Our Staff

Executive Director
TEL: (503) 359-0446 ext: 26
e-mail: jerivera@centrocultural.org

Executive Director, Centro Cultural of Washington County, community activist & life-long advocate for the Chicano/Latino community.

Born and raised in Pomona California, northeast of Los Angeles and one of 12 brothers and sisters.  Both parents migrated to the United States after the Mexican Revolution and followed the migrant trail through Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and finally California working in the fields, ranches, farms, packing sheds and orchards. His father Romulo worked in the Kaiser Steel mills in Fontana California for 30 years.  After his father passed, his mother Elodia raised the family. 

Education:  Liberal Arts – Mt. San Antonio College; University of California at Los Angeles, School of Fine Arts, Motion Picture Television Production, minor Political Science , School of Business, Eastern Washington University and Non Profit Management, Portland State University.

Jose has held a variety of executive and administrative positions in the non-profit sector for over 25 years covering all areas in workforce development, child care, community development, affordable housing development, small business development and community centers; and is experienced in writing grants.  He owned a successful construction business in Benicia, California before moving to Eastern Washington in 1992 and to Portland Oregon in 1996.

Jose understands the needs and challenges of the working poor within the Latino community; its impact on the homeless and families who work hard every day and still can’t furnish themselves or their families with the average necessities of life and who live without adequate education, employment, nutrition, shelter and health care.

“El ruido no hace bien; el bien no hace ruido”. San Vicente de Paúl

Administrative Assistant
Phone: (503) 359-0446 ext: 31
e-mail: clopez@centrocultural.org

About me:
We all have a purpose for which we were put on this earth. Every day there is a goal to fulfill; each moment there is a reason to live for. Long as we have vision, we have a reason to live.

The Centro Cultural in itself is not the building, but it is made up of the people who work in it. The quality of service we give can only be as good as the vision of the employees who work here. I feel fortunate to work with people who love the Latino culture and strive to serve the community. Who says we can only have one purpose? The sky is the limit.

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes." - Romans 1:16

Healthy Kids Coordinator
TEL: (503) 359-0446 ext: 30
sjaquez@centrocultural.org

About me:
For years now I have loved helping others in any way possible. You could call it a passion of mine. Being part of the Centro Cultural has helped me do what I love and the Healthy Kids program has helped me not only help others, it has also helped me change my views on life and be thankful for what I have.  Overall, it is a great place to be part of and I am lucky to be part of Centro’s staff.

“It’s a small world after all” – Zazu from the Lion King

The truth is that it is not a small world after all it is immense and day after day we should all strive to make it a better place not only for ourselves but for others as well. In my view that’s what the founders believed in: Making the community and the world a better place.

ESL Coordinator
e-mail: esl@centrocultural.org

About me:
Gretchen Keefer, BA, MS Ed, Teaching English as a Second Language certification, adult education certificate.
Since 1985 I have taught in a variety of programs - basic adult education, work place English, college bound summer programs. The ESL instruction I enjoy the most is helping adults gain the basic life skills they need to thrive in our society, such as we teach at Centro Cultural. I have coordinated the ESL program since fall 2002 and do whatever I can to support our volunteers. I could not teach so many people at so many different levels by myself.

"Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own." -- Nikos Kazantzakis