Our Valley, Our Future / Nuestro Valle, Nuestro, founded in 2015, is a community visioning, planning and development initiative that is tackling tough community challenges and working toward transforming the region into a better place to live, work and play. This is being accomplished by engaging with people from all walks of life, honoring what they envision for the region’s future, and then putting those steps into action through the Our Valley Action Plan.
For many years, the region has benefitted from the strong presence of the agricultural industry, in particular the fruit and wheat industries, hydroelectric power generation, medical, retail and tourism sectors. At the same time, the region has endured years of high poverty rates, relatively low education and workforce skill levels, low wage structure, and a multitude of jurisdictions that have made decision-making slow and difficult if not impossible at times, impeding progress.
Our Valley believes a true grassroots, collaborative, values-based approach is necessary in taking on these challenges. Only then can the community break down barriers, find common ground, and combine and leverage resources.
Our Valley is overseen by a Core Team, made up of representatives from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The more than 150 projects and programs in its Action Plan are led by 81 lead partner organizations.
Our Valley is a united, prosperous and thriving region, built on our agricultural heritage and history of innovation. We collaborate across geographic, political and cultural boundaries. Together with our business community, our local governments, public agencies and organizations coordinate their decisions and actions, spending resources wisely and enhancing public services. Our communities have vibrant centers with housing, amenities and public transportation, and safe, affordable neighborhoods. Our diverse cultures embrace their commonalities ñ and celebrate their distinctiveness. At all levels, our educators, schools and colleges engage and prepare students for our future workforce. Our economy generates new opportunities through knowledge and innovation. We have living wage jobs that support our families, and rewarding programs and activities that enrich our children, young adults and seniors. We are a destination for recreation, ecotourism and agritourism. We are stewards of our natural environment, enhancing our livability, health and wellness. Our Valley is where we live, grow and work for a better future.
The Action Plan includes 149 specific actions and seven major “game-changer” projects. More than 80 lead partners — a combination of nonprofit organizations, businesses, public agencies and community groups — are committed to seeing these programs and projects to fruition as part of a collaborative effort to improve the livelihoods of all in Our Valley.
The Our Valley visioning, planning and development initiative is overseen by representatives from both the public sector and private sector. Here is the Board of Directors:
Lori Barnett
City of East Wenatchee
Karen Francis-McWhite
NCW Economic Development District
Paul Gordon
Wenatchee School District
Jessica Kendall Chelan-Douglas Land Trust
Jim Kuntz
Port of Chelan County
Steve King
City of Wenatchee
Stacy Luckensmeyer
Wenatchee Valley College
Shayne Magdoff
East Wenatchee resident
David Olson
Columbia Valley Community Health
Kevin Overbay
Chelan County Commission
Lisa Parks
Port of Douglas County
Sara Rolfs
Pinnacles Prep charter school
Shiloh Burgess
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
Dan Sutton
Douglas County Commission
Alan Walker
Chelan Douglas Community Action Council
Allison Williams
City of Wenatchee
Our Valley Core Team appointed a Leadership Alliance to advise it on game-changer project implementation and on ‘big-picture’ issues facing the community. Here is the Leadership Alliance:
Selina Danko
Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center
Clay Gatens
Jeffers Danielsen
Frank Kuntz
Wenatchee mayor
Steve Lacy
East Wenatchee mayor
Jessi Mendoza
Numerica Credit Union
Jeff Ostenson
North 40 Productions
Lisa Parks
Port of Douglas County
Shiloh Schauer
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
Carli Schaffner
Wenatchee Valley College
Galen Sorom
Confluence Health
Beth Stipe
Community Foundation of NCW
Rufus Woods
The Wenatchee World
Steve Wright
Chelan County PUD
Our Valley is overseen on a day-to-day basis by Steve Maher, who serves as a contracted project coordinator. Steve can be reached at info@ourvalleyourfuture.org.
Our Valley Core Team appointed a Leadership Alliance to advise it on game-changer project implementation and on ‘big-picture’ issues facing the community. Here is the Leadership Alliance:
City of East Wenatchee
City of Wenatchee
Columbia Valley Community Health
Community Foundation of NCW
Confluence Health
Cordell Neher
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Logic 20/20
Port of Douglas County
Port of Chelan County
State of Washington
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
Wenatchee Valley College