About Us | Timber Talkers

About Us

Jennifer Anderson

Jennifer Anderson is the author of the Amazon Bestseller for career advice: “Plant Yourself Where You Will Bloom.” Jen has spent the last 15 years teaching thousands of people the concepts of how to create a thriving career and discover their perfect work. An “Early Settler” of the professional coaching industry and a Professional Certified Coach, Jennifer is a trainer at Coach University, a faculty member of Portland Community College, and the University of California at Davis – Extension. Jennifer is a mother of two and a ridiculously proud grandmother of one. She is also an avid fan of University of Kansas Basketball. Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! Please visit www.jenniferanderson.com for more information.

Bret Quiring

Bret was born in Bend OR and moved to Southern California when he was 2 years old. On New Years Day 2017, in the middle of the worst winter in 35+ years, Bret moved his family up to Portland. Bret joined Toastmasters back in 2011 for a couple years, and because of his schedule changing, he can now join again. After going to a couple clubs, he found Timber Talkers and joined immediately. He is looking forward to grow as a speaker and be more comfortable with both formal and informal speaking.

Chelsea McLennan-West

Chelsea is a born and raised Oregonian who joined Timber Talkers in 2018. Professionally, she is a member to hone her storytelling and own her message as she develops her business and project consulting at CJMcWest.com. Personally, she enjoys hearing others speak and learning from not only what people say, but how they say it. She is a mom of two humans and one dog and married to a very patient man who listens to more practice speeches than is fair.

Christopher Aedo

Christopher moved to Portland from Los Angeles in 2014 but asks that you not hold that against him. He has two boys and an amazing wife and in his spare time he reads, brews beer, builds things and is on a quest to learn how to do everything.

Dave Hiller

Dave Hiller is a 59 year old transplant from Minnesota that lives in Tigard for the past 19 years and married to Mina for 23 years. Has one dog named Chance that came to us from Oregon Dog Rescue 6 years ago. Working for Delta Industrial Automation in sales. Toastmasters DTM, past club officer, past area governor, past division governor, past district office including District 7 Governor in 1995-96.

Hilary Lang Greenebaum

Hilary Lang Greenebaum, PhD: Despite a lifetime orbiting K-12 schools, Hilary still gets excitedly nervous when giving a prepared speech. Toast Masters, Timber Talkers specifically, helps her remain more relaxed. She really enjoys the group, learns a lot, and has fun! The rest of the week, Hilary runs the family business, Howard Insurance, selling insurance for people with Medicare. She also advocates and teaches people how to transition to a healthy, plant based lifestyle. She created, Better Eating for Life an online educational video program that advocates a healthy vegan lifestyle that includes exercise and stress reduction. In her spare time she likes to eat (!!!), read, garden, walk with her two adorable dogs, and have fun with friends.

Kristin WT

Kristin has been in Toastmasters since 2010. She just finished her CC after 7 years (but not everyone takes that long). After that she saw two people at work with varying levels of speaking skills and appreciated the more experienced speaker. That was the impetus she needed to start looking for a club she could attend. She enjoys the myriad of interesting speeches brought to the club.

Leissa Gebert

Leissa Gebert has rejoined Timber Talkers after a five year hiatus. She is a past President and VP of Membership. Leissa recently retired from a 40 year career as a mortgage broker and is now developing an internet based business to educate folks on how to prepare for and get their best home loan possible. She does a lot of video work in her business and finds that being a Toastmaster is a huge help in being comfortable (and coherent!) in front of the camera. To balance out her life; Leissa finds enjoyment in being a watercolor artist, hanging with her two beautiful Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs and the occasional travel with friends. She is a transplant from Montana; but has been in Portland since 1982; which she figures probably qualifies her for native status.

Mandi Montplaisir

Mandi joined Timber Talkers and Toastmasters in January 2017 to build her speaking and communication skills. Her interests include healthy living, Zumba, business, gardening, traveling and reading. Most days she is managing the roles of wife, mother, and small business owner with agility and deftness.

Morgan Roe

Morgan Roe is the founder and owner of the Zeitgeist Academy, an organization dedicated to individual musical empowerment and support of community musical organizations. She joined Timber Talkers in September 2017 after realizing how much public speaking she will be doing in her business! Native to Montana, Morgan spends her free time dancing and making music. She also travels extensively for work and pleasure. For more information on the Zeitgeist Academy, visit www.zeitgeistacademy.com.

Scott Chavin

Having been with Toastmasters for close to seven years I have enjoyed the many benefits it brings. Beyond the benefits of public speaking and leadership training I have been able to make many personal and business connections. Joining the Toastmasters family has allowed me to develop a better connection to my community at large. If you are interested in learning to better yourself in a safe and friendly environment then you have come to the right place. Please join our diverse and open club. You’ll be glad you did.

Steve Schmitt

When he is not public speaking, Steve Schmitt accompanies his Cavalier Spaniel, Sadie, on her outdoor adventures.

Terry Wood

Terry Wood joined Timber Talkers in Oct 2014. He regularly teaches classes on Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE), which requires him to be in front of people for over an hour in each class. Toastmaster’s has been invaluable to him for polishing his presentation/speaking skills. To learn more about TRE please go to www.treclasses.com.

Tom Cronkrite

Tom likes to garden as you can see by the large potato he is holding! Below he is addressing the group (probably discussing corn or tomatoes!) in December 2015.

Shaylene Haswarey

Shaylene is originally from Idaho Falls, ID. She has 5 kids, and has been married for 18 years. She owns a jump rope business called "Jump Again! Reintroducing Jump Rope in the 21st Century!" She teaches jump rope dance routines, tricks, double dutch, speed jumping, and jump rope games to elementary students. She is an author of a teenage interfaith novel called "The Hijabi Club". She is active in two interfaith groups, and loves teaching religion at schools and places of worship. Currently she is a volunteer after school activities coordinator at her kids elementary school. Her hobbies include weight lifting, hosting parties and talent shows, reading novels, writing, hiking, public speaking, scrap booking, and of course, jump roping! Check out her YouTube jump rope music video at: Hijabi Jump Rope Mom https://youtu.be/N8rdK5U3m34

Stan Dean

Originally from Nashville, TN. Work at Biamp Systems in the Quality department. 3 children, working to finish my degree in Operations Management. Total comic book and video game nerd. Joined Toast Masters to be a better public speaker.

John Goalby

John is rejoining Timber Talkers after a mere blip in the grand scheme of things. He is the least competitive person in this description. John has a degree in sarcasm from Yale, loves dogs, and dreams of world peace.

Keesa Garcia

Keesa is the Risk Manager at NALS Apartment Homes, a national real estate investment company. She also serves on the board of the Oregon Chapter of the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), an organization dedicated to furthering the risk management and insurance profession. Keesa attended Portland State University where she earned a BS in Business Administration: Real Estate Finance, and holds the Associate of Risk Management designation. Keesa enjoys staying active by running with her Siberian Husky, playing co-ed softball with her husband, dropping by a Crossfit class, or spending the day in the garden.