715-2023

On behalf of the City, I thank the following former members for their service to the City as a member of the Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing (PCCEP):

The full membership of PCCEP, following this confirmation, is:

Respectfully submitted,

Ted Wheeler
Mayor

Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing Reappointments

Tia Palafox

Bio

Tia Palafox is a retired K-12 School Counselor from the Eugene School District. She received her  bachelor’s degree in Human Services at UO in the early 90s. Tia worked in non-profit agencies that were youth centered while getting her master’s degree at OSU to become a School Counselor. While working at Eugene 4J School District, she made a commitment to equity & inclusion and became a leader for the Minority Student Achievement Network to “close the achievement gap”; attended hours of Center for Equitable Education trainings and became a leader for Taking It Up, the second part of the CFEE training.  She volunteered for Centro Latino Americano and helped educate immigrants on their rights when stopped by law enforcement.  Tia became specialized in suicide intervention & prevention while working with Lane County Mental Health & Public Health, as a School Counselor. In December 2009 Tia had a massive stroke, which caused her to have a brain injury & disability. Becoming disabled didn’t stop her, she continued to stay active in her community and returned to work as soon she was released to do so.  She said that she was able to have a new lens on accessibility and empathy for others with a disability. Tia retired from the 4J School District and moved to Portland in 2017.  She began volunteering at Buckman Elementary School (PPS); as well as at Rahab’s Sisters, a small program that serves marginalized unhoused women, as soon as she moved here.  She has been getting very involved with Portland’s unhoused community and is passionate about social & racial justice and mental health & wellness for our community members. Tia is very involved with her niece and nephew, who both attend Jefferson High School, and are the most important people in her life.  She enjoys traveling, especially to Mexico. 

Statement of Interest

Tia has been a PCCEP member since 2021. She has a passion working with and serving youth who are really struggling. She will continue to bring a lens on accessibility and empathy for others with a disability to her continued work on PCCEP.

Joseph Torres Ortiz

Bio
I'm a Portland native and currently pursuing my Master's in Education at Portland State University with the goal of teaching middle school social studies. I'm passionate about social change and empowering my community, and I'm proud to work for a non-profit organization that serves youth and families in the area. As a leader, I'm dedicated to promoting equity and creating a more just society.

Statement of Interest
My goal on the committee is to discuss the role of policing in our community and explore alternative solutions to public safety. I believe that we can make our city much safer by adopting community-based action plans that focus on building connections and compassion. By doing so, we can create a more resilient community that is better equipped to address public safety concerns.

Byron Vaughn

Bio

Byron Vaughn has been a member of PCCEP since 2021. He currently works at  JOHS Joint Office of Homeless Services, a County position in Portland. Byron has 25 years of extensive experience in leadership roles, including in Equity Inclusion and Diversity. 2 years of being on the negotiation table for union contract, Was a shop steward for Local 2505 now with Local 88. He previously was on the Behavioral Health Sub-Committee and the Youth Sub-Committee, and a Chair of the Racial Equity Sub-Committee. Homeless for 8 months and City Team And Bud Clark Center is where I was Living at for the time being. Byron is very involved In getting the black communities back in Portland. Born in Oakland California, Relocated to Portland Oregon in 1994.

Statement of Interest

Byron's focus is on strategic planning and process improvements with an equity lens, and will bring that equity lens to PCCEP. Byron also will continue to be a tireless activist for racial justice and equity, and an advocate for young black males.

Robin Wisner

Bio

He has been involved in a broad array of issues, areas of the community and constituencies. He has worked from Gresham to Beaverton and from Portland to the State Capitol in Salem. He has volunteered in various ways for the Portland Police Bureau, including on their Hiring Review Board, Crises Response Team, Ride Along as well as several other areas. As a minister he serves on the Albina Ministerial Alliance Board of Directors and has been involved in several ecumenical endeavors. As an activist he has been responsible for either coordinating or strategically assisting a number of significant community projects, such as: the Rosa Parks Blvd renaming, Caesar Chavez Interstate name change attempt, the march to bring together City of Portland and Northeast community for Portland Police Officer Mark Zylawy (known as Z-man), and leading intervention in incidents of youth violence in the City of Gresham with the Chief of Police and the Mayor. He currently serves as City Councilman in the City of Maywood Park and the Community Engagement Director for Trust Lab . As a charismatic, caring person for the wellbeing of humanity he has been very successful in bringing people together from all walks of life in many ways: politically, socially, spiritually, etc. He has served with all the various levels of leadership in making our city a better place and challenging every known kind of problem we face. As many have said, the city of Portland is a better place because of him.

Statement of Interest

Giving back what others have given me--the choice of living in a safe neighborhood and great schools to send my sons and grandchildren so they can make Portland their choice to live with others who care about this city. Building Portland as our beloved community when we volunteer helps all of us be able to say we made the right choice making Portland home.