Staff & Contacts

Allya Yourish (she/hers) is the Senior Manager of Fundraising and Communication at Civics Learning Project. She knows firsthand the power of CLP programming, having competed in We The People as a high school student here in Portland.

Allya is passionate about the power of education and effective communication. Prior to this role, she was a News Assistant for the New York Times, a Development Coordinator for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and most recently, an Institutional Giving Officer for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from Iowa State University, writing ekphrastic poetry and teaching through labor-based grading.

She loves to travel, having lived in a bookshop in Paris, taught English as a Fulbright grantee in Kuala Krau, Malaysia, and worked as a bed and breakfast host in England’s Lake District. She spends her time in Portland taking care of her small zoo of animals– three cats and a dog– and doing crossword puzzles with her wife.

If you’d like to get in touch with Allya, you can reach her at [email protected]

Bridgette O’Brien brings 25 years of experience in teaching, curriculum design, educator development, and co-curricular program leadership to her role as Director of Education at the Civics Learning Project. Most recently, she served as a Teaching Specialist at Southern Oregon University’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, where she supported faculty in designing engaged, inclusive, and innovative learning experiences.

Bridgette’s career spans higher education, K–12 leadership, civic engagement, global education, sustainability, and social justice. She has held teaching and leadership roles at Pacific Lutheran University, Humboldt State University, Santa Fe Community College, and Annie Wright Schools, where she served as Director of Academic Affairs and led co-curricular programs in global affairs and Model UN. She has also designed leadership programs, developed workshops and curriculum for educators nationally, and was selected for a teaching fellowship at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Bridgette holds a Ph.D. in Religion and Nature from the University of Florida, a master’s degree from Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Puget Sound. Her work focuses on innovative curriculum development, community-based learning, and education’s role in fostering thoughtful participation in diverse democratic communities. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, training as a triathlete, racing Hobie 16 sailboats, and scrambling up alpine summits.

If you’d like to get in touch with Bridgette, you can reach her at [email protected]

Emily (she/her) is the Competition Coordinator for Civics Learning Project, where she helps organize statewide programs that empower students to engage deeply with democracy. She joined CLP to connect her passion for civic learning with her background in community organizing and advocacy. She’s continually inspired by the creativity, passion, and commitment students bring to every competition.

Before joining CLP, Emily worked with grassroots organizations that focused on immigration advocacy and social justice initiatives. Those experiences shaped her belief that civic education is a cornerstone of a strong, inclusive community.

Originally from Wyoming, Emily holds a B.A. in Linguistics from the University of Wyoming and moved to Portland in March 2025. Outside of work, she enjoys playing pinball and spending time with her four rescue rabbits – Oliver, Lady, Charlotte, and Wilbur.

If you’d like to get in touch with Emily, you can reach her at [email protected]

Morgan Bechtold joined Civics Learning Project as a seasoned event planner and coordinator with a passion for preserving our democracy in February of 2026 . 

She knows it is now more important than ever that we invest in civics education and that the future is in the hands of our young people. CLP’s slogan “The best way to preserve democracy is to teach democracy” speaks strongly to her heart. 

Having always been immersed in events from a young age, she loves the hustle and bustle of it all and decided she wanted to make a career out of it. She has a particular passion for spreadsheets, organization and all things logistics.

In her previous roles, she worked as an Operations Manager at the Oregon League of Conservation Voters where she not only managed operational duties, but also was a core member in planning and executing all OLCV events including the annual gala. Prior to that role she worked within The Public Interest Network as a Campus Organizer where she was able to recruit and train college interns on how to effectively advocate and organize on issues that they cared about. One of her favorite things in that role was watching the creativity fly in her students eyes and watching their programs come to life after months of coaching. 

Outside of work, Morgan loves to hula hoop, get out in nature as often as possible, garden, sing karaoke and snuggle up with her very large and in charge calico queen, Sassy Latifa. 

If you’d like to get in touch with Morgan, you can reach her at [email protected].

Nikki has taught both students and teachers all over the world since 2001. She was a teacher trainer for the International Debate Education Association, working to develop, share, and facilitate curriculum that highlights democratic values and public forum civil discourse in burgeoning democracies of Eastern Europe, Africa, and South America. As a classroom teacher, since 2008, Nikki taught high school Humanities, English Language Arts, Geography, AP Psychology, Cultural Aesthetics, IB Literature, and IB Language and Literature, as well as coaching debate teams to state and national championships. Most recently, she spent seven years teaching in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Nikki is a fifth generation Oregonian with four sixth generation kids. Her enthusiasm for new adventures continues to lengthen the already long list of things she enjoys doing in her spare time, but she’ll never turn down an opportunity to hike a forest path, sing along with a guitar, cycle an Oregon country road, or make friends with other peoples’ pets.

If you’d like to get in touch with Nikki, you can reach her at [email protected]

Patricia has spent the last 11 years in various development roles at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), most recently as their Senior Director of Institutional Giving. Her tenure at OMSI also included a stint as the Interim Vice President of Development. Patricia‘s career in development also includes time as the Grants Manager, and then Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer at the American Red Cross. She has also held various leadership roles in development in St. Louis and Texas. She holds a PhD in English and taught at a university in St. Louis for over a decade before transitioning full time to fundraising.

Sam (he/his) became the Executive Director of the Civics Learning Project in 2023. He has served in a variety of leadership and executive roles in government, politics, tech, organized labor, and nonprofit organizations.

Prior to joining CLP, Sam was the political director of the largest independent labor union on the west coast, general counsel of The Greenlining Institute, and led government affairs in Lime’s largest North American markets. He has led numerous successful policy and legislative campaigns on economic equity, environmental justice, transportation access, and consumer protection. He also has a decade of experience advising and working on local, congressional and gubernatorial races.

As a lawyer, Sam has successfully litigated dozens of cases before regulatory agencies, saving billions of dollars for consumers. He has testified before Congress and regularly testified before state legislatures to defend the rights of underserved communities. Sam has been quoted in hundreds of media outlets across the country on issues ranging from energy to small business opportunities to media consolidation. Due to his community leadership, Sam was appointed to serve on various boards and commissions at the county, regional, and state levels.

Prior to law school, Sam was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs in New York City and helped provide disaster relief after the 9/11 attacks. He also worked at the United Nations to facilitate delivery of humanitarian assistance in the Middle East following the first Gulf War.

In his spare time, you might see Sam playing with his daughter at OMSI or in one of the myriad of beautiful parks in Portland. When he hasn’t been completely exhausted by his daughter, he loves running along the Willamette River and discovering new restaurants with his wife.

Sherri joined Civics Learning Project in 2025, [email protected].