Meet RAIN
“A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.” – SUNDAR PICHAI
Everyone on our team is an entrepreneur and/or angel investor. We know what it’s like to start and scale a business.
We are a team of Entrepreneurial Ecosystem-Builders (known as Venture Catalysts) – which means we take a system-level view of the entrepreneurship and innovation assets in a community and region, connect entrepreneurs and innovators to key resources, and work with partners to fill gaps where necessary in order to help elevate the entire ecosystem and enable a culture of possibilities.
Our Team
Ana María Navia Peláez
DEI Engagement Manager, RAINdrops Director, & Advocacy Comms Coordinator
Interested in joining our team?
Our Board
ERIN REYNOLDS
Board President, Executive Committee
City Manager for the City of Florence
JUAN BARRAZA
Vice President, Executive Committee
Director of Student Innovation at PSU Center for Entrepreneurship
Founder of Pitch Latino and Latino Founders Accelerator
KATRINA HULL
Secretary, Executive Committee
CTE Engineering Teacher at the Salem Keizer School District/Mckay High School
Tanya Morris
President/Founder
Black Innovation Alliance, Member
Black Girl Ventures, Alumni
Venture Cafe, Contributor
Ranjit Ghoshal
Founder and CEO of Millionsteps.com,
Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs,
Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufacture & Commerce
Dr. Ifzal Ahmad
Director, Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization, and Associate Professor, Department of Business Management
Karakoram International University
Artees Vannett
Chief Operating Officer – Grey Snow Management Solutions an Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska Economic Development Corporation
Interested in joining our board?
Caroline Cummings
Caroline Cummings provides strategic leadership for the organization, guiding development, stakeholder relations, and community partnerships. Cummings oversees the execution of Oregon RAIN’s Rural Venture Catalyst programs by providing outreach and support to small and rural communities, coaching and mentoring regional entrepreneurs, and building strategic local partnerships.
Cummings has contributed to the founding and growth of several entrepreneurial programs across Oregon. She was instrumental in starting the Willamette Angels Conference (2009), which invested $3.7M during its 10-year run. She recruited over 30 accredited investors to become angel investors in Oregon; all made investments and 12 of the investors were women. She helped launch several entrepreneurial programs in Southern Oregon, Central Oregon, and the South Willamette Valley when she served as a contractor for the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (2009-11). She’s regularly invited to guest lecture and serve as a judge at business, marketing, and entrepreneurship classes and events at several universities and accelerator programs around the globe, including Egypt and Pakistan.
Cummings co-founded and served as the CEO of 2 technology startups. She’s raised close to $1 million for her own startup ventures and $4 million for non-profits she’s passionate about. Cummings is the founder of Varo Ventures, a consulting business that’s focused on catalyzing entrepreneurship. Cummings published “How to Pitch and Get Funded,” an ebook that has been downloaded more than 35,000 times. She’s personally invested in a dozen startup companies (most are women-led). Her passions are mentoring women and young girls and helping entrepreneurs see the magic in stepping outside of their comfort zones.
Cummings graduated Cum Laude from Drexel University with a B.S. in Corporate Communications (major) and Public Relations (minor). She has a Certificate in Sustainable Change Management from the University of Oregon. Cummings serves on the Oregon Economic Development Association (OEDA) board of directors, representing the voice for entrepreneurs and innovators from around the state. She was a recipient of Eugene’s 20 Under 40 Award in 2008.
Connor Nolan
Connor Nolan is the Blue Economy Venture Catalyst with RAIN. Conor is an MBA graduate experienced in business development, market research, and strategic planning. Connor is specialized in entrepreneurship and sustainable business practices in order to help small businesses realize their full potential – by identifying and improving internal systems that stifle growth, and recognizing revenue opportunities that lead to growth
Nate Gilman
Nate Gilman is the Marine Innovator in Residence with RAIN. Nate grew up in the PNW and focused on maritime, fisheries and entrepreneurship during his time at OSU, The Evergreen State College, Stanford GSB and Georgetown University. He’s a strong believer that innovation and lasting change comes from someone who is willing to say, “there has to be a better way than that” while having access to cheap prototyping and business support.
Nate is the president and co-founder of MM-SEAS (https://www.mmseas.com), a software that makes it easy to obtain, upgrade and renew your Merchant Mariner Credential. He is a veteran of the NOAA Commissioned Corps where he served as a Lieutenant operating ships and supporting global search and rescue missions. He is available to help you think about your new maritime focused business idea, find support in the maritime community for your existing product or talk through daily business operations.
Ellyn Mole
Ellyn Mole is the South Lane Venture Catalyst with RAIN.
Ellyn is a creative, outgoing, problem solver who loves making community connections. She is from Santa Maria, California, but spent many years in Honolulu. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Hawaii. Her passion for helping others began when she taught website design to entrepreneurs at Windward Community College. During this time, Ellyn started pursuing design projects for other small businesses. Shortly after moving to Creswell, Ellyn realized that she could help many entrepreneurs in the area with their graphic design needs. Ellyn’s passion is what eventually led her to open her graphic design studio in downtown Creswell.
Zach Denney
Zach is originally from Redmond Oregon and has a background in hospitality, sales and resort management. Zach has created several small businesses including a mobile catering company as well as a private guest ranch and wedding venue. He is extremely excited about growing Grant County’s economy and working with local businesses, community members, and officials. In his spare time he loves to golf and hunt and fish. Zach holds a UAS (Drone) Pilots license with the FAA and is looking to get his single engine designation to fly fixed wing aircraft.
Darren Utt
Darren Utt serves as RAIN’s marketing and communications lead, supporting the promotion of programs in our communities. In this role, he will help reach entrepreneurs seeking support, effectively communicate the entrepreneurial ecosystem available, and broadcast participant success stories. Darren has more that 12 years experience as both an entrepreneur and as a media specialist, co-founding commercial production studios and producing content for Fortune 100 brands. Darren, a lifelong Oregon native hailing from Lincoln City, graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Theater Arts.
Nate Conroy
Nate Conroy is the Linn-Benton Venture Catalyst. Nate grew up in unincorporated Benton County, before starting a teaching career in the Portland area, and later in rural Honduras. Nate currently lives with his partner Theresa and two young children in Albany, Oregon. While in graduate school he started STEMhero, a mission-driven company with the goal of closing the STEM gap by making data relevant for students and showcasing the real STEM role models (heroes) who work in local utilities. The company does this through a web-based curriculum enhancement, MeterHero (MeterHero.com), which empowers students to collect, analyze and act upon their own granular utility data for authentic, uncanned, and rigorous learning. MeterHero has been used by hundreds of secondary science teachers around the country, has won awards from organizations like the U.S. Green Building Council, and is featured in offerings by notable curriculum providers like Project Lead the Way. MeterHero is funded through partnerships with water and energy utilities as a part of their community engagement and conservation efforts.
To support local entrepreneurs, Nate will draw upon his own experience graduating from reputable startup accelerators run by The Water Council, the Midwest Energy Research Consortium, and 4.0 Schools.
Melissa Prestinario
Melissa Prestinario is the East Lane Venture Catalyst with RAIN.
Melissa focuses on Oakridge, Lowell & the Mckenzie region.
Melissa Prestinario is an entrepreneur and marketing & event specialist. She founded her first company, Seat-Slicker, in 2012 and brought it to the national market in 2017. She is a mentor to fellow entrepreneurs, bringing a passion for others who take a chance and build their dreams. She is a natural connector and problem solver. She is a humanitarian who has committed to the service of others both locally and abroad. She holds a BA in Creative Writing and MA in Classic Literature.
Nathan Lillegard
Nathan Lillegard is RAIN’s Capital Access Director. Nathan works with students, entrepreneurs, and established businesses to help them match ideas to opportunities. In my role as Instructor and Program Manager at the Lundquist College of Business, I have the privilege of helping energetic budding business leaders channel their enthusiasm and focus on understanding the rewards and challenges of becoming an entrepreneur.
Specialties: Startup planning and development, business model design and teaching, early stage capital investments, technology assessment, startup leadership, intellectual property strategy, customer development, and all things startup and small business related.
Ani Raas
Anielis Raas, is the Accelerator Director for RAIN. Ani is a curator of eco-conscious goods, regional art and artisan products for the wardrobe and home, creating a space of personal style and inspiration. The selection within the store complements the style, values and nature of Ani’s work through her brand Zenpui, whose creative space is hosted in the same location. Ani seeks to balance aesthetics, functionality and sustainability in every step of creating apparel, footwear, accessories and consumer goods. She believes environmental responsibility is social responsibility, because while taking care of natural resources, we are not only fulfilling the present generation, we are taking care of the upcoming ones. I think organizations can make a profit while caring for both people and the environment. Ani strives for excellence and continued searching for ways to make the best use of her time, skills and resources. She loves learning and sharing knowledge.
Sean Tate
Sean Tate leads Entrepreneur Advocacy for RAIN.
Sean founded Tate Public Affairs in January 2020 after serving as VP of Public Policy and Business Development for JWA Public Affairs since 2013.
An (almost) lifelong Oregonian, Sean represents clients’ political and policy interests both locally and in Salem, building and maintaining partnerships and working towards positive policy outcomes. Sean is active in healthcare, education, and business development circles, having developed good, no-nonsense relationships with legislators, legislative leadership, staff, and colleagues from all policy perspectives.
Prior to working in public affairs, Sean spent more than 20 years in business development, marketing, and sales management in the print media industry in Oregon and Montana. He is an experienced marketer, consensus-builder, and project manager, and he prefers to take an inside-out approach to understanding client issues.
Sean is a board member of the Lebanon Chamber and an active participant in several other business/professional and advocacy groups. He lives in Lebanon and engages in many of Oregon’s recreational opportunities including road and mountain biking, fly fishing, and camping.
Jennifer Damiani
Jennifer Damiani is RAIN’s Development & Operations Director. Damiani leads RAIN’s grant writing efforts, monitors active grants, writes funder reports, researches and tracks funding opportunities, supports the organization’s stewardship efforts, drafts RAIN’s contracts, and works closely with RAIN’s CEO on the organization’s day-to-day operations.
With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a law degree, Damiani brings a unique skill set to the job. As the founder of Scout Consultants, she has secured more than $13 million in grant funding over the past 12 years for her clients. In the 4 1/2 years Damiani has been with RAIN, she’s secured over $3M in grant funding for the organization.
Robert Killen
Robert Killen builds high performing systems, strengthening existing value propositions and bringing hidden value into view. Killen collaborates with RAIN’s team of entrepreneurs to help them accomplish their program goals, optimizing existing programs, developing new ones, and strengthening partner relationships across the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Killen has been supporting new business growth in a wide variety of roles for over 30 years. As an artist and designer in the 90s he specialized in image and logo development. As a Commercial Loan Officer and Branch Manager in the early 2000s he helped businesses in the Portland and Bend areas solve their capital and cash flow problems. During the downturn he consulted with businesses and professionals around organizational storytelling, helping them clarify and enhance their identity and culture. During this time he was also the Executive Director of the City Club of Central Oregon, championing civil dialog and productive organizational communication.
Since returning to the Eugene area in 2013, Killen has been an icon of small business support. First as a Board Member of the Springfield Area Chamber, then on staff, Killen designed a value framework to help clarify the Chamber’s work and communicate it effectively. He designed and delivered educational offerings on a wide variety of topics including marketing, finance and leadership. As the Lane SBDC Director, Killen continued to optimize training, authoring seven programs for use in 19 SBDC Centers across the state of Oregon. He also built Lane Business Link, a searchable database of technical assistance providers serving the businesses in Lane County. During the pandemic Killen stood out as the region’s go-to source for information on disaster response and financial programs.
Killen has been lauded for his efforts over the years. In 2020 he was awarded Business Person of the Year by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. He is regularly invited to present on topics ranging from Organizational Culture & Communication to Cash Flow Fundamentals. He has guest lectured at both the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. In 2007 Killen was a finalist in the World Championship of Public Speaking.
Rayna Waltz
Rayna Waltz is the Entrepreneur-in-Community for Linn and Benton Counties.
Rayna is the owner of Sip & Taste Gourmet Market in Monroe, Oregon. Rayna is active in multiple community organizations including the Business Association of Monroe (BAM) as well as multiple City of Monroe committees.
Aqsa Khan
Aqsa Khan is the dedicated Rural Lane County Venture Catalyst for the communities of Florence, Coburg, Creswell, Oakridge, Lowell, Veneta and Cottage Grove. Aqsa also serves as RAIN’s Advocacy Communications Coordinator.
Aqsa has a background as a freelance architect, social justice advocate, urban planner and entrepreneur. She is a graduate of the University of Oregon, and the National College of Arts
Jade Rehder
Jade Rehder is the Entrepreneur-in-Community for the City of Florence. Jade is a business owner with experience as a Spiritual Self-Development Evolutionary Coach, Trainer, and Mentor.
Avery Pickard
Avery Pickard is the Policymaker Education Director at RAIN.
Avery is the Executive Director at Oregon Economic Development Association. Avery’s background includes time as the Membership Director for the Hood River County Chamber of Commerce, and the Executive Director of the Mt. Adams Chamber of Commerce.
Avery holds a Bachelors degree from Rice University, as Masters degree from Portland State, and is a JD Candidate at Lewis & Clark Law School.
Dr. Rod Ray
Dr. Ray is the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Bend Research, Inc., where he began working in 1983. During his time at Bend Research, Dr. Ray (a Chemical Engineer) held numerous positions specializing in the development and commercialization of a wide range of technology-based products. He was instrumental in leading large-scale programs to develop technology for pharmaceutical products, and the application of these technologies to advance numerous new drugs to market. Dr. Ray and his team developed many long-standing relationships with client pharmaceutical companies—catalyzing significant growth at Bend Research. And, in addition to pharmaceuticals, Dr. Ray has extensive experience developing and commercializing technologies for diverse products in the electronics, energy, medical agricultural, and space industries.
Dr. Ray owns a ranch in the region and has always been committed to serving Central Oregon. He has Chaired the County Mental Health Advisory Board, was a long-time Board Member and past Chair of Volunteers in Medicine, and is currently a Board Member and the Treasurer of Mosaic Medical—these organizations provide high-quality medical care to the underserved in Central Oregon. Dr. Ray teaches courses in Thermodynamics and Leadership at Oregon State University’s Cascades campus in Bend, and in 2017 was selected to receive the OSU Cascades Distinguished Service Award. Also in 2017, he was selected by the Bend Chamber of Commerce as Bend’s Citizen of the Year for significant contributions to the Bend Community. Dr. Ray holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Oregon State University, and a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado. Dr. Ray is a Registered Professional Engineer in Colorado and Oregon, and he holds 23 U.S. Patents and has over 40 scientific publications.
Ana Navia
Ana Navia is Oregon RAIN’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Community Engagement Manager and RAINdrops Director. Working as an intern, Ana advises Oregon RAIN’s management on the organization’s DEI efforts, connects with Latinx & Hispanic entrepreneurs and organizations, and provides support to RAIN’s accelerators and other programs (as RAINMaker and MoneyMaker) to guarantee an equitable service.
Ana joined RAIN as a Summer 2020 Community Recovery Fellow funded by the Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies of Portland State University, where she graduated with a Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning.
With a background as a Political Scientist and minors in economics and government, Ana is passionate about governance, economic development, and community engagement. She has worked at the intersection of public policy, planning, and development from the public, private, and social sectors in Colombia, for the past five years.
As an international student, Ana brings to the team a diverse perspective and passion for serving the underserved population of entrepreneurs.
Heather Blake
Heather is the dedicated Entrepreneur-in-Community for Veneta. She supports local entrepreneurs by connecting them to the Regional Venture Catalyst and resources for launching and scaling high-growth business ventures, including mentor connections, educational and training programs, and capital access. She promotes Community Collaboration and support for the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Heather comes from Northern California, where she gained customer service experience in several industries. She moved to Oregon in 2005, started and ran a window covering business with her husband for more than five years while making meaningful connections with their community. Heather has been involved with a few local organizations like Applegate Regional Theatre, where she was a board member, the Technical Director, Stage Manager, and a performer. She has been a vital part of keeping the Elmira Grange open and functioning as a Community Center for the last seven years. She also helped manage the Veneta Downtown Farmer’s Market for a couple of years.
Currently, she works as the Visitor Center Coordinator for the Veneta-Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce. She will also be coordinating the Shoppes at Veneta Square this summer for the 2nd year, formerly called Veneta’s Downtown Pop-Up Retail District.
Juliet Stuteville
Juliet is a passionate female small business owner with over 25 years of experience teaching as a multi-state certified educator. Broad educational experiences including but not limited to: Learned experience within the classroom setting; One-to-one instruction, correlation of state standards, development of an independent National Assessment (Common Core), experience working with district and school personnel.
Elaine McMillan
Elaine is the Florence Entrepreneur-in-Community. Elaine owns Homegrown Public House and Brewery along with her partner Scott. They are both native to Florence and are Siuslaw High School graduates. They are grateful for the success of our award winning wellness spa, and wanted to expand small business in Florence. Their vision for the Public House comes from the love of food and craft beer. Scott has over 14 years of beer experience working with the beverage industry.
Quote from Erin Reynolds
“It excites me to support Oregon RAIN because I have witnessed how the methods deployed have real-world results in supporting and growing start-up and small business entrepreneurs right here in our small rural, coastal community of Florence. I think every entrepreneur in Oregon should have the chance to access resources that RAIN can provide.
I am proud to be a part of helping to continue and expand RAIN’s efforts to provide access to opportunity, funding, knowledge, and support to new business owners and entrepreneurs through creative and innovative methods specific to those that are served.”
Erin Reynolds, City Manager, City of Florence & Oregon RAIN Board President
Quote from Alicia LeDuc
“I am enthusiastic to serve on the Oregon RAIN board because I enjoy connecting entrepreneurs in rural home towns like my own to professional networks, businesses and people in Oregon who want to help them thrive.”
Alicia LeDuc, Attorney at K&L Gates & Oregon RAIN Board Treasurer
Quote from Josh Carter
“Oregon is my home. Being on the Oregon RAIN board allows me to further help our state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in ways that will have a positive impact for years to come.”
Josh Carter, Founder/Principal of 1859 Ventures & Labs Manager at WeWorks Labs & Oregon RAIN Board Secretary
Quote from Carrie Douglass
“Entrepreneurs and small businesses are the heart and soul of a community, and here in Central Oregon, we lack many of the supports and infrastructure that bigger cities provide to entrepreneurs. I’m thrilled to help support this mission in Central Oregon and beyond.”
Carrie Douglass, Founder/CEO of The Haven; Co-Chair (elected position) of the Bend-La Pine School District & Oregon RAIN Board Member
Quote from Juan Barraza
“What excites me about joining Oregon RAIN is the opportunity to support entrepreneurs in each corner of the state, during the last couple of months we have been reminded that rural Oregon is better positioned to become the economic engine of our state.”
Juan Barraza, Director of Student Innovation at PSU Center for Entrepreneurship; Founder of Pitch Latino and Latino Founders Accelerator, & Oregon RAIN Board Member
Quote from Katrina Hull
“Oregon RAIN’s mission is at the heart and soul of what small communities need to survive and thrive. As a high school educator, I see firsthand the excitement and passion from students who get to collaborate with each other to build something of value within their own community. I’m honored to serve on a board that prioritizes reducing barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation for overlooked populations, especially youth.”
Katrina Hull, CTE Engineering Teacher at the Salem Keizer School District/Mckay High School & Oregon RAIN Board Member
Quote from Mario Magaña Álvarez
“I really appreciate being a part of the Oregon RAIN board of directors. I was so impressed with their mission statement about providing support for entrepreneurs around the state. I’m so happy that we are supporting LatinX small businesses and underserved entrepreneurs. I look forward to serving alongside and learning from this great organization.”
Mario Magaña Álvarez, Oregon 4-H State Outreach Specialist for OSU Extension & Outreach Services & Oregon RAIN Board Member
Quote from Tanya Morris
“What excites me about joining RAIN is the opportunity to expand its support of entrepreneurs nationally and internationally. By expanding the programs and services that RAIN offers, more entrepreneurs will be served and ultimately benefit from its uniqueness.”
Tanya Morris, President/Founder, Black Innovation Alliance, Member, Black Girl Ventures, Alumni Venture Cafe, Contributor
Quote from Ranjit Ghoshal
“The first thing I noticed about Rain’s Vision are two fundamental aims; That “Small and rural communities have thriving economies” and “A culture of possibilities is embraced”
My background and work in community engagement and capacity building and social housing in Wales UK brought me into contact with many smaller, less well off boroughs of cities and rural communities. If there was one key identifier, is the feeling of being left behind.
These were communities with aspirations, dreams and ideas. They just needed a good place to start, the encouragement, some support and because they had the passion, they often had the drive to forge their own path ahead.
But right at the start is where it mattered. Someone to show they had not been left behind and that someone did believe in them and their communities.
Having attended a Rain Programme, watching attendees and their businesses take first steps and also knowing personally the pain of being a startup founder, I knew the power that RAIN could bring to communities. I am delighted and excited to give back where I can.”
Ranjit Ghoshal, Founder and CEO of Millionsteps.com
Quote from Ifzal Ahmad
“I am excited to join Oregon RAIN as Board Member because of its focus on developing and supporting sustainable rural entrepreneurial ecosystem which echoes my ethos and is commensurate with the kind of work that I do in Pakistan. I am very much optimistic to help, mentor and support entrepreneurs in Oregon and beyond. I am also looking forward to learning from the best practices of Oregon RAIN and replicate the same model here in Pakistan.”
Ifzal Ahmad (PHD),
Director, Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC); Director, Business Incubation Center; Associate Professor, Department of Business Management, Karakoram International University, Gilgit Pakistan.; British Council’s Certified Trainer for Social Entrepreneurship
Quote from Artees Vannett
“I am so greatly looking forward to helping steward the growth of Oregon RAIN. Helping support rural and disadvantaged communities by developing inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems which help advance the formation of high-impact startups at local, regional, and national levels is what makes this work so exciting. Together we will bring an amazing wealth of knowledge and resources to BIPOC entrepreneurs, rural communities, and tribal nations throughout the United States. I am proud to support such an initiative.”
Chief Operating Officer – Grey Snow Management Solutions an Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska Economic Development Corporation; Program Development Manager – Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska SSBCI Program
Quote from Robert Gable
“RAIN is creating things that any community needs: diverse, community-focused entrepreneurs; small ecosystems of start-ups that are or will be positioned for growth and scalability; and an equitable lens that is at the forefront of each and every endeavor under the organization’s roof. These things excite me, and I am beyond excited to be around all of these wonderful leaders, change makers, and influencers.
I work in human resources for a multi-state healthcare organization, but I work remotely in Lane County. I am a customer, consumer, and traveler through of many of these businesses, cities, and towns that are directly affected by RAIN’s services. The day I stop learning and growing in any position I serve in will be the day that I need to brush up on my servant leadership coursework because we are all here to better our communities and those that help to make it prosperous.”
Manager of Workforce Development, EmpRes Healthcare Management
Quote from Nola Osinubi
“I am thrilled to serve as a RAIN board member because the mission of RAIN speaks to me. Entrepreneurship is the backbone of many societies, both nationally and internationally. It plays a vital role in rural communities especially, as it provides opportunities for independence and prosperity, in addition to providing services and opportunities to all involved. Although the United States is branded as the land of opportunity, there is a harsh reality that opportunities are not always equal, especially for underserved populations. I connect deeply with the mission of RAIN, and also feel that is so important to foster an environment where all entrepreneurs, especially those often overlooked, are connected to resources and opportunities, with the goal of creating prosperous economies. I look forward to sharing my expertise in rural economic development research and knowledge of rural entrepreneurship to continue to support the great work of RAIN.“
Consumer Insights Analyst, Pilotly