Thank You For Joining Us & Author Cheryl Strayed

Thank you for joining us for an unforgettable morning at the HopeBuilder Breakfast, featuring author Cheryl Strayed. We will post videos and photos, shortly. If you couldn’t make it, it’s not too late to make a donation to Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East. Funds raised will be used to build and repair homes for local families and individuals in need of decent, affordable places to call home.

Where & When

Cheryl Strayed

Keynote Speaker

Cheryl Strayed is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling memoir WILD, the New York Times bestsellers TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS and BRAVE ENOUGH, and the novel TORCH. Her books have been translated into forty languages around the world. WILD was chosen by Oprah Winfrey as her first selection for Oprah’s Book Club 2.0. The Oscar-nominated movie adaptation of WILD stars Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl and Laura Dern as Cheryl’s mother, Bobbi. The film was directed by Jean-Marc Vallée, with a screenplay by Nick Hornby. Strayed’s essays have been published in The Best American Essays, the New York Times, the Washington Post Magazine, Vogue, Salon, The Sun, Tin House, and elsewhere. Strayed was the co-host, along with Steve Almond, of the WBUR podcast Dear Sugars Radio, which originated with her popular Dear Sugar advice column on The Rumpus. Strayed holds an MFA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

For more information on this speaker, please visit www.prhspeakers.com

Steve Messinetti

CEO

Steve began his 25-year Habitat for Humanity career working at Habitat’s International headquarters in Georgia. Since taking the helm at Habitat in Portland 15 years ago, the organization has tripled the number of people served annually, and currently has plans to triple this number again over the next three years. Under Steve’s leadership, Habitat has been recognized as the Green Home Builder of the Year by Earth Advantage, one of Portland Business Journal’s Most Admired Nonprofits, and received the Rotary Oregon Ethics in Business Award. Steve currently serves as vice chair of the US Council of Habitat International and is an active member of numerous local housing committees.

Heather and James Lewis

Habitat for Humanity Homebuyer

Heather and James live in NE Portland with their three teenage boys, James, Dylon, and Bobbe, and their 3-year-old daughter, Selena. James works as a Large Store Account Manager at Coca Cola. After renting a home with a leaky roof and mold issues, they are excited to purchase a clean, safe, and stable home where their kids can feel secure and learn to take care of their new home.

Lluvia Merello

Habitat Homeowner

Lluvia purchased her Habitat home in 2016. As a social worker and business owner, she helps families and young adults find stability. Lluvia and her son Ahmad discussed adding foster children to their family. By 2017, they welcomed a total of five children for a short period of time. Lluvia is now working with young adults with her business, Indigenous Come Up.

Brenda Braxton

Emcee

Brenda Braxton is a morning and noon anchor for KGW TV in Portland. Brenda loves her community, devoting time volunteering with organizations like the American Heart Association, Raphael House, and Self Enhancement, Inc.

Nina Byrd

Habitat for Humanity Ambassador Council

Nina is a corporate strategist specializing in complex problem-solving. Her mission is to elevate the brand experience through the integration of business and creative strategies. Her portfolio spans from app startups to international brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Verizon, and Meals on Wheels. Nina’s knack for identifying critical solutions and integrating non-traditional teams produces balanced, high impact and more purposeful work. This year marks Nina’s 15th year of building homes and serving on boards for Habitat for Humanity.

The Event