The Northeast Community Center is grateful for the commitment and passion of our dedicated Board of Directors who provide oversight, specialized expertise, and management guidance.
| Eunice Noell-Waggoner Board Chair (2012) | Gary Gibbs Vice Chair (2010) Building and Grounds Committee Chair |
| Bonnie Gregg Board Secretary (2008) | Jerry Robinson Board Treasurer (2010) Finance Committee Chair |
| Richard Barasch Board Director (2011) Membership Committee Chair | Don Waggoner Board Director (2005) Finance Committee Liaison |
| Laurel Roberts Board Director (2009) Communications Committee Chair | Michael Licurse Board Director (2011) |
| Mickey Harnage Board Director (2011) | Robyn Rains Board Director (2012) |
| Lauren Moorman Board Director (2012) |
Board Member Bios
Eunice Noell-Waggoner
Board President (2012)
enoell-waggoner@necommunitycenter.org
“The NECC provides an uplifting and positive social connection for me. Whereas, my professional activities involve conference calls, writing building codes, and out of town travel, I enjoy the friendship and face to face contact with members, volunteers and staff of the NECC. I especially love to see the enthusiasm of the children playing basketball or coming to swim, the camaraderie of the AOA groups socializing, exercising, and caring for one another and I enjoy working with other friendly volunteers to make a positive difference in the NECC and community.
I have served on the Building & Grounds Committee since the beginning of the NECC. This committee is involved in planning, design, and hands-on execution, as well as supervision of contractors. In the early days, I rented a locker just for my painting clothes. It is great to see the building still looking good and only needing occasional cleaning and touching up.
I grew up in Bend, OR when it was still a small town. I studied interior architecture at the University of Oregon and practiced commercial interior and lighting design for 16 years. In 1992 I formed a non-profit organization, Center of Design for an Aging Society, to address the fact that building codes are based on the abilities of young able bodied people. With the growth of the older population, it is imperative that building codes include age-related disabilities and sensory loss which is common to the aging process. I am working with a national committee to have low vision included in the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
Gary Gibbs
Board Vice Chair (2012)
Board Director (2010)
Building and Grounds Committee Chair
ggibbs@necommunitycenter.org
“I grew up in Decatur, Georgia, graduated of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and hold a professional engineer license in Oregon and several other states. I retired in 2009 after a career that included 21 years at Intel; 20 years designing power and control systems for various engineering firms; and 5 years in the Army (Captain, US Army Corps of Engineers). I joined the Northeast YMCA in 1978 when I moved to the Hollywood area. I mainly take advantage of the aerobic and weight training workout classes where I enjoy getting to know and interacting with other people in the community.
Since I retired, the Center has become one of my main volunteer opportunities where I can contribute my skills and energy to the community. During the times I’m at the NECC doing volunteer work I’m always impressed by how many different groups use the facility. In the course of the morning you’ll see early morning swimmers eager to get in some laps before work, a mixture of young and middle aged people working really hard in the morning boot camp class, mothers depositing kids in the child watch room before heading up to a yoga class, a class of older adults planning their next outing together as they get ready for their Active Older Adult workout class in the gym, a group assembling for the arthritis exercise class in the pool (85 degree F water temperature), and a water color art class. In the winter the Center sponsors a kids’ basketball camp which is really fun to watch the little kids learning to play the game and work as a team.”
Bonnie Gregg
Board Secretary (2008)
bgregg@necommunitycenter.org
“Bernice aka “Bonnie” Jean Gregg. Having retired from the Portland School District after 22 years as Special Projects Coordinator, and having just lost my husband to cancer, I came to the center (then the YMCA), in 2000 hoping to get fit. I have been coming ever since, doing stretch exercises with Lynn, aerobics with Kathy and water exercise with Otter. Romping around with friends in the gym or splashing with them in the pool, the years just slip away. It’s kind of like “recess” for seniors.
NECC serves all generations: babes learning to sign; toddlers playing in Child Care; kids learning to play basketball, swim, play chess, walk on stilts, make airplanes , climb rock walls, etc.; adults pursuing yoga, painting, pilates, zumba, etc., families enjoying a Sunday afternoon swim; seniors joining in exercise and outings; everyone learning tools for healthy living.
NECC is the heart of Hollywood and Northeast Portland. What makes NECC unique is the dedication of our members. Their generosity in giving of their time, talent, and treasure made possible the opening of NECC and their continued support has enabled it to grow into the fine center it is today. They are the reason I am on the board and lots of committees. Doing what you can to help is really a lot of fun when you’re in such great company.”
Jerry Robinson
Board Treasurer (2010)
Finance Committee Chair
jrobinson@necommunitycenter.org
“I’ve been involved with NECC for one year. NECC is important because it’s an affordable, family oriented community fitness center that is vital to our aging population and keeping our youngsters active and physically fit. I’ve been married to my wife, Kate, for 20 plus years. Our son, Benjamin, is attending Seattle Pacific University, I also volunteer for Boy Scouts of America and Beaverton Four Square Church.”
Richard Barasch
Board Director (2011)
Membership Committee Chair
richard.barasch@gmail.com
“I have been a member of the NECC for over 20 years, including when it was the YMCA. I swim, and use the sauna and weight room. I periodically go to the circuit training class and very occasionally go to a pilates class. I’ve been known to be seen on the basketball court working on my jumper.
I really do love the facility. I have friends from other parts of my life who come here and have made countless friends over the years just chatting in classes and the locker room.
I decided to become part of the board when I became semi-retired in the hopes of maintaining and improving the center as a comfortable place for members and staff.”
Don Waggoner
Board Director (2005)
Finance Committee Liaison
dwaggoner@necommunitycenter.org
Education: BS and MS Industrial Engineering, Stanford University; EMBA University of Oregon.
Leupold & Stevens, Inc.(world leader in sports optics-riflescopes): Senior VP of Corporate Development, 1986 to 2000; Board member for 34 years. Don established a buy-sell agreement for this closely held family business to ensure that family values are maintained and to promote communication between family members.
Crystal Clear Technologies: Chairman of the Board for a startup company which uses nanotechnology to reduce pollution in waste water containing heavy metal toxins that are difficult to remove.
Higher Education: Oregon State University, School of Business, Chairman of the Dean’s Business Advisory Council 1997 to 2003.
Non-Profits: Oregon Environmental Council, President 1973 & 1974; Portland Chapter of the Planning Forum, President; and Center of Design for an Aging Society, CFO. As Chairman of the Energy Conservation Coalition he successfully lobbied for energy conservation legislation in Oregon during the 1977 session. Member of the State of Oregon Building Code Structures Board and as the Chairman of the Energy Committee successfully promoted residential and commercial energy conservation. Board Member, Northeast Community Center (formerly the YMCA), Don has been active in spearheading the complete renovation of the facility and has served as, Treasurer, Chairman of the Finance Committee and Executive Director and now serves as Chairman of the Board Governance committee.
Awards: Recipient of Oregon’s CUP Award (Cleaning Up Pollution) for his work on bottle bill (beverage container refund) activities. Recipient of EPA’s 1977 Environmental Quality Award (bottle bill). Named Distinguished Business Partner by the Oregon State College of Business. He enjoys sailing and travel.
Laurel Roberts
Board Director (2009)
lroberts@necommunitycenter.org
“I have lived in the Laurelhurst neighborhood for over 40 years. When my children were growing up, we were members of the YMCA and they learned to swim at the Y. Some years later, my husband and I rejoined the Y to swim. We were members when the Y was going to be sold and joined in the grass roots effort to keep the building and build the NECC. I love the NECC for its history, its building and its members. I think the NECC has a lot to offer the community, with a large variety of activities and classes. It’s important to have a stable, safe environment where everyone can come to be active and learn.
One of my favorite activities at the NECC is taking the watercolor class from Terri Dill-Simpson. I’m a native Oregonian who actually likes the rain!”
Michael Licurse
Board Director (2011)
mlicurse@necommunitycenter.org
Mickey Harnage
Board Director (2011)
mharnage@necommunitycenter.org
My education was at the U. of Miami, BA, CSULB, MA, and UC Irvine, Cert. In Mental Health Counseling. Prior to retirement, I was the director of a sea base which specialized in teaching maritime skills to under eighteen year olds. Following that, Jim and I sailed the seven seas for seven years on our 45 foot sailboat which we sold in Malaysia. After selling Dream Catcher, we returned to the States and settled in the northern California foothills, having missed mountains and trees. The lure of grandchildren brought us to Oregon five years ago.
I may be the newest NECC member on the board. I read an article in the Oregonian about NECC and it sounded like the right place for us. Stopping by after church one Sunday, we knew so little about it that we went to the Broadway entrance. A man covered in sawdust, working diligently on a project, offered to show us around, which he did with infectious enthusiasm. That’s how we met Don Waggoner. We joined the next day. That week I was in the women’s changing room when a member asked the woman painting the baseboards to get more toilet paper, which she did. I asked her if she worked there. The answer was no, she was a volunteer and that’s how I met our first president , Kirsten Jewel. The next day, I began volunteering with her, painting the changing room.
NECC has provided us as newcomers with a group of friends, a place to volunteer, and the best instructors I have ever had after forty years of exercise classes. I enjoy seeing the toddlers streaking through the lobby, the teens in the circuit training room and the families at play. NECC is the hidden treasure of Portland.
Robyn Rains
Board Director (2012)
rrains@necommunitycenter.org
Lauren Moorman
Board Director (2012)
lmoorman@necommunitycenter.org
