Makaela Kroin, OFN’s Program Coordinator, will be documenting OFN’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeships, curating an exhibit on music in the Columbia River Gorge, and co-coordinating our summer 2017 Folklife Fieldschool. Kroin is also serving as OFN’s emerging folklorist in the NEA-funded 
folklife survey of the Portland Metro counties, where she’ll be working alongside veteran folklorists Nancy Nusz and Douglas Manger. Besides working on the folklife survey, Kroin will continue to document OFN’s master artists for the Traditional Arts.
Kroin has a Bachelor’s Degree in Portuguese & Brazilian Studies from Smith College, a Master’s Degree in Information and Communication Science from Ball State University, and a Master’s Degree in Public Folklore from the University of Oregon. Kroin served as OFN’s Summer Folklore Fellow, co-coordinated OFN’s collaborative Folklife Fieldschool (read more above), and conducted videographic documentation of several master artists.
As part of her MA program, Kroin produced an exhibit for the OFN and a documentary highlighting the history and revitalization of hop growing in Oregon. That exhibit is now on permanent display at the Independence Heritage Museum, where it was featured in the 2016 Independence “Hops & Heritage Festival.” makaelak@uoregon.edu
Alina Mansfield is OFN’s new Graduate Student Assistant, who will be working alongside Brad McMullen, who will be completing a second year as an OFN GSA. Mansfield is a second year Master’s student in Folklore. She graduated from UC Berkeley, where she designed her own Folklore and Mythology major. A contributor to the Encyclopedia of Women’s Folklore and Folklife, Mansfield is currently researching Mardi Gras traditions in Mobile, Alabama and Biloxi, Mississippi. She is an avid collector of supernatural memorates and is fascinated by contemporary legends, the occurrence of traditional tale types and motifs in television, the folklore of dreaming, and divination practices.
Good-bye Vanessa… We also extend our profound thanks to Vanessa Cutz, who volunteered at the OFN over the summer. Vanessa graduated with her masters in Folklore from the University of Oregon in 2016. We appreciate all your great work Vanessa!