The People of PDX Jazz

Gwendolyn Turner is Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and ESG for Myriad Genetics. Gwendolyn is responsible for a wide range of company-wide programs and initiatives that support, drive and influence diversity strategy and patient experience. Gwendolyn has over 25 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience with companies including Kaiser Permanente, Pfizer, Kellogg, and Kraft Foods. Gwendolyn earned her Master of Science in Law from Northwestern University, Pritzker School of Law, and her Bachelor of Science in Economics from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Gwendolyn is passionate about preserving the legacy of jazz and promoting jazz education in schools.

Laura Golino de Lovato is the Executive Director of Northwest Pilot Project (NWPP), a nonprofit organization providing housing assistance, transportation, and advocacy to very low-income seniors in Multnomah County. Laura has over 25 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience, providing leadership in fund development, strategic planning, and community engagement. Laura worked at Oregon Food Bank, joining that organization after making the Portland area her home over 10 years ago, and rising to the position of Director of Development, Marketing and Communications. She has volunteered with SCRAP, OPAL Environmental Justice, Portland Festival Symphony, and the PDX Jazz Board of Directors. Laura holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Simmons College, Boston.

As a twelve-year-old, Terry took his transistor radio to the upstairs of his southeast Portland home to search for distant stations broadcasting jazz. He has been discovering the creativity, diversity, and joy of jazz ever since and regularly attends PDX Jazz and other live music and theater performances. He began his support of PDX Jazz in 2008, volunteering at the Jazz Festival, and has worked at each Festival and numerous other events since. Terry is a CPA and attorney specializing in advising global companies on international and domestic tax and associated business matters, including those related to mergers, acquisitions, bankruptcies, and planning. He reluctantly and temporarily turns off the jazz on the audio system when he has evening calls with business colleagues in India and elsewhere in Asia.

A dedicated community servant by tradition, Heather Coleman-Cox was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. In 1998 she left the NW to pursue her career in Information Technology via a short term stint in Austin,TX and long term in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Here she earned her Master's of Science degree in Management Information Systems from the University of Maryland University College Adelphi. In 2010, she returned to the NW as a Video Transport Engineer with Frontier Communications, formerly Verizon FIOS. In 2012, Heather joined Intel Corporation as a Systems Engineer. Most recently she assumed the position of Cloud Network Engineer where she is responsible for networking multiple servers across labs in the Jones Farm campus; Hillsboro, Oregon, with additional international expansion into China and India. For the last 7 years Heather has served as the Media Relations Director for Juneteenth Oregon. Heather's love for Jazz music was built around the mystique of Miles Davis, his last album Doo Bop remains her favorite Jazz CD of all time thus far. Additionally, Marcus Miller, Herbie Hancock, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan round off her top 7.

A native of South Bend, Indiana, Walt Henry received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame. He picked up the tenor sax in grade school, and played in various bands throughout high school, college and thereafter. Though Walt’s musical talents have plateaued, his love of jazz continues on. Walt has worked at Standard Insurance Company for over 20 years, having led teams in Life Benefits Operations, Underwriting, and currently the Appeals unit within their Legal Department. Outside his volunteer work with PDX Jazz and listening to music, Walt enjoys hiking, running, baseball, and has held board positions with his church.

Cynthia Plank has been teaching band at Beaumont Middle School for over 15 years. Upon completing her Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Teacher Certification at the University of Oregon, Ms. Plank went on to earn a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting at the American Band College, through Sam Houston State University. She received the Mary V. Dodge Award for Outstanding School Music Teacher for 2011-2012 and was also a quarter-finalist for the Music Educator Grammy Award in 2015. She is the founder of the Portland Community Wind Band (2005) and conducted the ensemble for six years. Cynthia performs regularly in the Portland area- on timpani with the PCWB, as a vocalist, bassist and flutist with the Second Wind Jazz group and subs with the Oregon Symphonic Band. Ms. Plank was published in the series Teaching Music Through Performance In Jazz, Vol II, and was selected as one of School Band and Orchestra Magazine’s 50 Directors Who Make a Difference. When she is not in the classroom, at the gym or on stage, Ms. Plank enjoys gardening and traveling with her husband Corey.

Gary is a Senior Director with the global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield. A Portland native, he was raised in Laurelhurst, attended Jesuit High School, and received a Marketing degree from Santa Clara University. He has been an active Portland art supporter and board member. Other pastimes, besides enjoying live jazz and creative music, are exploring Portland’s food scene, year around beach trips, exercising, especially a spin or yoga class, and travel to sunny Mexico. He and his wife Geri along with Airedale Ginger live in SW Portland. Jazz has played a significant role in his life. Having the opportunity to enhance and foster the community of jazz is a lifelong dream realized.

Ashley Villarama has been with US Bank for 14 years, currently serving as AVP | West Division Operations Manager, U.S. Bank Wealth Management. She is an active community volunteer, sharing her time with Store to Door, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, various children’s hospitals and PDX Jazz. In addition to serving as a director on the PDX Jazz board, Ashley currently sits on the board of U.S. Bank PNW Development Network and Lions International. She studied International Business at Cal State University - Long Beach, is an avid arts enthusiast.

Atif Zaman, MD, MPH, received his BS in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University in 1987, his MD from Tufts University, and his MPH from Oregon Health and Science University in 2000. He is currently Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). He is the Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine and Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer of OHSU Health. When not working he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing tennis, enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking, and vintage car road rallying. Of course, one of his favorite activities is listening to jazz, whether live or on his audio system. He feels lucky to live in a city that showcases jazz music throughout the year and hopes he can help to keep it that way.

Chris guides the overall vision, strategic direction, and operation of PDX Jazz and the PDX Jazz Festival. Prior to joining PDX Jazz, he served as Managing Director of Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey, CA. His background includes development and oversight of business and operating plans for venues and new performing arts facilities including AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas, TX; and KeyArena, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall and Fisher Pavilion at Seattle Center in Seattle, WA. Additionally, he directed regional marketing and publicity for Bill Graham Presents in the Pacific Northwest, and managed national promotion and marketing at Ticketmaster. Chris is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business Executive Leadership Program, completed studies at Stanford University Nonprofit Management Institute and holds a B.A. in Music Performance and Business Administration from the University of North Texas.

Nicholas oversees creative programming of the PDX Jazz Festival and PDX Jazz seasonal events. Starting his career as a promoter and radio host while in college, Harris has produced thousands of events across the West Coast, from Los Angeles to Seattle. His background in festivals includes the DC Jazz Festival, where he worked his way up from a first-year volunteer position to Producer and Talent Buyer during his final year with the organization. Nicholas co-founded the Soul’d Out Festival in Portland, OR and the New Orleans Jazz Fest by Night series, serving both events as Executive Producer. In 2017 he opened Jack London Revue in Portland, OR to help ensure that the city has the necessary platform for carrying on its long musical tradition in presenting live jazz.

Alex Donovan migrated to Oregon in 2006 and joined the PDX Jazz family shortly thereafter. His early production experience began at Marshall University’s WMUL FM radio station as a DJ and Jazz Producer. He also volunteered as a Stagehand for Mountain Stage, a multiple-act, live music show recorded for NPR. In between finishing his B.A. in Communication, he studied audio engineering at the Recording Workshop in central Ohio. His time away from PDX Jazz is spent traveling all over North America for the day job, exploring Portland with family, playing the drums, and spinning records.

Danielle’s background includes contributing to the Portland jazz community as a performing artist and music educator, including a key role in The American Refrain: Jazz and Modern Music; a program that serves as a pillar of PDX Jazz Education and Outreach. While at Urban League Portland, Danielle planned and coordinated multiple community action initiatives promoting equality for African-Americans and others in education, employment, health, economic security and quality of life. Danielle served as a volunteer for La Fundación Humanitaria, La Carpio, Costa Rica, coaching youth on life skills while creating and implementing new fundraising initiatives for low-income communities, and she is proficient in Spanish, holding a certificate from Centro Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI), Heredia, Costa Rica. Danielle earned an Associate of Arts from Indian River State College, Fort Pierce, FL and a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance from Portland State University, Portland, OR.

Cassie has spent the last decade developing and promoting brands. A curator, creator and endless music nerd, she brings a keen eye for details, passion and integrity to any project. Prior to joining PDX Jazz, she launched her own full-service marketing and design agency, and has worked as a brand manager, marketing director, graphic and web designer, promotions and public relations specialist for small businesses, nonprofits and Fortune 500 companies. This included CBS Radio, and later Alpha Broadcasting, in Portland. Wearing many hats, she spent eight years working as the Sales and Marketing Director for Maryhill Winery, one of the largest wineries in Washington state, managing a fully integrated marketing, events and public relations program for both the winery and their outdoor amphitheater and concert series, building connections with wine, travel, food and lifestyle media and industry-related influencers and partners.