. The committee includes the Oregon Association of Defense Counsel and members of the Oregon Court of Appeals.

1978

Douglas Freeman BS  and David Decker BS ‘81 launched Arnold Creek Productions, a media production company focused on sustainability and health. Recently they received a 2006 Portland BEST Award for new product development, and one of their educational videos was selected for the Charleston Documentary Film Festival. Other award-winning videos include an inspirational program on children with diabetes and a diversity education program used in schools nationwide. 

Toby L. Padgett BS  is halfway through a website development certification program at a local Portland college. She has made the Dean’s List once and the President’s List (straight As) twice! “Not bad for an old broad who cracks skulls with Gen-X’er computer geeks on a daily basis!” says Toby. Going to school only part time, she plans to complete the program in spring 2008, “if my brain doesn’t explode first!” 

Mark Rosenbaum BA was unanimously elected to lead the Portland Development Commission’s board of directors. Rosenbaum has represented Oregon on the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and is the former president of Jewish Family and Child Services. He founded Rosenbaum Financial with his father in 1982.

Laura Secord BA  received a master’s degree in library and information science from Dominican University in Chicago. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she is the serials and preservation librarian at Macalester College. 

1979

Nancy W. Campbell JD, a Washington County judge for more than 18 years, recently retired. As the county’s first woman judge, she helped develop the Domestic Violence Intervention Council and ran the court’s domestic violence deferred-sentencing program. Campbell also served on the Oregon Supreme Court’s task force on bias in the judicial system.

Scott Cliff BA ‘79, JD ‘87, formerly a shareholder in Amburgey & Rubin, announces the opening of his new law office in Portland. In addition to litigating and arbitrating employment-related disputes, he now offers mediation and harassment investigation services. 

Steven Cyr JD has merged his practice with that of Michael McNichols. The firm Cyr & McNichols focuses on business, estate planning, tax, and civil litigation.

Holly Robinson JD,  as associate staff director for the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging in Washington, D.C., directs the National Legal Assistance Support Project and administers the Partnerships in Law and Aging minigrant program.