About: Resident Experts
Our boss doesn’t like us to be called “guides.” A number of years ago, after getting research questions from reporters and being told that we knew the area better than most, we started preferring the term “Resident Experts” and that is really who we are. There is no easy way to neatly sum up or describe our Resident Experts since they come from all sorts of different backgrounds and walks of life. There is one thing, however, that they all have in common. We all love this area and we have a deep appreciation for the region’s stunning natural beauty and everything that makes the quality of life here in the Pacific Northwest just so truly special.
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David
An Oregonian for over a decade (he’s a New York City native) David is so immersed in his adopted city, he’s become the local go-to guy for interesting facts, haunts, architecture, culinary destinations and more. After leaving a very successful career in technology to “get a life” and travel the world for fun instead of business, David set out to find the perfect place to settle down and Portland was his first choice. In a very short time, David earned a reputation for having the inside scoop on Portland and when the Hilton hotel was seeking a new Concierge, they turned to David, and in that position, he gained an even deeper understanding of the city’s eclectic offerings. The other Concierge in the city voted him President of the Portland Concierge Association for multiple years. Today, he works for us full-time where can find him often leading Epicurean Excursions, stepping onto onto buses for city and gorge Step-On trips, and facilitating a number of Hunts.
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Erin
Erin was born and bred in the Big Sky State and relocated to the beautiful Rose City after finishing school at the University of Oregon in Eugene where she studied ceramics, art history and theater. She is a master moldmaker specializing in architectural product design and wholly irreverent figurative sculpture. You should see her work; it’s way cool! Erin resides in Northeast Portland in a cute little bungalow with her husband and kitty cats, Luna and Clio. Erin also writes a little blog for her zip code for people who are dying to know what is up in the central Northeast neighborhoods or if you are just curious about what drives her beyond her interests in gardening, cooking, science, music, and croquet.
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Herb
Herb says his main purpose in life is to have fun. That’s why he does so many cool things. The greatest of these cool things includes improvisation at ComedySportz, where he’s performed for 11+ years. He also teaches there and sometimes works the door if he’s not playing. He also does character work; whether it be with companies, groups, or schools, or in commercials and movies. The Portland Tribune said that his face “appears perpetually poised on the edge of a smile” and it’s not because of his name. His name really is Herb Spice; you can ask his sister, Ginger.
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Patsy
A long, long time ago, in a borough far far away, a little girl sat in her grandmother’s kitchen. As the grandmother shaped meatballs and stirred the sauce, the precocious little girl was reading an old magazine. In the magazine was an article about the importance of considering fringe benefits (I said it was a long time ago) when considering your career path. For instance, if you worked on Wall Street, you got a big bonus every Christmas. If you worked for a department store, you got a discount on your purchases. And, if you worked in the travel industry, you got free travel. Wow, that was all it took. Patsy (the little girl) has worked for three major airlines, also as a travel agent, and for the past 18 years as a tour guide. She is currently writing a mystery series where the protagonist is, of course, a tour guide.
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Will
Will always enjoy a good story, no matter what media it's in. As a teller of stories, he constantly look for new ways to present facts in a compelling narrative. Will's stories have aired on PRI's Living on Earth and Florida Public Radio and he has written freelance stories on social justice issues for various magazines such as In These Times and Third Force. Will co-directed and co-produced Beaters, a documentary short about old cars which was screened at the 28th Annual Northwest Film and Video Festival. If that wasn't enough, every once in a while, he has told stories, shot cannons, traded furs, and wrote in quill for many National Park Service units throughout the West. We were most proud of Will when he was awarded a 2006 Oregon Literary Fellowship from Literary Arts for his manuscript River Soul: A Political and Spiritual Journey along the Arkansas River. It's a narrative nonfiction story and memoir about water politics, hope despite the worst drought in modern history, and spiritual transformation through water. He's seeking a publisher, so if you know a good one, contact us.
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MORE
There's 15 of us, so come back and read more bios in the upcoming weeks.!