OUR BOARD
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Steven Ames is a long-range planner and principal of NXT Consulting Group of Bend and Portland. Author of the American Planning Association’s Guide to Community Visioning, he has advised numerous cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand in planning for the future. Steven holds degrees from Drew University and University of Michigan, and has studied with faculty of the London School of Economics. He is a recipient of Oregon APA’s Award for Distinguished Leadership by a Professional Planner and has been involved in numerous local committees and planning initiatives, including the visionary Bend Living City Design Project.
Peter Baer is President and founder of Pinnacle Architecture. He is dedicated to enhancing communities and lives through Pinnacle’s projects. Specializing in affordable housing, rural healthcare, senior housing and public service projects, he actively helps his clients transform their visions to reality. Raised in Central Oregon, Peter is committed to building a community he’s proud to call home.
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Craig Chenoweth
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Garrett Chrostek is an attorney with Bryant Lovlien and Jarvis and focuses his practice in the areas of land use, real estate, and municipal law. Garrett is experienced in drafting ordinances and agreements, researching and adjudicating municipal code provisions, completing real estate transactions, and navigating regulatory regimes that result in efficiency and cost savings to his clients. Prior to joining BLJ, Garrett worked on a variety of legal and administrative matters for the City of The Dalles pertaining to land use, public contracting and economic development.
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John Gilbert owns Acadia Properties, a company that develops urban infill locations with a focus on mixed-use and higher density residential developments. He is also co-owner of Pacific Crest Affordable Housing, which develops apartment buildings for low-income seniors. These projects are among the most environmentally sustainable affordable housing projects in the United States. Originally from New York City, he now lives in Bend with his wife and two children.
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Alex Joyce is the Managing Partner of Cascadia Partners, a full service urban planning, real estate economics, and public policy firm based in Portland and Bend. Alex is based in Bend and has worked on many planning, development, and public policy projects locally, including the Bend UGB Expansion, the Central Westside Plan, and the Core Area Plan. Alex has Masters degrees in urban planning and real estate development.
Nicole Mardell works as a Senior Long Range Planner for Deschutes County. Her work focuses on land use policy for the rural County, with a specialty in Comprehensive Planning. Nicole has eight years of planning experience under her belt, primarily in Central Oregon. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota. She enjoys exploring Bend by foot, bike, and kayak.
Allison Platt works as a Senior Planner with the City of Bend. Her work focuses on long range land use and infrastructure planning related to Growth Management. Allison received her Masters Degree in Urban Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University in 2016 and holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy from the University of California San Diego. She worked as a Transportation Planner for two years before joining the City of Bend in 2018. She is honored to serve as the BBB's newest board member and to continue the legacy of educating this wonderful community on growth, planning and development best practices.
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Stacey Stemach is the founder and principal of Stemach Design & Architecture. Stacey started her career in New England and relocated to Bend in 2003, first working as a project manager for many public agencies in Oregon. She has provided expert guidance on a variety of urban-situated office, industrial and housing facilities across Central Oregon. Stacey’s passion for careful, unique design and a dedication to holistic sustainability has led to a number of successful, award-winning solutions for urban renewal and building renovation.
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Karen Swirsky is a Transportation Planner with Kittelson & Associates, Inc. Karen's lived in Bend since 1989 with her husband, Nils Eddy. She has both private and public land use experience. Karen has served on many state and local boards and committees, including the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and is the main author of a national award-winning publication, Main Street, When a Highway Runs Through It. She has been a BBB board member for the last 9 years.
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James Teeter works as a structural engineer with Ashley & Vance Engineering and designs buildings of all types. He enjoys being a part of development projects that enhance the human experience within the built environment. James loves living and working in Bend because the community is actively striving to grow in responsible ways. Two of James’s favorite places in Bend are the top of Pilot Butte an hour after sundown and Virginia Meissner Sno-Park an hour after sunrise.
ML (Mary Louise) Vidas has focused her career on connecting people and ideas for a sustainable future. Her position as Senior Market Outreach Manager for the New Buildings Program with Energy Trust of Oregon utilizes her prior consulting experience including charrette facilitation and Living Building Challenge support. Vidas is an Oregon Registered Architect (MArch and Certificate in Teaching Technical Subjects in Architecture). Vidas fosters sustainability from the building scale to the neighborhood scale, integrating technology with how people live, work, and play. She enjoys any opportunity to explore the world whether skiing with her grandkids on Mt Batchelor or rafting the Deschutes.
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ADMINISTRATOR
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As Marketing Director for one of the oldest and most respected real estate developers in the region, Valerie Yost has a keen interest in how Bend grows. Moving to Bend in 1999, Valerie spent six years as an advertising agency executive before joining Brooks Resources in 2005. In addition to her work with Building a Better Bend, Valerie also serves on the board for the Family Access Network and is co-facilitator of an Opportunity Knocks team. Valerie is a native Oregonian, Graduate of Oregon State University (Go Beavs!) and is proud to call Bend home with her husband and two children.
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