Rebecca Bear

Board Member

Rebecca joined the Seattle Parks Foundation as the President and CEO in November of 2020.  Rebecca is a leader in expanding access to outdoor recreation, parks, and open spaces. She has over 25 years of experience building and scaling organizations and community programs nationwide.  She’s a passionate fundraiser, partnership builder and has experience encouraging diverse communities to engage with the outdoors. Formerly the Director of REI Outdoor Programs and Local Community Engagement, Rebecca brings expertise in public/private partnerships, local advocacy, and community engagement. She co-led REI’s local community diversity initiatives, including a groundbreaking gender equity program.

Prior to her tenure at REI, Rebecca was Board Chair of Passages Northwest, now YMCA BOLD & GOLD, where she founded Girls Rock!, an outdoor mentorship program for adolescent girls. Rebecca started her career in the outdoors working as an instructor and Chief Instructor for PCOBS, instructed at several US schools, and served on the Washington Advisory Board of NWOBS as it was reborn in 2012. Rebecca was also the founder of an Outward Bound School in Monterrey, Mexico and worked around the world expanding schools for Outward Bound International. 

Rebecca co-founded the Coalition for Outdoor Access, a national advocacy group focused on facilitated access to public lands.  She has received numerous awards for her service with public lands agencies, including the Wilderness Legacy Award from the US Forest Service and the National Recreation Resource Leadership Award.   She has a Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard University and a Certificate in Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School.

Morgan Beltz

Board Member

Morgan Beltz is a Government Affairs Associate at Oregon Business & Industry (OBI), the largest statewide business association. OBI is a leader in policy development and works to elevate the business voice in major policy discussions. Morgan focuses on healthcare, education and workforce development policy as well as managing OBI's political action committees. Prior to joining OBI Morgan worked in public affairs representing clients from every sector and on multiple campaigns.

Morgan is a native Portlander and still resides in Southwest with her husband Brandon and dog Tucker. When she is not working, you can find her on the golf course, skiing on the river or mountain, hiking, backpacking, or enjoying a nice glass of wine on the patio.

Amy Moran Compton

Board Member

Amy has made her home in Portland, Oregon for the past twelve years. She has a background in education, digital marketing, and athlete protection policy. She is dipping her toe into the film world with her first documentary. She enjoys traveling as a family to all corners of the world to climb the most scenic mountains and crags. She has reached a bittersweet moment in her life, where her kids can outclimb her — and she’s trying her hardest to be ok with that. 

ERNESTO FONSECA, PhD

Development Committee Chair

Dr. Fonseca is the Chief Executive Officer of Hacienda CDC. The largest Latino Led Housing and Services Organization in Oregon. At Hacienda, Ernesto and his team help families access the critical ingredients they need to achieve their goals: a stable, affordable home, a healthy family life that allows youth to learn and grow, opportunities for economic success, and access to affordable healthcare and healthy neighborhoods, including greater access and exposure to the wonders of nature in Oregon.

When Ernesto is not at the office or doing carpentry in his shop, he and his family enjoy exploring Oregon's vast natural beauty. Some of their favorite activities include hiking, camping, occasionally fishing, and always taking pictures.

Libra Gilbert-Forde (she/her)

Board Member

Award Winning Speaker/Thought Leader

As a former athlete, business owner and award-winning orator, Libra champions elite personal behavior and thought partnership.  She uses her education and elite athletic experiences to cultivate effective goal setting that is manageable and sustainable.  In addition, over 25 years corporate, social justice and orator experiences enable her to relate to multiple levels of communities, professionals and people. Libra is currently the Executive Director for Women’s Foundation of Oregon, a philanthropist non-profit organization that focuses on gender justice. She is also an elected official as a North Clackamas School board member and in 2022 was the first person of color to run for Clackamas County Commissioner. Libra sits on the Board of Northwest Outward-Bound Schools and was appointed to the Governors Racial Equity Education Recovery Committee.  Libra’s past executive roles include being the Chief Operating Officer for the second largest minority social service non-profit agency in Oregon, the founder of the largest hybrid charter school in Hawaii, and has been honored with awards in social justice, equity and world championship speaking. 

Valerie J. Halpin, MD (she/her)

Board Co-Chair

Valerie J. Halpin, MD is a bariatric surgeon and Medical Director of the Legacy Weight and Diabetes Institute.  She is Fellowship Program Director of the Legacy Bariatric Surgery Fellowship.  Valerie attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis and completed her general surgery residency at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, MO.  After completion of her medical training, she joined the faculty at Washington University as Assistant Professor of Surgery and was the Surgery Clerkship Director.  Valerie moved to Portland, OR in 2008 to be closer to her family, as a native from the Pacific Northwest. 

Valerie has a strong commitment to community service and volunteered as a “Big” with Big Brothers Big Sisters for 20 years.  She serves on the board of Self Enhancement, Inc., a non-profit organization in Portland that focuses on youth development. 

Valerie loves the outdoors including hiking, biking, paddle board, and kayaking.  In addition she enjoys soccer, waterskiing and downhill skiing!

Andrew McClure (he/him)

Board Member

Andrew McClure is Director of Quality Improvement for the health plans associated with Cambia Health Solutions, which include the Regence, Asuris and BridgeSpan brands.  In that role, he is responsible for leading and supporting the company’s goals to achieve the highest levels of quality performance as measured by external regulators, accounts and independent accreditors.  He is passionate about collaborating within the health plans and with the delivery system to improve the quality of care and service Cambia’s member receive. His efforts have led to the Cambia Health Plans scoring at the four- or five-star level in a Quality Program overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Prior to moving to Northeast Portland in 2018, he lived in New Hampshire where he did similar work for several health plans based in New England, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Tufts Health Plan. 

In New England, Andrew was an active volunteer with youth sports organizations in his community, and he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics.  He developed a love for the wilderness by hiking and camping in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where he learned how the powerful experiences that come from outdoor challenges can be transforming.  With his move to Oregon, he continues to challenge himself mountaineering in the Cascades and experiencing the Pacific Northwest wilderness through canoeing, cycling and fishing, among other activities.

Henry Morse Jr.

Board Co-Chair

Henry Morse Jr. is retired from the business world, having spent his career in the energy industry working for a gas and electric utility, and a natural gas pipeline company. He currently serves on several non-profit Boards. He has served on various Outward Bound School Boards in the US since 1998, including the former Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, the Northwest Outward Bound School, Outward Bound USA and the Outward Bound Services Group. When the Northwest Outward Bound School was founded in 2011, he served as one of the initial volunteer Executive Director trio during its start up. He currently serves as the representative from the USA on the OB International Board. In addition to traveling with his wife Terry, Henry spends his time in many outdoor activities. He annually undertakes multi week backpacking trips, in addition to skiing, hiking, kayaking and golf. When the weather keeps him indoors, he is a fine woodworker.

Scott South

Finance Committee Chair

Scott South is owner of Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, an international manufacturer of data acquisition instrumentation for environmental monitoring and control applications. He is also President of South Wind Development, a company focused on real estate development and investing in start-up ventures. Scott co-founded and led the start-up phase of Stormwater Management, Inc., a manufacturer of water treatment systems for urban water runoff. He was also the CFO that led Hollywood Video’s start-up and growth phase and took the company public. Scott started his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and was a CPA and manager for the firm. Scott is active with various non-profit boards.

Melanie Stagnitti (she/her)

Board Secretary, Governance Committee Chair

Melanie Stagnitti has over 25 years of Human Resources experience with demonstrated ability to develop & implement strategy, drive change, manage complex global projects, creatively manage international work teams, and achieve results at all levels of the organization. Recognized for strong business acumen, possibility thinking, a broad external HR network, Board & Comp Committee experience, and a collaborative style.  She is a trained profession with an MS in Human Resource Management and a graduate of The RBL’s Group HR Executive Leadership program.

Having grown up in the PNW, Melanie grew up backpacking in the Cascade Mountains starting at age 6.  She has summited most of the peaks, backpacked many of the trails and continues to explore the outdoors with her friends and family.  Her community involvement has included being a Board member of Adelante Mujeres for 5 years, a local non-profit focused on empowering Latina women through education and experiences, as well as helping to start the Forest Grove Community school, a place-based charter school now in its 15^th year of operation.

Melanie has always been a huge fan of NWOBS, starting from when she was in college and attended a new instructor training course.  The philosophy, focus on leadership in the outdoors and the connection with her home (the PNW) all made NWOBS an organization she has always admired.  So, when the opportunity came up to contribute at the Board level, she couldn't pass it up. 

Mark Waller

Board Member

Mark Waller started BridgeWorks Capital in 1985.  Since its inception, Mark has helped capitalized and commercialized technology from national labs, medical schools and technology innovators and has also has supported many companies in renewable energy, software, natural resources and assorted additional verticals.  Mark served as a founding board member and then Chairman of GE’s solar manufacturing division, GE Primestar, from 2008-2011.

Mark has served on many area and regional non-profit Boards including  Portland Habitat for Humanity, Self-Enhancement Inc., Maitripa College, the National University of Natural Medicine, The Oregon Environmental Council, Clackamas Women’s Services, Northwest Outward-Bound School, Lake Oswego Rotary and the Friends of the Columbia Gorge.

Mark attended Reed College in Portland.

Mark is an avid mountaineer, is part of the Mt. Hood Ski Patrol and an accomplished hiker, spiritualist and former private pilot. Mark has had the honor of hosting the Dalai Llama in Portland. 

Karen Westing (she/her)

Board Member

Karen Westing is a professional storyteller and cross-sector leader with more than twenty years of experience developing and leading marketing, communications and public relations campaigns. She is passionate about nurturing storytelling cultures in organizations and creating digital media campaigns. Her current role is VP of Marketing & Communications with Philanthropy Northwest, one of the largest and most innovating philanthropic networks in the country. She’s previously worked in the government, non-profit and digital advertising spaces. 

She developed a passion for the outdoors during an Outward Bound semester course while in her senior year at Washington College, and became a full-time Outward Bound instructor following graduation. Originally from Baltimore, she moved to Seattle nearly 20 years ago  inspired by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest  and often spends her weekends hiking, camping, kayaking or snowshoeing  She's also an enthusiastic Orioles baseball fan and is happy to spot more and more O's hats popping up in Seattle.