Women's Gift Board of Directors
Marty Moran, President
Marty grew up in the Northeast where she began her career in broadcast media working in Providence, Boston, and New Haven.
A career opportunity prompted a move to Houston where she met and married her late husband. With 3 children (Elliott, John and Erin) in tow, Marty took a 7 year sabbatical leaving the city with Warren in favor of country life including, horses, cows, chickens, and hunting dogs in Spicewood, TX, a town of about 250 people.
The next move brought the Moran family to Eugene where Marty resumed her sales/management media career with a group of local radio stations. Marty worked for KDUK, KFLY, KODZ(KOOL) and KPNW for 20 years before retiring. When not working, Marty was active in the community: volunteering in the schools, hosting international guests, and helping a number of non-profits as well as enjoying outdoor life. Being a member of Women’sGift has been a unique opportunity to meet an exceptional group of women –- all of whom are dedicated to helping women and children at risk.
Eliana Vera, Vice President
Prior to retiring and moving with husband Randy and daughter Fiorella to Eugene in 2020, Eliana’s career of 40 years was full of experience leading programs with foundations and non-governmental organizations in the international development sector. Her last assignment took her to Kenya, Ghana, and Mali, working to help local farmers access their countries’ school feeding programs.
She is also very proud of having led a grant-making program to support youth employment training in Latin America through the International Youth Foundation, and nonprofit board development for the new organizations emerging in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
She has served as Managing Director for Global Philanthropy at the Council on Foundations, Principal Partnerships Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank, and Program Director for the Kellogg Foundation.
Eliana holds a MA in International Studies from American University in Washington, DC, and a BA in International Relations from the University of Maryland. She first got to know Eugene and its great nonprofit community through volunteering for Mobility International USA and serves on their International Advisory Committee.
Upon arriving in Eugene, Eliana is grateful to have found wonderful friendships through her involvement in Women’sGift, and through a new passion, pickleball!
Lynnette Campbell, Treasurer
Lynnette joined Women'sGift shortly after she moved to Oregon in 2010. In the past she served as Treasurer and has been on Women'sGift Strategic Planning and Fundraiser Committee.
Lynnette also volunteers as a SMART Site Coordinator, Delgani String Quartet Board President and McKenzie River Trust Stewart.
She worked in High Tech for fifteen years as a Program Manager and is a retired US Army Officer. Hobbies include gardening, canning the harvest, and most recently starting to make mosaic garden art
Cindy Turell, Secretary
Cindy Turell moved to Eugene from Southern California with her daughter in early 2000. She worked as an Office Manager for Oregon Department of Transportation until she semi-retired in 2014.
Now, she enjoys working part-time as an Advisor and Advocate for Turell Group, a creative services marketing company. Before moving to Eugene, she worked for the County of Orange as a Small Claims Advisor, teaching classes, and helping individuals navigate the court system. Early in her career, she co-owned a clothing manufacturing company and did some designing as a Merchandiser.
Volunteering has been a common theme in Cindy’s life, starting with involvement in all her daughter’s various sports and performing arts teams and organizations, as well as work-based activities such as United Way. She has also regularly volunteered in church activities, recently co-leading a healthy living class and small groups for 40-50 women. Since semi-retiring, Cindy has been actively involved with SMART Reading, Rotary, bible studies, book clubs and Women’sGift. As secretary of the board of directors for Women’sGift, Cindy keeps all members informed of programs and content. She loves how our small contributions make a big difference in the lives of women and children in our community. Cindy also loves travel, food experiences, reading, water aerobics, and occasionally a little writing and sketching.
Sandy Watkinson, Director
Born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area, Sandy came to study at the University of Oregon in 1969 and stayed. She is married with two grown daughters. After years as a stay at home mom, Sandy worked for over 20 years in the Eugene 4J school district and continues to be active in several volunteer organizations. Sandy enjoys quilting, reading, rafting and fishing with husband John.
Mary Brooner, Director
Mary Brooner moved to Eugene thirteen years ago from the Washington, DC area, naively thinking she was retiring. She hasn’t retired; she still works a tiny bit, but mostly has fun in Eugene singing with the Women’s Choral Society, quilting with Pioneer Quilters, gardening and canning jams, chutneys and applesauce.
In her recent past (before Eugene) she was a telecommunications attorney for Motorola in their Washington, DC office. She was professionally active in the Federal Telecommunications Bar Association and the Women’s Bar of DC. In the early 90’s she took a 2-year sabbatical and was executive director of the Thomas J. Watson Foundation, where she directed the Thomas J. Watson Fellows Program. Hands down, the best job, ever!
Mary has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations including the National Women’s Bar Association Foundation, the World Institute on Disability (Berkeley, CA), the FCBA Foundation, Alumni Council of Grinnell College, the Women’s Choral Society (Eugene) and too many church boards. Advocacy for women, access for persons with disabilities and choral arts are key interests personally and professionally.
Mary lives with her husband, John Hannah, in Eugene. Their grandchildren are growing up fast; the last will be a first year student at UofO this fall. We’re healthy and thankful.
Bobbe Burkhalter, Director
After 30 plus years of Federal service, Bobbe retired to Eugene in 2012, since that time, she has volunteered at the Eugene Public Library (10 years), CASA (6 years) and served on the Board of the Friends of the Eugene Public Library (8 years). Bobbe has been a member of Women’sGift for “at least a decade” and has served previously as our Treasurer.