About Our Valley, Our Future / Nuestro Valle, Nuestro Futuro
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 Big Vision
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.
Our Action Plan
The Action Plan includes more than 150 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.
Our Valley Board of Directors
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
Shiloh Burgess
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
Paul Gordon
Wenatchee School District
Jessica Kendall
Chelae-Douglas Land Trust
Jim Kuntz
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority
Stacy Luckensmeyer
Wenatchee Valley College
Shayne Magdoff
East Wenatchee City Council
David Olson
Columbia Valley Community Health
Kevin Overbay
Chelan County Commission
Sara Rolfs
Pinnacles Prep charter school
Sara Rolfs
Pinnacles Prep charter school
Dan Sutton
Douglas County Commission
Alan Walker
Chelan Douglas Community Action Council
Our Valley Staff
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 2020 Sponsors
Our Valley Our Future is supported by the following contributors:
Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority
Chelan County
City of East Wenatchee
City of Wenatchee
Columbia Valley Community Health
Community Foundation
Confluence Health
Cordell Neher
Douglas County
Gates Foundation
Philanthropy Northwest
Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce
Wenatchee Valley College