Asta comes to the Trust with over a decade of education work experience in large and small school districts. Asta is passionate about ensuring that everyone working in education has the physical, social, and emotional resources to find fulfillment at work. 

Her role at the Trust is to support Oregon education employees throughout the grant application process, including  managing a portfolio of grantees, and coordinating the annual grantee meeting, Journey to Wellness.

She leverages her project management, team leadership, and change management expertise to improve processes and systems for internal and external stakeholders.  Under her leadership:

• Educator well-being benefits have doubled.
• Reporting barriers have been reduced, increasing access to grants.
• The Trust’s grant portfolio has been diversified, using a combination of high- and low-tech solutions to reach a broader set of grantees.

Healthy, locally sourced food and its connection to student wellbeing and success have been a central theme in her career.  She has a Master of Science in nutrition from Tufts University, where she studied food systems, agriculture policy, and nutrition programs. Before joining the Trust, she managed multiple federally-funded child nutrition programs at 25 schools in Portland Public Schools. Asta began her educational career as a Farm-to-School Coordinator, working with classified staff in nutrition services in several capacities.

Her lifelong commitment to serving community started with an inspiring high school teacher. She has traveled extensively internationally, including time in the Peace Corps working on maternal and child health in Morocco. 

Portland, where Asta was born, has always been “home.”  She currently serves on the PTA board at her children’s public school. In her free time, she loves being outdoors, making art, and spending quality time with loved ones.