Vision Quilt Team
Cathy DeForest
Founder and Executive Director
Cathy taught English to both underserved youth and gifted youth and was an assistant principal of an urban school. After earning her PhD in organization development, Cathy consulted with Fortune 100 companies as well as organizations ranging from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to health care systems. She also applied her experience and expertise in organizational analysis, strategic planning and meeting facilitation to community arts organizations. After her consulting career, Cathy pursued her love of book arts and letterpress printing. Her artists’ books and prints have been exhibited in Europe, Africa and the U.S. When gun violence increased as a national issue, Cathy decided to dedicate her expertise in education, organization development and art to mobilizing grass roots efforts to prevent gun violence through Vision Quilt.
Founder and Executive Director
Cathy taught English to both underserved youth and gifted youth and was an assistant principal of an urban school. After earning her PhD in organization development, Cathy consulted with Fortune 100 companies as well as organizations ranging from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory to health care systems. She also applied her experience and expertise in organizational analysis, strategic planning and meeting facilitation to community arts organizations. After her consulting career, Cathy pursued her love of book arts and letterpress printing. Her artists’ books and prints have been exhibited in Europe, Africa and the U.S. When gun violence increased as a national issue, Cathy decided to dedicate her expertise in education, organization development and art to mobilizing grass roots efforts to prevent gun violence through Vision Quilt.
Leon Pyle
Board Treasurer
Leon is an analytically trained clinical psychologist. He has worked in federal prisons, low-fee urban therapy centers, in schools, and currently sees patients in private practice. Leon is also a philanthropist, targeting small nonprofit organizations involved in social justice and educational issues of underserved individuals and communities. Leon was previously a real estate developer in Germany and in the U.S. and is passionate about learning foreign languages as well growing quality grapes for premium wines.
Board Treasurer
Leon is an analytically trained clinical psychologist. He has worked in federal prisons, low-fee urban therapy centers, in schools, and currently sees patients in private practice. Leon is also a philanthropist, targeting small nonprofit organizations involved in social justice and educational issues of underserved individuals and communities. Leon was previously a real estate developer in Germany and in the U.S. and is passionate about learning foreign languages as well growing quality grapes for premium wines.
Herb Rothchild
Board Secretary
After earning his PhD from Harvard, Herb taught English literature at Louisiana State University for 22 years. While there, he founded an ACLU chapter in Baton Rouge and later served as state president and legislative director. In 1978, he founded the Center for Disarmament Education in Louisiana. From 1987 to 1990 he served as executive director of New Jersey SANE/Freeze (now Peace Action). After returning south to work at the University of Houston, in 1999 he founded the Houston Peace and Justice Center. Until recently, Herb chaired the board of Peace House, serving as de facto executive director. He also frequently teaches courses in the Lifelong Learning Institute at Southern Oregon University.
Board Secretary
After earning his PhD from Harvard, Herb taught English literature at Louisiana State University for 22 years. While there, he founded an ACLU chapter in Baton Rouge and later served as state president and legislative director. In 1978, he founded the Center for Disarmament Education in Louisiana. From 1987 to 1990 he served as executive director of New Jersey SANE/Freeze (now Peace Action). After returning south to work at the University of Houston, in 1999 he founded the Houston Peace and Justice Center. Until recently, Herb chaired the board of Peace House, serving as de facto executive director. He also frequently teaches courses in the Lifelong Learning Institute at Southern Oregon University.
Jack Harbaugh
Board Member
Jack spent his career in the technology industry. After earning his MBA, he worked primarily for venture-backed start-ups and early stage software companies. He held leadership roles that focused on business development including sales and marketing. Before retiring in 2014 Jack was a Senior Partner with a management consulting firm that focused on identifying and implementing technology solutions to Fortune 500 businesses. Jack also volunteers with a national nonprofit climate advocacy group. Before relocating from the Bay area Jack was the Chairman of the Board of Advisors for a nonprofit international student organization.
Board Member
Jack spent his career in the technology industry. After earning his MBA, he worked primarily for venture-backed start-ups and early stage software companies. He held leadership roles that focused on business development including sales and marketing. Before retiring in 2014 Jack was a Senior Partner with a management consulting firm that focused on identifying and implementing technology solutions to Fortune 500 businesses. Jack also volunteers with a national nonprofit climate advocacy group. Before relocating from the Bay area Jack was the Chairman of the Board of Advisors for a nonprofit international student organization.
Ann Lovett
Board Member
Ann is a Professor Emerita of the State University of New York, where she taught photography and artists’ books for 33 years and served briefly as Dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts. Her photographs, encaustic works, and artists’ books have been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she was awarded an Artist Fellowship by the New York Foundation for the Arts in photography and a New York State Council on the Arts grant in artists’ books. She holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art and recently earned a second MFA in poetry from Warren Wilson College. Descended from a long line of pacifists, she is also passionate about women’s rights.
Board Member
Ann is a Professor Emerita of the State University of New York, where she taught photography and artists’ books for 33 years and served briefly as Dean of the School of Fine and Performing Arts. Her photographs, encaustic works, and artists’ books have been exhibited nationally and internationally, and she was awarded an Artist Fellowship by the New York Foundation for the Arts in photography and a New York State Council on the Arts grant in artists’ books. She holds an MFA from Tyler School of Art and recently earned a second MFA in poetry from Warren Wilson College. Descended from a long line of pacifists, she is also passionate about women’s rights.
Jackie Markin
Communications Consultant
Jackie worked as a major-market broadcast news producer and executive producer for more than 15 years then turned to technology journalism and independent video production. Over the next 15 years, her major clients included Google, Yahoo! and Cisco. As a producer Jackie earned three Emmy Awards for live news production. Jackie was also managing editor at Teaching Channel, a nonprofit funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has been a volunteer with Hospice of the East Bay, Rogue Valley THRIVE, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Jackson County Master Gardeners’ Association.
Communications Consultant
Jackie worked as a major-market broadcast news producer and executive producer for more than 15 years then turned to technology journalism and independent video production. Over the next 15 years, her major clients included Google, Yahoo! and Cisco. As a producer Jackie earned three Emmy Awards for live news production. Jackie was also managing editor at Teaching Channel, a nonprofit funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has been a volunteer with Hospice of the East Bay, Rogue Valley THRIVE, Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Jackson County Master Gardeners’ Association.
Roger Pearce
Attorney
Roger practiced law in Seattle, Washington, before moving to Ashland. He was a member of the Foster Pepper PLLC firm for almost 20 years, where he focused his practice on land use law. He represented national and regional clients in major public and private projects including major airport expansions, professional sports stadiums and exhibition halls, regional transit projects, sewage treatment plants, and high-rise office and residential projects. At his own firm in Ashland, Roger continues to do land use work, but he also works with nonprofit corporations – assisting nonprofits with a wide range of general business issues such as organization, governmental filings and compliance, contracting, employment and tax issues.
Attorney
Roger practiced law in Seattle, Washington, before moving to Ashland. He was a member of the Foster Pepper PLLC firm for almost 20 years, where he focused his practice on land use law. He represented national and regional clients in major public and private projects including major airport expansions, professional sports stadiums and exhibition halls, regional transit projects, sewage treatment plants, and high-rise office and residential projects. At his own firm in Ashland, Roger continues to do land use work, but he also works with nonprofit corporations – assisting nonprofits with a wide range of general business issues such as organization, governmental filings and compliance, contracting, employment and tax issues.
