Meet Our Team

Leadership Team

Advancing sustainability requires interdisciplinary inquiry. At CES, our research and leadership capacity spans environmental science, policy, resilience, organizational leadership, and community engagement. Anchored at PSU, we have an extensive faculty network to help deliver data-driven research, student workforce development, and actionable solutions for our partners and communities.

Dr. Peter Chaillé

Research Assistant Professor & CES Director
Email: chaille@pdx.edu

Peter is a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Public Service in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government and is the Director of Community Environmental Services. As a member of the research faculty at CPS, Peter’s portfolio includes projects and programs in climate governance, public policy, workforce development, and leadership training. He also works with organizations around the Pacific Northwest, helping build leadership and change management capacity. At CES, Peter brings those perspectives together to strengthen long-term partnerships, connect research with implementation, and expand opportunities for students to contribute to work in sustainability and public service.

Beth Gilden

Sustainability & Resilience Partnership Manager
Email: bgilden@pdx.edu

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. 

Yachi Iisako

Program Manager
Email: yachi@pdx.edu

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.

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 and implementing sustainability initiatives while simultaneously achieving their educational goals at PSU. 

David Archuleta: A recent graduate of 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.
Surya Joshi: A PhD student in Urban Studies.
Brendan Finnigan: A senior studying Geography with a focus on GIS and Urban Planning.

Contact CES team members at cesadmin@pdx.edu 

Alumni

Your connection to CES doesn't have to end when you leave campus. If you believe in higher education, supporting students, lifelong learning and share a passion for sustainability consider supporting CES!

Want to stay connected or reconnect with colleagues? Have exciting updates to share? Email chaille@pdx.edu