Meet the Board
Our Board of Directors is made up of a small but committed group of professionals, advisors, retired executives, and community leaders who have a passion for making Sisters Country a thriving, welcoming city for everyone. We are so grateful for each member’s service to AFSC - their leadership guides our good work and their vision inspires us every day.
Mike Deal
AFSC Board President, co-Liaison for STARS
Mike’s career has spanned the non-profit, business, and government sectors. Mike has served in a number of executive management positions, most recently as the President and CEO of the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), which incorporated 30 member NGOs and managed over $350 million in USAID grants in 56 countries. Previously, Mike was a foreign service officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development, serving as Mission Director in Colombia, Acting Assistant Administrator for Latin America, and assignments in six developing countries. Mike also has a long history of volunteer service, including at Walter Reed Army-Navy hospital, is fluent in Spanish, and is eager to support AFSC’s important contributions to the Sisters Country community.
Christina Maier
AFSC Secretary
Christina is a retired Graphic Designer and Educator, having spent almost thirty years as the director of professional technical programs in Graphic Design and Integrated Media at the community college level. During that time she served as a program director, department chair and associate dean. Her particular interests were in curriculum development and assessment, distance learning, typography and digital media. She currently volunteers with the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Sisters Elementary School and serves as chair for the Tollgate community’s Firewise Committee.
Peggy Tehan
AFSC Treasurer, co-Liaison for STARS
A Certified Public Accountant, Peggy’s deep roots in the Sisters community have enriched numerous local organizations both from a financial accounting perspective and from her commitment to volunteerism and community connections. For many years Peggy has served in various capacities on the board of the Parks and Recreation District, while at the same time maintaining a private accountancy firm serving individuals and small businesses in Sisters Country. Volunteer activities in virtually all sectors of our community help Peggy to support her vision of “making your community the place you want to live” as well as introducing us to other folks’ causes, beliefs, and needs.
“I appreciate that a large percentage of our population are individuals who have made a concentrated decision to live HERE and contribute their passions, financial abilities, and activism to our community. ”
Judy Smith
AFSC Liaison for Romeo’s Joy, Family Friendly Restrooms, past board president
Judy’s professional career spans both domestic and international Human Resource management roles. After thirty years with Bank of America’s wholesale bank, Judy now works in private consulting with smaller for and non-profit organizations. Her skill set includes leadership development, organizational and succession planning, project and vendor management, cultural adaptation, communications, and change management. Judy’s volunteer experience includes coaching writing skills with inner-city middle-schoolers, and various support activities with small business and cultural groups. Adapting her experience to community groups and non-profits in our fast-growing population center allows Judy to fulfill a vision of an inclusive, accessible, multi-generational society in which all residents can live their best lives here.
“I find AFSC a good way to give back to the community that has welcomed me, without being seen to force an outsider’s opinions on anyone. Through AFSC, I’ve met some wonderful, patient, caring, and generous people –the best entrée to this community.”
Todd Coffman
AFSC Board member, Liaison for See the Signs
Todd is a senior project manager in the local building industry, and is past president and an Executive Board Member with the Safebuild Alliance, a national industry organization working to assure incident-free workplaces. Todd has also been a board member with Meals on Wheels People in Portland.
Doug Brown
AFSC Board member
Doug has been a permanent resident of Sisters since 2018. He worked as a consulting engineer in the construction industry as a design engineer, project manager and systems commissioning provider for 42 years. Much of his work responsibilities included document review and report writing, as well as interfacing with many different design professionals and contractors. His background as a consulting engineer will allow him to use his written and verbal skills to ensure grant documents are complete and accurate.
“I believe the goals of AFSC are important, particularly for the elderly. I support the idea of making/keeping the livability in the Sisters community as a priority.”
Dixie Eckford
AFSC Board member Emeritus, founding member
Dixie is closely involved with the Sisters community from a planning and public use perspective. She recently served as Chair of the City Parks Advisory Board (2021), is an advisory board member for the Sisters 2040 Comprehensive Plan, and is an action team member for the Sisters Country Vision project. She also works as an advisory council member with the Central Oregon Council on Aging. Her networking, organizational, grant-writing, and event coordination skills help to support Dixie’s commitment to making our community more livable for everyone -- by ensuring people at every life stage have accessible and affordable housing, transportation options, enough nutritious food, natural environments in which to recreate, and access to nearby health care services.
“Working with AFSC has given me purpose. It has introduced me to new friends and allowed me to see that living out my days here will be both rewarding and possible—that neighbors and friends can help each other face life’s challenges. ”
Chris Laing
AFSC Board member Emeritus, founder and past president
Chris has significant experience leading non-profit organizations globally, focusing on the human element in each effort — mental health services, adult guardianship, critical incident management, hospice care, housing, and education. She is a State Ombudsman for elder care facilities and a Habitat for Humanity family partner. Her skills in the areas of organization planning, community building, program development and communication have helped to propel AFSC to a fully-functional organization in just two years. Chris is committed to building and deepening community connections and serving the common good.
Toni Landis
AFSC Board member Emeritus and founder
A founding member of AFSC and Senior Alliance of Sisters, Toni brings decades of experience in the non-profit sector focusing on aging, affordable housing, and long term care issues among others. Her expertise in problem solving, volunteer management, collaboration and communication have ensured success for the organizations with which she works. Toni is motivated by an understanding of the power of serving, and helping, for the common good. Her focus is on those who might need a boost, an idea, or a champion.
Ann Richardson
AFSC advisor
Ann’s deep history working with and leading some of Sisters’ most significant public events, coupled with her commitment to the local environment and quality of outdoor life in Sisters Country, positions her well to offer fundraising support to AFSC. A skilled and well-respected fundraiser and manager in the non-profit world, Ann also brings strong event-planning, organizational leadership, and grant-writing skills. Ann finds satisfaction in enriching communities such as Sisters by strengthening and enabling the non-profit organizations that serve us.
Ray Hoyt
AFSC advisor
After 40 years of community college administration (28 years at COCC and 4 other colleges in the Valley), Ray says “I’m “retired” yet prefer to be “re-directed”! Community is important to his family. Over the years he’s learned that effective partnerships include working together respectfully, collaborating, coordinating resources, communicating well, leveraging resources, and ….enjoying the experience. Ray has worked closely with Workforce, Business, and Economic Development agencies and groups, as well as many departments and amazing people on projects from contracted/customized training to new program development to writing and managing grants.
Robyn Holdman
AFSC advisor
Robyn is the immediate past President and a founding member of Citizens4Community and brings to AFSC her connections, commitment, and experience gained in forging positive dialogue and respectful communications among residents of Sisters Country. From a beginning in a small farming community, Robyn worked for the Oregon Department of Agriculture and later transitioned into a non-profit career where her passion for outreach, community development, team-building, and communication supported numerous organizations focusing on people. Robyn also helped establish the Non-profit Resource Center and the Non-profit Network for Central Oregon.
Graham Fox
AFSC technology advisor
Graham is more than a seasoned technology advisor: his commitment to community, communication, and learning is borne out daily in his role as a Deschutes County librarian. He is also the Chief Technology Officer for THRIVE Central Oregon, helping to connect people in need with resources for housing, financial assistance, food, health, and other basic needs. He brings his expertise to AFSC with a commitment to respect, social inclusion and participation, and communication.