The City of Hood River recently welcomed Jackie Vanderpuye as its new community engagement coordinator, a relatively new position for the City.
Jackie will plan and implement outreach and communication activities for many of the City’s most pressing projects and operations, with a focus on advancing equity and reducing barriers to participation. She will be responsible for informing the public of upcoming activities and projects, opportunities for input, and collaborate and engage with the City’s diverse population.
“Jackie has held many diverse positions that demonstrate her interest in building community, empowering community members, and connecting residents to city government” said City Manager Abigail Elder. “We are delighted to have Jackie onboard to expand the City’s community engagement and communications activities.”
Jackie has been a local resident for four-and-a-half years. Prior to joining the City in December, she worked in the non-profit sector in community engagement. She’s also held positions in education and family health. Jackie has lived throughout the west coast, as far south as Chile, where she became fluent in Spanish.
She has a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque in Latin American Studies, and a received her bachelor’s degree in English and Writing from Southern Oregon University.