12 Feb PCUN has a new Executive Director

Dear PCUNista,

We are proud to announce the arrival of our new Executive Director, Reyna Lopez! Reyna is no stranger to the movimiento, having worked in our sister and partner organizations in various leadership positions. She is transitioning to PCUN from Organizing Director at Family Forward Oregon, where she ran the organizing program for Paid Family Medical Leave, and National Campaigns focused on Safety Net Programs and the Federal Budget. Jaime Arredondo our Secretary/Treasure of PCUN, was acting Director of PCUN & APP. He is now the Executive Director at CAPACES Leadership Institute (CLI). Reyna is stepping in with a consolidated title, and to take over many of the roles that he played these last few years. It is an exciting time of reorganization at PCUN. We wish Jaime much success at our sister organization.

Reyna is a leader and proud daughter of immigrants from Mexico, who came to Oregon in the late 80’s to do farmwork in the Marion County area. Reyna grew up in Salem, Oregon and graduated from Willamette University with her BA in Political Science and Sociology. For over 12 years, she has been a fierce leader and advocate for the Latinx community in Oregon, receiving the Immigrant Award from the American Association of Immigration Lawyers of Oregon, and Willamette University’s Young Alumni of the Year Award for her work in social justice causes, campaigns, movement and coalition building.

Reyna’s passion for organizing and community is reflected throughout her career from her position as Civic Engagement Director at Causa, where she lead the Yes on 88 (Safe Roads), Oregon’s first bilingual bicultural ballot measure campaign! She founded the organization’s New American Voter’s Project and worked tirelessly to win Tuition Equity after 13 years of fighting for Oregon’s Dreamer population. In recent years, Reyna was the Outreach Director at Our Oregon, where she led the Fellowship Program and  organization’s base building efforts for the A Better Oregon Campaign, a ballot measure demanding corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

Ramon Ramirez

President of PCUN