The Columbia Press
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Senate: WHS senior to represent Oregon
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parents from Guatemala and
Mexico. She is the first in her
family to attend high school,
much less college. Alejandra
plans to pursue an education
and career in public policy.
At an early age, she discov-
ered she had a passion for po-
litical advocacy to better her
community.
“Equity is the driving force
behind my extracurricular ac-
tivities and the reason why
I strive to be a leader of the
communities I am a part of,”
she said. “I hope to contin-
ue making a difference in my
school, community, and be-
yond through efforts such as
the Multicultural Club and ad-
vocating for policy that suits
the needs of youth.”
Alejandra is WHS senior
class secretary and secretary
of the National Honor Society.
She is an Astoria Regatta prin-
cess.
She interned with Oregon
House Speaker Pro Tempore
Paul Holvey and recently com-
pleted a position as a Clatsop
County Community Develop-
ment administrative assistant,
helping put together the Clat-
sop County Comprehensive
Plan.
She is co-executive direc-
tor of State of the Students, a
student-led civic organization
working to bridge the gap be-
tween students and elected
officials. As a leading voice for
underrepresented
students
from rural Oregon, she also
served as the school improve-
ment student intern for the
January 21, 2022
Northwest Regional Education
Service District, elevating stu-
dent voices and talking about
problems surrounding educa-
tion in rural school districts.
“I have met many amazing
teachers who have helped me
flourish during high school,
whether it’s guiding me
through the college process or
school work,” she said.
Teachers and administrators
Ian O’Brien, Dan Stein, Dana
McMakin, and Brian Vollner
have been a great support to
her in particular, she said.
Due to the continuing pan-
demic, the 2022 Senate Youth
Program will be held online.
The program was created
in 1962. It’s sponsored by the
U.S. Senate and funded by the
Hearst Foundation.
The goal is to increase young
Americans’ understanding of
the interrelationships of the
three branches of government,
learn the caliber and responsi-
bilities of federally elected and
appointed officials, and em-
phasize the vital importance of
democratic decision-making,
not only for America but for
people around the world.
CMH has two
new doctors
Two new doctors have
joined Columbia Memorial
Hospital, one in the emer-
gency room and one in the
CMH-OHSU Health Cardiol-
ogy Clinic.
Dr. Bassel Be-
itinjaneh earned
his medical and
undergraduate
degrees
from
the University
of Damascus in Beitinjaneh
Syria.
He
complet-
ed three fellow-
ships
through
Oregon Health
and Science Uni-
versity in Port-
land, focusing
Triller
on heart failure,
heart transplants, cardio-
vascular disease and clinical
electrophysiology medicine.
Dr. Michael Triller is as-
signed to the Emergency De-
partment, where he began
working this week as a part-
time provider.
Triller earned his medical
degree from the Universi-
ty of Washington School of
Medicine in Seattle. He also
earned bachelor’s degrees in
Spanish and biology, with a
chemistry minor.
Triller completed a residen-
cy in emergency medicine at
Oregon Health and Science
University in Portland.