Anisha (she/her) moved to Eugene four years ago from India for her graduate school. She is pleasantly happy about the community she has built over the years. With background in design, her life plan is to empower and advocate for communities to be livable, sustainable, and resilient. You can find her biking across town or cooking comfort food or happily reading in cozy bookstores!

Kira Tronnier (she/her) is a first year undergrad student at the University of Oregon. She is majoring in psychology with hopes of working with child protective services or in child behavioral health. She enjoys meeting and talking with new people as well as reading and listening to music. In her spare time she’s always with her friends or trying new coffee shops. With the Intertwined platform she hopes to spread awareness about the important life connections that people may miss when they aren’t looking.

Kellum Tate-Jones (she/her) is a sixth-year PhD candidate in the Earth science department studying the evolution of seals, sea lions, and walruses. As a paleontologist, she loves digging deep into the fossil record to uncover the lost stories of animals that lived long ago. Her love for stories extends into other aspects of her life as well, and she is currently exploring how the use of storytelling as a tool for creating cultural change in the STEM fields. Kellum loves birding, hiking, gardening, reading fantasy novels, and cross-country skiing.

Manas Murthy (he/him) is a fifth year PhD candidate at the Architecture Department at UO. While his research interests lie at the intersections of postcolonial theory, planning history and mobility studies, he is passionate about teaching and social justice. His interests brought him to Rehearsals for Life at UO, five years ago, where he found family and a deep sense of community. Manas loves sharing stories and forming deep connections with other graduate students facing similar struggles, and every once in a while doesn’t mind being dragged onto long hikes in beautiful Oregon.

Elizabeth White (she/they) is a fourth year undergraduate student in the University’s College of Education. She plans to get a master’s degree in education, and teach in the classroom while pursuing work in educational policy. She is deeply involved in local organizing efforts, and serves in multiple positions within the National Education Association. When she’s not organizing, Elizabeth loves to take care of plants, spend time playing the piano, and continue her search for the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

      Aeden is a transfer student from Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington, and is currently a first year attending the University of Oregon. He is an Environmental Studies major with a personal interest in community building and healthy culture restructuring. He is a social abstractist and interprates his experiences as a brown young man living in America through his music and physical creations. He tries to bring his learned understandings to others and holds himself to a high standard when it comes to expressing his truth. He is excited to share his stories as they have shaped the way he presents himself to this day. With a smiling sun above his head, he loves be in relationship and to create with others.

Blair Thomas (he/him) teaches undergraduate and graduate courses mainly on public policy and public management topics within PPPM. In the classroom he is committed to creating a culture built on personal connection by identifying student passions and creatively relating them to elements of theory and practice.  His research interests broadly focus on citizen engagement and more recently have explored how it is affected by athlete advocacy. A native of Beaverton, you will likely catch him discussing the plight of his beloved Boston Celtics, contemplating how the latest release of Air Jordans will fit into the confines of classroom fashion, or looking for any opportunity to show you pictures of his Mini Aussiedoodlepuppy, Tatum.

Annie Price (She/hers) is a grad student in the community and regional planning department. Annie works on bike stuff for the City of Eugene and wants everyone to be able to have, hold, love, and define bike stuff for themselves. Annie likes zines, tree branch fractals, sudoku, the color green, Yussef Dayes, Annie Dillard, and the physical presence of storytelling. Annie grew up with the parents that are just those people, you know, the amazing yarn-spinners, and she’s doing this to be closer to them.

Rachael Klaiss (she/her) is a sixth-year doctoral student at the University of Oregon (finally) defending her Ph.D. in physics at the end of May. During her time at UO, she has been involved in STEM student group leadership, mentorship, and teaching on campus. Over the last year, she developed an interest in writing poetry and creative nonfiction, particularly influenced by nature and the ~whacky ways that physicists process the world around them. In her free time, Rachael reconnects with her loves of dancing (by taking classes and performing with local studios and dance companies) and reading (as a card-carrying member of the Eugene Public Library).

David Mitrovčan Morgan (he/him) is a first year undergraduate at University of Oregon’s School of Arts and Sciences. Currently planning to graduate in 2025, David looks forward to using the skills and way of thinking he learns at University to find solutions to complex problems through data analysis, primarily in the role of a project manager. Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, he moved to Portland, Oregon when he was twelve, finally ending up in Eugene, Oregon, for school. Out side of school and work, David mainly occupies his free time with Water Polo (both reffing and playing), camping/hiking, and hanging out with his friends.