Steve wilkinson
Executive director
Steve is a longtime Portland resident, an active musician, business owner, and has an extensive background in non-profit outreach and event management. He has experienced two very different sides of the houseless crisis: he lived in his car for five months while in college and is currently a homeowner and landlord. He is excited to be a part of Operation Nightwatch and hopes to share his experience of bringing people together to explore creative ways to provide immediate attention to those in need. Steve has two dogs, Olive and Hugo, and enjoys traveling with them in their van throughout the Pacific Northwest.
KOLIN BUSBY, LCSW
MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTOR
Kolin Busby (he/him/his) serves as Mental Health Director and supports our guests at our Downtown Hospitality Center and out in the community where our guests reside. He provides trauma-informed crisis counseling, solution-focused brief therapy, and works with guests to address ambivalence to change. He offers strengths-based support to guests who do not typically engage with traditional mental healthcare services. He is available throughout the night for any guest at any time. He is also working to expand our mental health services to include more alternative therapeutic enrichment activities such as art, music, and meditation to better support our diverse population of guests.
susan turnbow program manager
Susan Turnbow (she/her/hers) serves as the Program Manager for Operation Nightwatch. Susan ensures that service runs smoothly, not only with needed supplies, meals and volunteers, but also by providing compassion and emotional support to Nightwatch’s guest community. She is focused on making sure everyone feels safe and comfortable while maintaining a feeling of comradery between the volunteers and guests. Susan also manages our weekly group specifically for women and other guests of marginalized genders who face even greater trauma and challenges beyond what men endure on the streets.
Frankie Coan
Mental Health SpECIALIST
Frankie started volunteering with Operation Nightwatch in 2020. Over that time, he developed an abundance of meaningful relationships. This was done through playing games, sharing meals, watching movies and a lot of talks about life and how to navigate through its challenges. His fundamental goal is to maintain these meaningful relationships by communicating compassionately and honestly, cultivating trust and stability and empathetically listening to our patrons to understand them and provide the best support he can.
john rezende-shalom
Mental Health SpECIALIST
John has worked in mental health as a case manager since 2015 and is enrolled in the MSW program at Portland State University. At Operation Nightwatch, John helps coordinate volunteers and operations. Having started at Operation Nightwatch in October 2023, John is working on relationship building with guests and helping them on identified needs.
Brian Willet
peer support speciaLIST
Brian is a service-connected disabled US Army veteran with a background primarily in emergency medicine and street-level crisis intervention. He works to build one-on-one relationships with guests, offers peer mental health support, and supports staff in serving guests in whatever capacity needed. Brian brings to the team his lived experiences including homelessness, overcoming severe mental health issues and addiction.
Judy johnson
co-chair
Judy Johnson practiced law for over 35 years before retiring in 2018. She began to volunteer at Nightwatch over twelve years ago, and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Board. She is excited to be a part of Nightwatch, and to work with and support an organization that she sees as striving to support members of Portland's unhoused community. Judy also serves on the board of Agape Village and is a past member of the board of the National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI)-Oregon.
Maureen Hagen
Co-CHair
Maureen Hagen is from Rochester, NY. ABD, Columbia University (International Relations & Middle East Studies). She is a former Peace Corps Volunteer (Morocco) and undergraduate professor. Maureen moved to Oregon in 1992 and was ordained as a deacon in 2004. She is currently serving at St. Stephen's Episcopal Parish and began volunteering weekly at Operation Nightwatch in September of 2017. Maureen joined the Operation Nightwatch Board of Directors in 2019. Her interests are travel (60 countries), languages (5+), and meeting people from different cultures.
david groff
vice chair
David Groff began volunteering at Operation Nightwatch in 1993. A retired college administrator and professor, he has served on the Operation Nightwatch Board of Directors on and off since 2000.
Ted Pelletier
board member
Ted and his wife live in downtown Portland near St Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Living in this location often brings him in contact with members of the population from which Nightwatch draws its guests. Having had extensive experience in the past volunteering at a soup kitchen and food pantry, he recently started volunteering with Nightwatch. To him, it has been a great opportunity and experience offering hospitality to guests and has affirmed the value of the program. He has not only been able to provide comfort and service to the guests, but he has also received their offers of conversation and friendship. He looks forward to participating in the planning, decisions, and support of the program to ensure its continued ability to serve Portland’s houseless community.
Chris shimamoto
board member
Chris Shimamoto is the owner of The Barrio, a beer and wine social enterprise housed in the Portland Mercado in SE Portland. Chris has an extensive background in business development, having worked at Nike for many years. Chris is also a world traveler and enjoys learning about different cultures. The Barrio is a neighborhood hub, bringing diverse people together, and supporting arts, cultural programming, and business development in partnership with the Portland Mercado.
PRiscila montoya board member
Priscila has a passion for service and has worked in the nonprofit field for a decade, ranging from international women’s healthcare to workforce development. As Secretary of the Board of Directors for Operation Nightwatch, she is excited to work with and support an organization that is a positive part of the community with a compelling mission and presence. Priscila strives to foster the unique legacy of hospitality that Operation Nightwatch has created. Born in Argentina, and grew up in North Carolina, she moved to Portland in 2019 and joined the Operation Nightwatch Board of Directors in January 2024. Priscila enjoys tennis, ballet, and exploring new trails in her spare time with her husband and dogs, Maggie and Milo. Priscila has professional experience in public policy and finance, currently working for Clackamas County.
Braunwynn Franklin
board member
Braunwynn is a Black Woman with lived experience in mental health, incarceration, and multi-generational trauma, which includes racism. She has facilitated, presented, and advocated nationally for peer mental health and prison reform communities and she is dedicated to making a difference in these communities. She has worked with and trained individuals in various settings and in several states on peer support, peer wellness, and other health-related peer services for over 13 years. She has a passion for social justice change within prisons and the justice system as well as the heart to support people in gaining a better quality of life mentally, spiritually, and physically. Braunwynn leads with a calm, wise, and direct manner, both nurturing and encouraging. She is actively serving on three boards in addition to participating on several committees.
Drew stock
board member
Drew Stock has served in multiple volunteer roles in the Portland area, ranging from outreach and content management with STEM education organization iUrban Teen, to leading hiking trail stewardship activities with Trailkeepers of Oregon. He has been inspired by what can be accomplished when people come together to address the challenges facing them, and is looking forward to collaborating with the board, staff, and volunteers of Operation Nightwatch to provide vital resources to all who are in need. Drew has a professional background in event management and technical support, and is currently a Support Engineer with Salesforce.
Jen Zagurski board member
Jen Zagurski (she/her) is a former Operation Nightwatch intern and current volunteer. Her background is in business/insurance and she is currently transitioning into social work. Jen’s area of interest is in mental health and suicide prevention. She is also a volunteer at NW Pilot Project and a crisis counselor through Lines for Life.