Staff Spotlight: RH
RH came to Sustainable Northwest with a background in community organizing and rural development, having spent several years working with underserved communities in eastern Oregon on issues ranging from broadband access to workforce training. That experience gave RH a deep appreciation for the challenges and opportunities facing rural communities in the Pacific Northwest, and a belief that environmental and economic goals do not have to be in conflict.
At Sustainable Northwest, RH supports cross-program coordination, helping to ensure that the organization’s work in forests, ranching, clean energy, and water is aligned and mutually reinforcing. RH plays a key role in stakeholder engagement, facilitating conversations between landowners, agency partners, Tribal nations, and community leaders to find common ground on complex natural resource issues.
RH is especially interested in the role that storytelling plays in conservation. “Data and science are essential, but they are not always what moves people,” RH says. “When a rancher tells you about the creek that dried up on their property, or a family forest owner describes watching their trees burn, those stories carry weight. Part of my job is making sure those voices are heard in the rooms where decisions get made.”
Outside of work, RH is an avid musician, a home cook who grows most of the household’s vegetables, and a dedicated volunteer with a local land trust. RH holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Oregon.