Staff

Meet Our Team

Administration and Staff

Dr. Peter Chaillé, CES Director & Research Assistant Professor

Peter is a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Public Service in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University and is the Director of Community Environmental Services. As a member of the research faculty at CPS, Peter leads projects that explore leadership development, climate governance, public policy, workforce development, sustainable industries, and innovation in higher education. He also works with organizations around the Pacific Northwest, helping build leadership and change management capacity. Prior to his role at CPS, Peter served as a teaching assistant professor in Public Administration at PSU, teaching courses in civic engagement, leadership, environment and natural resources, and nonprofit management. He has previous experience working on a range of sustainability initiatives as a science advisor for Mars Sustainable Solutions and several local and international NGOs and has worked on global projects linking environmental conservation with poverty alleviation and sustainable business practices. As a native Oregonian, Peter is committed to ensuring that our local communities are resilient and thriving.

Contact Peter at chaille@pdx.edu

CES Project Team 

CES employs staff and highly organized, enthusiastic, self-motivated students (both graduate and undergraduates), who are interested in gaining hands-on experience developing sustainability initiatives in a fast-paced consulting environment, while simultaneously achieving their educational goals at PSU. CES espouses PSU’s motto Let Knowledge Serve the City by directing students to real-world challenges where classroom theories become applied solutions with real benefits for the communities in the Greater Metro area and across the State and region.

David Archuleta: A graduate student in the Master's of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) program.

Kervelle Baird: A PhD student in the Earth, Environment, and Society program focusing on microplastics.

Quinlan Bohannon: A junior studying International Development.

Sierra Choyce: A post-bacc student pursuing a degree in Environmental Science.

Brendan Finnigan: A senior studying Geography with a focus on GIS and Urban Planning.

Surya Joshi: A PhD student in Urban Studies.

Nathan Kim: A master’s student in Master's of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) program.

Josie Monyette: CPS graphic designer supporting field research projects.

Muna Osman: A sophomore majoring in Community Health Promotion.

Michelle Parks: A senior majoring in Psychology. 

Contact CES team members at cesadmin@pdx.edu 

Beth Gilden, Sustainability & Resilience Partnership Manager

Beth is the Sustainability and Resilience Partnership Manager at the Center for Public Service. In this role she leads University-community collaborations that address sustainability and resilience challenges in our region. Beth has worked closely with local government, nonprofits and academics on a variety of issues like climate planning, housing policy, disaster resilience, community engagement and more. In her free time, you can find her running, walking, spending time outdoors, cooking and watching movies with her family in Portland, OR. 

Contact Beth at bgilden@pdx.edu

Yachi Iisako, Program Manager

Yachi is a Program Manager at the Center for Public Service. Yachi joined CPS in 2010 as a Program Coordinator, first supporting the Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) program before transitioning to International Programs. She currently manages international and domestic leadership training programs. She earned her Master’s in Public Administration from the Hatfield School of Government, where she focused on Global Leadership and Management and compared civic engagement systems in Portland and Japanese local governments. She is also enrolled in the Public Affairs and Policy Ph.D. program at the Hatfield School of Government, where she focuses on leadership development and collaborative governance.

Yachi has been involved with the Japanese Local Governance and Management (JaLoGoMa) program since 2006 and has helped organize leadership training programs for participants from Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Through her extensive involvement with international programs, she also had the opportunity to publish several articles in Japanese on Metro’s waste management systems and approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her interests include leadership development for government and nonprofit professionals working to sustain regional communities.

Originally from Kagoshima, Japan, Yachi moved to Portland in 2000. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and their German Shepherd dog.

Contact Yachi at yachi@pdx.edu