MCREN Leadership Team
We invite you to learn about our talented team!
Kelli Shurtliff
MCREN Coordinator
Kelli Shurtliff (she/her) brings a wealth of experience with over 24 years in education, including significant leadership roles as both a principal and HR administrator in both Multnomah and Clackamas County school districts.
Her roots as an educator are in special education and ensuring each student has access to rigorous and inclusive learning environments. She also served as a professional development specialist, instructional coach and has the unique perspective of having worked at elementary, middle, and high school level as well as central office.
She is driven by the belief that belonging, relationships and elevating the voices of those most impacted by decisions are at the heart of thriving school communities. Her work is regarded for instructional improvement and fostering inclusive and collaborative school environments. In her role as an HR associate director, she led key initiatives focused on educator recruitment, retention, and professional development, always with a strong emphasis on equity and advancing racial and social justice. Her leadership in both instructional and operational settings makes her uniquely suited to guide this team through its next chapter.
Outside of work she enjoys time with her family hiking, biking and camping and traveling the world.
Erin Bray
Continuous Improvement & Design Facilitator
Erin Bray (she/her) is a Continuous Improvement & Design Facilitator for the Multnomah-Clackamas Regional Educator Network (MCREN).
Although Erin spent the first 13 years of—what she assumed would be her lifelong career— teaching high school English in the Portland area, her path in education was unexpectedly altered in 2012 when she attended her first Human-Centered Design (HCD) workshop. She was immediately energized by HCD’s potential as both a vehicle for deeper learning experiences in the classroom and as a set of tools and mindsets that could catalyze and support educators in designing more equitable, relevant, and connected schools, as a whole.
After leaving David Douglas High School, Erin spent 5 years working as a Teacher Delight Specialist and Student Design Challenge Facilitator at a local educational nonprofit.
Erin believes wholeheartedly in the creative power of educators to be changemakers within the system of education. She is delighted to support educator teams in designing, testing, and spreading improvement in our region.
Bianca Espinosa
Lead New Mentor Facilitator
Bianca Espinosa (she/her/ella) is the Lead New Educator Mentor Facilitator for MCREN.
Bianca comes to the REN with an educational career as a high school teacher, and as a full-release Mentor for new educators. She is fresh from co-leading a Mentor Program in the Portland area, and is excited for the opportunity to grow Mentoring Programs in the region. She is passionate about supporting new and experienced educators as they grow their practice, explore their leadership potential, and most importantly, to support students and communities to thrive. Bianca is active in creating and nurturing the empowerment, support and engagement of Educators of Color for their gifts and liberatory practices in school communities.
As a graduate of the Clackamas County Public School System, and a resident of Multnomah County, she is honored to serve in the communities in which she grew up and where she currently lives. She knows the importance of the public educational experience as it was modeled by her Mom, a master educator in Marion County, Oregon; she hopes it is modeled for her two young daughters!
Bianca loves laughing and learning with her family and friends, and seeks out making meaningful relationships in and outside of the local community; she also spends her time being creative and making mischief…
Kelly Vander Lay
Research, Data and Evaluation Consultant
Kelly Vander Ley (she/her/hers) is the Research, Data and Evaluation Consultant for MCREN.
Kelly is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations through program research and evaluation, professional development, and technical assistance. She brings over 20 years of experience supporting community partners and state and federal agencies in their endeavors to promote health equity through strategic planning, community collaboration, and data-informed decision making to the MCREN team. Kelly is excited to embark on this new journey with the MCREN, applying her skills and talents using principles of participatory research and continuous improvement learning to understanding the systemic and structural biases embedded in the education system and creating intentional change through the implementation and evaluation of racial equity programs, policies, and practices.
Kelly earned a doctoral degree in Medical and Clinical Psychology. She uses this foundation to explore the world around her from the intersection of social, biological, and psychological factors. In addition to spending time with her two daughters Kelly stays grounded in her own headspace by running, weightlifting, reading, and motivating her lawn to grow.
Kelsey Bowers
Culture and Climate Lead Project Manager
I am very passionate about education, especially equitable education. Being a part of the work of the REN is one step to building a more equitable space for the young people who are in our education system, and I am honored and excited to be a part of this important shift.
I have worked in education for 16 years, I spent the majority teaching middle school English and student leadership, I was a high school activities director and student leadership advisor, then spent five years as a New Educator mentor, and am currently in my second year as Vice Principal for Portland Evening and Summer Scholars, and alternative program through Portland Public Schools.
As a bi-racial woman, who grew up in Portland and experienced public education, I want to make the experiences of our students, particularly our students of color, a positive, engaging, and meaningful one.
Megan Lee
Strategic Partnerships Manager
Megan Lee (she/her/hers) is the Strategic Partnerships Manager for MCREN.
With roots in the fields of Communications and Public Health for Marginalized Populations, Megan believes that the core of the educational experience lies in authentic relationships with the self and with others. Originally from the east coast, Megan has been involved in community health, education, and program administration in Oregon for 20 years, serving in numerous capacities.
A teacher first and foremost, Megan taught Nutrition, Communications, and English at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Her passion for holistic wellbeing and the social determinants of health led her to community outreach in health education, and most recently to North Clackamas School District, where she focused on the development, implementation and administration of their Employee Wellness Program for nearly 8 years. She has also worked as a program developer and thought partner for organizations focusing on equitable access to education, health and human services, namely IMPACT Northwest, WIC, and Portland Youth Builders.
Megan earned a BA in Communications from Emerson College, An MS in Applied Nutrition/Public Health from Northeastern University, and maintains certifications in Nutritional Psychology, Health and Sexuality Education, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belong. She has been on the Selection Committee for the American Public Health Association’s Annual Summit since 2013.
Laura Goodman
Administrator Support Project Lead
Laura Goodman (she/her/hers) is the Administrator Support Project Lead for the MCREN.
Laura has been in education for over thirty years in many different capacities. She hopes to bring her experience to support educators across the region. She is passionate about equity, inclusion and culturally responsive practices that provide all students with the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.
Prior to joining the MCREN, she was an Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator/Administrator, with CESD, across the Clackamas County region and a member of the statewide Community Inclusion team. Before that, she was an Elementary school principal of a school that had many community partners such as Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN) and Juntos Aprendemos with Latino Network . Laura also served as a Districtwide Special Education Consultant, Special Education teacher and Team Leader, an elementary classroom teacher, a Head Start teacher and an English Language teacher in France. Laura has a Masters in Special Education and a Professional Administrator’s license.
She was born and raised in New York and has lived in Portland, Oregon for over twenty five years. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and friends and enjoys bicycling, hiking, skiing, kayaking, swimming, yoga, reading and traveling the world.
Jillian Hamilton
Program Operations Specialist
Jillian Hamilton (she/her) is the Program Operations Specialist for MCREN.
With a background in education and operations, Jillian brings a passion for helping others, keeping teams organized, improving processes, and enhancing collaboration. She is a problem solver, consistently seeking ways to increase efficiency while ensuring her team and partners remain at the forefront of her efforts.
Before transitioning to customer experience and operations, Jillian began her career in education, where she developed strong skills in communication, adaptability, and relationship building. Her most cherished experience has been working with children with disabilities, particularly those between the ages of 3 and 5.
Jillian is a lifelong learner and believes in the power of growth and continuous improvement. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and has completed graduate coursework in Special Education.
Outside of work, she enjoys long nature walks with her husband, two daughters, and golden retriever, as well as movie nights with popcorn and chocolate chips, and family outings to the local coffee shop.
