The WRC Staff

Bridge Gorrow, Coordinator

"I have been a feminist pretty much since I had to do dishes while my brothers watched football, and was never allowed to mow the lawn or play with cool toys.  Of course, that general sense of discontent didn't become a full-blown life-long commitment to feminist identity and activism until the fire was fueled with education.  So working here, coordinating volunteers, working with students, helping to shape the vision and goals of the center, I get to not only be a professional feminist-maker, but also an educator. It really doesn't get much better. "

Jessica Amo, Assistant Coordinator

"I went to PSU for my graduate degree, and was lucky enough to find myself completing my program's internship at the WRC. Even better, I got to start my new job as WRC Assistant Coordinator in January '08. I spent ten years working in the movement to end violence against women, and was thrilled to have the chance to bring this experience into the inspiring, thoughtful, and engaged world of the WRC. As a domestic & sexual violence advocate I worked in many different settings - nonprofits, police department, research project, living rooms and courtrooms - and each one inspired questions of how to support stronger activism around healthy relationships and families. I'm excited to work with the PSU community to build a connective culture of safety, support, and violence prevention."

Adrienne Graf, Interpersonal Violence Program Coordinator

"I grew up in the Portland area and attended Portland State University for my undergraduate degree. I am so excited to be returning to PSU as a grad student and to have the privilege of working in the Women's Resource Center. Safety from sexual/interpersonal violence, self care, and community building are important to me not only on a personal level but also a professional level as well. Prior to working at the WRC, I was a part of a political sexual assualt support collective, and have been working in the community as a residential counselor at a dual diagnosis group home for the past two years as well as interning as a drug and alchohol counselor for a queer drug and alchohol recovery group. I am committed not only to culturally specific recovery support for the communities that I am involved in, as well as ANYONE experiencing interpersonal violence. Working at the WRC is my dream, come true."

Carmen Anderson, Returning Women Students Program Coordinator

"My name is Carmen Anderson. I am a first generation college student, and single mother of two children. Facilitating the success of women in higher education is what I feel passionate about; honoring PSU's core committment of diversity is something that I have strived to uphold. Bringing women together in the name of success generates strength, support, and leadership. I feel lucky to serve my beloved PSU community as the RWP coordinator. "

Mae Stephenson, Student Assistant Coordinator

" I transfered to PSU as a Women’s Studies major in the fall of 2006, and I'm a first generation college student. I would call myself a total leadership geek, and I have plans to get my Masters in Student Development so I can work in student activities on a college campus for the rest of my life. Before attending PSU, I worked as the assistant to the Student Involvement Coordinator at Seattle Central Community College for two years and as a camp counselor at Washington State Leadership Camps for three years, not to mention the half-dozen elected positions I held my senior year of high school. I have an unusual love for my bookcase and spends all of my leftover student loan money fattening it up. My interests include social change, conscious consumerism, bell hooks, feminism, queer studies, leadership theory, zombies, classic monsters, coffee, bowling, and boggle."

Bianca Fornoni, Student Community Liaison

“I moved to Portland several years ago from Miami, Florida. Never having found a sense of community there, I desperately searched for one on the PSU campus. Thankfully, I didn't have to look very far before I found the Women's Resource Center. Starting as a volunteer, I have truly been given amazing leadership opportunities with co-chairing Take Back the Night and producing The Vagina Monologues. Now, as the student community liaison, I am able to share the joy of creating fun, inspiring, and feminist events within the PSU community.”

Miranda Williamson, Faculty and Department Liaison

“I became passionate about women’s issues after my first Women’s Studies class at San Diego State University. I was so stirred by the topic that I continued to pursue courses in Women’s Studies even when they did not necessarily count towards my degree in Political Science. I found that politics and women’s issues intersect, but the connections were only analyzed in Women’s Studies courses. After completing my Bachelors Degree in Political Science and Women’s Studies, I found myself wanting to continue my education in a way that would lead to a career that would complement my personality and utilize my current degree. That is what led me to the Conflict Resolution Department at Portland State University and the Women’s Resource Center. I began interning at the Women’s Resource Center in September, 2008 and am now happy to hold a position as Community Liaison. I am passionate about the work we do here as community builders and especially, as a future mediator and peace builder, the work we do in violence prevention and creating violence awareness.” 

Christine Jarlstrom, Volunteer Coordinator

“I came to the Women's Resource Center during New Student Week, in hopes of finding a place where I would feel as if I belonged, and I found just that and much more. The wonderful people I've met and the stories I've heard only add to my education towards a degree in Women's Studies. In the future I want to continue my education in the area of public administration or some sort of social justice education. My current passion has been mental health awareness and suicide prevention; I have been so thankful to have such a supportive community and hope to be able to make everyone feel welcomed here as well. I also supplement all this activism with a not-so-secret love for the Disney Channel, which only adds to being the youngin' of the space.”

Sue Kowalski, Office Specialist

Coming soon!