March I 2 . 2003
®J|e Jlortlanò (Observer
Page A3
U rb a n L ea g u e G ets N ew P resid en t
continued
from Front
I I IV P1V U 1 O 1 1 T Y 7 U l l i V I V l I l
finding homes for low-income resi
dents.
“It was the hardest job I’ve ever
had," Gaston said. “Every day I’d
come to work and see these people
with nothing to eat and nowhere to
sleep.”
Although her jo b gave her a great
deal o f respect and apprec iation for
the hard work done by social ser
vices employees, Gaston said it was
discouraging because the center
was always full to capacity and it
was hard to turn people away each
day.
When a position handling geri
atric admissions for Western State
Hospital, a government-run mental
hospital in Washington, opened
up, Gaston jum ped at the chance.
"M ental health was something 1
had never done before," she said.
“To see people institutionalized will
really open your eyes.”
Her job working the intake desk
P hoto by W ynde dyer / the P ortland observe !
at Western brought her into con
Vanessa Gaston, the new president and chief executive officer for the Urban League o f Portland,
tact with mentally ill people with
talks with Oregon Health and Science University's Richard Loudd about the HIV/AIDS awareness
limited resources, sometimes with
program and community outreach program he operates for the Urban League.
out any family support networks
and often times no access to medi
"It was busy work and it was grams to the developmental side. tive arena at the capitol in Olympia
cation.
hard work,” she said. “But at the When the Clinton Administration where she designed two welfare
She said she liked the job, but end o f the day I went home and I implemented the Welfare Reform reform policies - the Work First
wanted to do more. So she went knew I’d really helped someone.” Act in 1997, Gaston became a wel Sanction Policy and the Limited
back to school, enrolling at Ever
Her peers and supervisors rec fare reform coordinator for the state English Pathway - to sanction
green State University, where she ognized her leadership skills and of Washington. She was respon welfare recipients who were not
earned a degree in Organizational began assigning her to the tasks sible to developing local policies actively seeking work and to help
Development in 1995. While in that no one else wanted to tackle. for reform, training staff and edu immigrants and refugees navigate
school, Gaston worked as a finan W hen she did well, she was pro cating the community about wel
complex federal, state and local re
cial case manager for Washington moted to assistant supervisor and fare reform.
sources to gain self-sufficiency.
State’s Department o f Social and then supervisor of the department’s
“At that time there was a total
Gaston then took a job as Deputy
Health Services. She determined financial offices.
change in mind set about how we Administrator for W ashington’s
eligibility for welfare services for
“My career just skyrocketed,” were doing things," Gaston said. largest community service organi
low-income residents. It was this Gaston said.
“All o f a sudden these people who zation in Seattle. She ran the office,
jo b that finally sunk the htwk for
Her success gave her the oppor were receiving welfare needed as managed the staff and budget and
Gaston to stay in social services for tunity to move on from the opera sistance in getting o ff it.”
did community outreach for an ex
the long haul.
tional side o f social services pro
Gaston moved into the legisla tremely diverse office. Her clients
Reward I f
Offered in Lent L
School Arson J,
guages and her staff at least 20.
“I had to learn to wear many
different hats at that jo b ,” Gaston
said. “In the end 1 realized that I
wanted something a little more fo
cused.”
Obtaining a M aster’s Degree in
Public Administration from Wash
ington State University gave her
that chance. When she interviewed
in front o fa 13-member panel for her
position as Assistant Superinten
dent at Washington Soldiers Home
and Colony in Orting, Wash., a
She was being considered for
the S u p e rin te n d e n t’s p o sitio n
when the position at the Urban
League of Portland opened up.
"I remembered my work in the
Department of Social Services and
how much I enjoyed that work,"
Gaston said. "Helping people is
what 1 really have a passion for and
everything 1 had learned elsewhere
will allow me to focus on that here.”
At the end o f a seven-month
selection process, Gaston is very
happy to be settling into her new
Helping people is what I really
have a passion fo r and everything I
had learned elsewhere will allow me
to focus on that here.
—Vanessa Gaston, on her new Job as President and
CEO of the Urban League of Portland
home that provides human services
and long-term care for Veterans,
Gaston never thought she would
get the job.
“I had no experience in long
term care whatsoever,” she said.
"But I guess they were impressed.”
Gaston was second in charge at
the 10-building, 183-acre,24-hour
care facility with 183 residents and
174 s ta ff m em bers. She said
W ashington's Veteran’s Affairs is
unique in that it is a revenue-gener
ating operation. The Soldiers Home
actually operated like a business in
that by keeping the beds full and
fundraising, it was able to make
money to provide services to get
veterans back on their feet.
“I really learned a lot there,"
job, where she will be responsible
lor the overall management o f the
office, budget and staff.
She will represent the Urban
League in fundraising endeavors
in the community and help the
League continue to serve seniors,
at-risk youth and promote economic
development for African Am eri
cans and other minorities.
Gaston said she is pleased to be
close enough to her family in W ash
ington and plans to stay in Portland
until there is nothing else to learn
and no more work to do.
“I have worked m yself up from
the b o tto m to th e top ra th e r
quickly,” she said. "I think now I am
at a place where 1 would like to be for
aw hile.”
C lin ic s O f f e r F r e e E y e T e sts
March is National Save Y our Vision Month and to
celebrate the Pacific University College of Optometry
Vision Centers, including a site in northeast Portland,
are providing free vision screenings for children and
adults o f all ages.
The tests are available throughout the month of
March. Normal vision function is critical in the devel
opment o f teaming skills for infants and children.
Screening take about 30 minutes and provide impor
tant information about clarity of vision, eye health,
and eye coordination - factors that are essential for
good vision and healthy eyes.
Screenings are especially beneficial for younger
children whose learning skills - such as reading and
writing - and self-esteem in the classroom depend on
good vision and healthy eyes. Screenings are also
available for area schools, businesses and community
organizations through Pacific’s of-site screening pro
gram.
For more information, call 503-352-2020.
ARSO#
Portland Fire Department arson investigators
post a $55,000 reward for information leading
to an arrest in an arson fire at Lent School on
the front doors o f the building last week.
Flyers were also sent home with all Lent
students. Arson investigators have received
over two dozen leads and public tips since last
month's fire caused more than $2 million
damage to the school at 5105 S.E. 97th.
M ark W ashington /
T he P ortland O bserver
photo by
Övre
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Attention
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Pork Shoulder
Country Style Ribs
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seniors age 6 0 and over
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SAVE up to $1.29 lb.
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Sun I Mon | Tue | Wea | Thur
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