Our Articles of Incorporation established ORRC as a nonprofit registered in Oregon State, run by a Board of Directors elected by our Members. We rely on members to help us operate the club — so if you are a member, please vote in our elections. Enough members — a quorum — must participate in voting for the election to be valid.
Board members have 2-year commitments. ORRC encourages and welcomes a diversity of ages, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, etc. on the board.
How ORRC Elections Work
Elections are conducted online. Nominations for elected positions are accepted up to a deadline announced in advance of the election date, usually about 14 days before elections open. Nominations are only valid if the nominee is a current member in good standing consenting to the nomination.
Members receive an email with a link to the ORRC ballot and can respond during the election period, typically five days.
Any current ORRC member can vote. Family memberships can vote twice.
Candidates are elected to the board, and then the newly elected board members appoint the officers of the club for the following year (President, Treasurer, VP of Race Operations, and Secretary). Board members serve 2-year terms, but terms across the board are staggered with the intention of preventing too much turnover any given year.
ORRC encourages and welcomes a diversity of ages, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, etc. on the board. Board candidates must be current ORRC members. If you are nominating someone else you must also be a current ORRC member.
To be elected the following must take place:
- A quorum of at least 50 members must vote (or 10% of eligible voting members, whichever is less), and
- A candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast
ORRC 2026 Elections for 2027 Directors
When: December 2-6, 2026
How: Online. Members will be sent an email with a link to the ORRC ballot on December 2, 2026. The ballot will close at midnight on December 6, 2026
Who Can Vote: Any current ORRC member. Family memberships can vote twice
Elections for ORRC Board Members
The current ORRC Board of Directors has 11 members: President, Tracy Reisinger; VP Race Operations, Carrie Fleisher; Treasurer, Debbie Hall; Secretary, Valerie Pratt; At Large Members, Deb Brown, Joe Casanova, Susan Cooper, Adnan Muranovic, Joel Phillips, Julia Reisinger and Mark Takizawa
At the end of December, 2026, two of those members (Valerie Pratt and Mark Takizawa) will be stepping down. At this time there are five volunteers who are running to join, or stay on the board. Carrie Fleisher has agreed to run for another two-year term, and four others (Yasmine Branden, Cynthia Esparza, Nancy Fisher and Penrhynn Johnston) have volunteered to each serve a two-year term on the board if they are elected by the membership.
If these five are elected to serve on the board as at-large members, that would result in the board having 13 members starting in January 2027. We can have up to 20 board members, so currently there is no limit for how many you can vote for on the ballot. ORRC encourages and welcomes a diversity of ages, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, etc. on the board.
Meet the Candidates!
Yasmine Branden – 2-year term
Yasmine has been a participant in 1200 Club for 2 years (those miles add up quickly!). After saying she’d never do a half marathon, she completed the Mt Rainier Half in July saying she did it “to take advantage of the scenery.” She enjoys the walker-friendly attitude of the club. “I can run-walk the events, and not feel pressure to be faster or more serious about personal times.”
Cynthia Esparza – 2-year term
Cynthia was born and raised in Oregon, is the mother of two adult daughters and grandmother to a granddaughter. Surrounding herself with nature and animals is her happy place. She works in nutrition education and clinical nutrition, and currently serves as a Community Nutrition Coordinator, providing nutrition education to adolescents, as well as maintaining a part time telehealth nutrition practice. Running came later in life, when her daughters were in their late teens, allowing her to take time for herself and challenge her body. Being a part of ORRC allows her to stay connected to the running community and volunteer her time with an organization that supports runners and promotes community involvement. “I would be honored to serve as a board member and contribute to the continued success of ORRC. In Wellness”
Nancy Fisher – 2-year term
Nancy has always loved adventures in nature—biking, hiking, camping, and then, after she turned 40, with the encouragement of a few sisters involved in the ORRC, running.
She had the impression that she wasn’t a “real runner” since she wasn’t an elite level athlete in middle/high school, and her sisters assured her that the ORRC is for everyone, and she didn’t need to worry about pace—just getting started and having fun. Soon after, Nancy joined the ORRC, and she was hooked. This club of positive community, encouragement, a variety of distances and events, and fun soon created friendships and many memories. Nancy has run countless 10k’s, half marathons, and a dozen marathons, including Boston and New York. She is currently a member of a few different run clubs, and she also volunteers and encourages newer runners as a pacer.
Carrie Fleisher – 2-year term
Carrie is currently the ORRC Volunteer Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, VP of Race Operations, and race director for several events, including Pumpkin Ridge and Turkey Trot. She has been walking and running since 2011 when she joined a Portland To Coast team, and loves running/walking events, including half marathons, and the overall support and encouragement from the race participants.
Penrhynn Johnston – 2-year term
Penrhynn lives in Forest Grove, is married, and a mother of 2 young adults. She wasn’t always a runner, but found it later in life, starting running about 10 years ago, mostly for health benefits and because all she needed was a pair of shoes. “I never really saw myself as an athlete before running since I had many health challenges as a kid, and I have asthma. Now I know that I am, and anyone can be.” It has taught her so much about herself and about life and “given me confidence as I’ve never had before.” She really enjoys the running community and how accepting and encouraging it can be. She also feels passionate about health, being active, and the outdoors “and running combines all of these things.” She has had so much fun running in ORRC events and was surprised to find that volunteering is just as much fun. “One of my favorite jobs is handing out socks.” She wants to be more involved to help the club be successful and bring the joy of running to others.
