Meet the team

Contact Us:

We invite you to ask a specific question about OFRI or its educational programs by emailing us at info@ofri.org.

Oregon Forest Resources Institute
9755 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 210 Portland, OR 97225 Phone: 971-673-2944 Fax: 971-673-2946

Staff

Jim Paul
Executive Director
503-779-6054
more 〉
Jim Paul began his public service career with the state of Oregon in 1996. He has served in a diverse range of forestry and natural resources leadership roles in Oregon, including as an agency hydrologist and chief of both the Private Forest and State Forest divisions within the Department of Forestry. He was also the agency director of the Department of State Lands. Jim has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Whitman College, and a master’s degree in forest hydrology from the University of Washington.
close
Inka Bajandas
Public Outreach Manager
971-673-2948
more 〉
Inka Bajandas is responsible for developing a variety of communication products that support OFRI’s forest education programs for the general public, forest landowners, and K-12 teachers and students. This includes contributing as a writer and editor to special reports, publications, interpretive signage, videos, websites, newsletters and blogs. She also manages OFRI's social media accounts and leads media relations. Inka is a former journalist who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. Before joining OFRI in 2015, Inka worked as a reporter covering architecture and engineering for the Daily Journal of Commerce in Portland and as the natural resources reporter for The News-Review in Roseburg.
close
Jordan Benner
Senior Manager, Public Outreach
503-329-1441
more 〉
Jordan Benner came to OFRI from the marketing and communications world, where he wrote and designed for many well-known local, regional and national organizations and businesses. Jordan oversees OFRI’s educational media and websites, as well as all photography and video production. Jordan grew up in the forests of this state and when he’s not in the office, he’s in the forest for both work and play. A seasoned fly fisherman and woodworker, there’s hardly a corner of Jordan’s life not touched by Oregon’s forests. Jordan is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism.
close
Norie Dimeo-Ediger
Director of K-12 Education Programs
503-880-5411
more 〉
Norie Dimeo-Ediger has worked in education for more than 20 years and is a licensed teacher in Oregon. As director of K-12 education programs, Norie leads and coordinates K-12 teacher professional development for OFRI. Her accomplishments include working with natural resource institutions such as the Oregon Zoo and Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve, where she provided professional development to teachers in science education. She has master’s degrees in both science education and adult education. In 2011, she was recognized nationally for her work with Project Learning Tree, a program of the American Forest Foundation and the Council for Environmental Education. Also in 2011, she received the Oregon State Forester’s award for excellence in forestry education. Her favorite outdoor activity is walking in the woods.
close
Rikki Heath
Environmental Educator
503-799-4792
more 〉
Rikki Heath’s responsibilities include leading field trips for schools and other organizations to the Rediscovery Forest at The Oregon Garden. The field trips cover topics such as tree biology, wildlife habitat and sustainable forest management. Before joining OFRI, Heath worked for the U.S. Forest Service for 11 summers, including positions in botany, firefighting, timber harvesting and leading Oregon Youth Conservation Corps crews. She also taught physical education at Seven Peaks School in Bend and Peterson Elementary School in Klamath Falls. She holds a master’s degree in education from Concordia University with a focus on environmental education and a bachelor’s degree from Lewis-Clark State College in kinesiology, sixth-to-12th-grade health education and K-12 physical education. Rikki grew up in Central Oregon, so being outdoors is what gives her the most joy. Her favorite outdoor activities are running and rafting with her family.
close
Joni Nebril
Executive Assistant
971-673-3191
more 〉
Joni is responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations at OFRI. She has extensive administrative and project management experience working within a diverse range of industries such as hospitality, higher education and local government. During her free time, she takes enjoyment in exploring the Pacific coast, attending baseball games with her family or perusing the local bookstore for her next great read.
close
Kathy Storm
Senior Manager, Business Operations
971-673-2953
more 〉
Kathy Storm is responsible for OFRI’s day-to-day operations including financial management, human resources and procurement. Her efforts have earned OFRI the state’s Gold Star Certificate for accurate and timely fiscal information every year since she was hired in 2003. Before joining OFRI, she worked for the Oregon Department of Forestry. Kathy and her husband are small woodland owners, so keeping Oregon’s forests healthy is important to her. When not planting trees or caring for the family woodlands, Kathy enjoys running, camping and hiking, as well as attending Duck football games and track meets.
close
Julie Woodward
Director of Forestry
503-807-1614
more 〉
As the Director of Forestry, Julie oversees OFRI's landowner education program and serves as the lead forester. She also serves as a liaison with the forestry and forest science communities. Julie has been professionally engaged in Oregon's forest sector for over 25 years, including teaching and communicating to a variety of public, landowner and forest sector audiences. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in forest management and business administration, and a master’s degree in natural resources education and extension, both from Oregon State University. She was awarded "Forester of the Year" in 2009 from the Oregon Society of American Foresters. Julie is a native Oregonian, and spends her free time exploring the far corners of Oregon with her family.
close
Coming soon
Forest Landowner Education Manager
close

Board of Directors (Effective January 1, 2022)

OFRI is governed by a board of directors made up of 11 voting members appointed by the state forester, plus two non-voting members.

Voting board members include nine representatives of timber producer classes, with three each from small (Class 1), medium (Class 2) and large (Class 3) producers; one member representing small woodland owners; and one representative for forest industry employees.

Non-voting members required by statute include the dean of the Oregon State University College of Forestry and a public member appointed jointly by the president of the Oregon Senate and the speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.

An Oregon Department of Forestry liaison assists the board.

Board members appointed by the state forester serve three-year terms and represent the following timber producer classes:

  • Class 1: producers of 20 million board feet per year or less
  • Class 2: producers of at least 20 million per year, but less than 100 million board feet
  • Class 3: producers of 100 million board feet per year or more
  • Small woodland owners: forest landowners who own between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestland and who have no direct financial interest in any forest products processing activity

2023 OFRI Board of Directors meeting schedule

Kyle Abraham
Deputy State Forester
Oregon Department of Forestry Liaison
close
Mark Giustina
Giustina Land & Timber
Class 2
close
Dr. Kristopher Elliott
Oregon State University Extension Service
Public representative
close
Brian Trenholm
Weyerhaeuser Co.
Class 3
close
Jennifer Beathe
Starker Forests, Inc.
Class 2
close
Paul Betts
Miami Alternatives, LLC
Class 2
close
Gordon Culbertson
Whitewater Forests LLC
Small Woodland Owner
close
Dr. Thomas DeLuca
Cheryl Ramberg-Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean, Oregon State University College of Forestry
close
Kristin Rasmussen
Hampton Lumber & Family Forests
Class 3
close
Madeleine Thompson Rudolph
Thompson Tree Farm
Class 1
close
Mike Hicks
IAM-AW District W24
Employee Representative
close
Garren Hitner
Century Forest Management
Class 1
close
Dan Newton
Newton Forestry LLC
Class 1
close
Jerry Anderson
Manulife Investment Management
Class 3; board chair
close