Sarah is the founder and Executive Director of Thrive Central Oregon. She has worked in social services in Central Oregon for the last 15 years, finding incredible fulfillment in connecting people to the resources they are seeking. Sarah has called Central Oregon home for the last 20 years. 

Allie grew up in Portland, Oregon, and moved over to the Bend area in 2023. She has more than 10 years of experience working with special needs children at DHS and is currently working towards her bachelor's degree in accounting. In her spare time, she enjoys river tubing in Sunriver with her husband and three kids!

Megan is originally from Poulsbo, WA and attended the University of Washington where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Sociology and Spanish. After college, she moved to Costa Rica where she first served as a TEFL volunteer in the Peace Corps and then went on to teach at a private bilingual high school. She recently moved from Costa Rica to Bend with her two dogs to be closer to family. When she’s not working at Thrive, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, yoga, and being outdoors. 

Karla has lived in Central Oregon for 8 years. She has an Associates degree in Criminal Justice from Central Oregon Community College and a Bachelor's degree in American Studies from Oregon State University. She is currently in the process of obtaining a Mental Health certification and preparing the road to apply for law school in hopes to become an immigration lawyer. Karla enjoys building healthy relationships with members of her community and is passionate about justice, mental health, and rights for immigrants. Karla loves teaching Zumba, Martial Arts, and self-confidence classes for women and children.

Oswaldo grew up in Nicaragua. He loves traveling which has led him to live in China and New York City, before finally settling down in Oregon in 2016. He loves trying good food and building new relationships wherever he goes. When he is not at work, he loves to go fishing, playing rugby and cooking meals for friends.

Rachel grew up in the suburbs of Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2017. Rachel then moved across the country with her partner and cat Dixie to Bend, Oregon in December of 2019 in order to be closer to the mountains and ocean. Rachel is a strong believer in human rights and has a passion for creating a more inclusive, healthy, and compassionate community. In her free time, she enjoys bike riding, cooking, reading, and doing yoga.

Arriana is an enrolled member and citizen of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.  Arriana is passionate about helping her community learn how they can empower themselves and their families. When she isn't at work she enjoys exploring new food, spending time in the woods, puzzles, and spending time with family. 

Peter grew up in the Bay Area before studying Economics and Latin American Studies at Tulane University in New Orleans. He spent a year abroad surfing and studying in Valparaiso, Chile. After graduating, he worked as an apprentice carpenter in Big Sur and a middle school Spanish teacher and soccer coach in New Orleans. Peter moved to Bend in 2022 and enjoys the many outdoor activities such as snowboarding and mountain biking.

Britta grew up in the city of Chicago and started moving gradually west after high school. With a degree in Studio Art from St. Olaf College and a Masters in Social Work from Portland State University, she believes that the combined power of creativity and empathy can change the world. Britta worked with Thrive from 2017-2020, and rejoined the team in 2022 to provide phone-based services to the Central Oregon community she has become so close to. In her free time, she plugs through an infinite list of things she loves doing: making food, being outside, developing new craft skills, foraging, hiking, kayaking, gardening... it's endless. 

Sophie grew up in Fort Collins, Colorado and attended Gonzaga University where she earned a Bachelor’s of Arts and Sciences in Sociology and Criminology. She is very passionate about mental health and disability advocacy and has been grateful for her experiences serving individuals with disabilities both in Colorado and Washington. In her free time, she likes spending time with friends, listening to live music, and hanging out on the water.

​Danica graduated from Southern Utah University with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology. During her time in Utah, she gained a passion for creative writing, philosophy, and literature. Before moving to Oregon, Danica worked with youth where she discovered a passion for systems advocacy. She moved to the area with her partner and cat and looks forward to exploring the beautiful scenery of Central Oregon.

Maya grew up in San Jose, CA and has always enjoyed volunteering with her family to help those in need. She loves being able to connect with folks, both English and Spanish speaking, and was so excited to learn that Thrive was looking for bilingual people to join their team. Maya loves finding ways to connect with the community around her through food, music, especially a fun karaoke spot, and anything else that gets her out of the house and gives her the opportunity to meet new people,

Katie is enjoying her first time in the beautiful PNW! She graduated from Carleton College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology and is passionate about serving local communities and helping to form accepting spaces. Katie enjoys traveling, exploring outdoors, and spending quality time with loved ones. She is serving at Thrive as a year-long volunteer through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Public Health AmeriCorps programs. 

Katy grew up in eastern Massachusetts and recently graduated from The University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor's degree in Public Health and Spanish with a particular passion for environmental and community health. She was heavily involved in Alzheimer’s Awareness and Engineers Without Borders student organizations during her time at UMass. Katy enjoys basketball, baking, and pottery and is very excited to explore the PNW. She is serving at Thrive as a year-long volunteer through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Public Health Americorps programs.