OUR LEADERS
Lori Vallelunga, PhD
Executive Director
she/her
Dr. Lori Vallelunga, a licensed clinical psychologist for the past 28 years, comes to Olalla Center with more than a quarter-century of clinical and program administration experience. She brings a wealth of nonprofit leadership experience to the role of Executive Director at Olalla Center. She has worked in the nonprofit sector and in a variety of mental health service sectors for her entire career. Dr. Vallelunga’s clinical approach derives from a positive psychology/resilience-based mindset with a strong grounding in family systems.
Dr. Vallelunga has held many leadership positions where she has been an effective change agent. Recent past positions include Clinical Director, Deschutes Wilderness Therapy, President/CEO Bethel New Life, Sr. Vice President, Strategic Development, The Hope Institute for Children and Families, Executive Director, PACE Center for Girls, Pinellas County, Clinical Director, The Psychological Wellness Center, Clinical Director, Central Illinois Center of The Autism Program of Illinois, among others.
Dr. Vallelunga has a passion for leadership, mentoring, organizational impact through high quality community-based services, program development and creating opportunities for growth and change. She has lived in Lincoln County for the past year and also enjoys time at her home in central Oregon. She enjoys the peace, beauty and power of nature and taking “sniff abouts” with her four dogs, Maddie, Maynerd, Pumpkin and Bix.
Denise Leonard, MS, LPC
Senior Director of Clinical Services
she/her
Denise holds a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling. She did her internship at the Olalla Center, and upon graduation obtained a position as a mental health counselor at the Lincoln County Health and Human Services office. After two years she decided to return to Olalla. Now with 8 years experience and after serving as Clinical Director and Pegasus Program Manager, Denise is now Senior Director of Clinical Services.
Denise believes that everyone has the power to make positive changes within themselves. She employs an eclectic therapeutic approach with an emphasis on supporting clients as they discover tools and develop skills to accomplish their goals. Denise enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, horses, and all their animals. She has enjoyed living on the Oregon Coast since 2003.
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Lisa Curry
Finance Manager
she/her
Lisa Curry works at Elite Accounting Solutions where she has been employed for the past 7 years. She started Accounting in 1999 and has had multiple rolls in Payroll processing, Financial Auditing and CFO work. She moved from Southern Oregon to the Metro area in 2010 and resides in a small logging community outside of Hillsboro. She has a wealth of knowledge on big and small business where her passion projects are nonprofits. As a believer in acts of service being the way that small communities are able to make the most impact, she is thrilled to be able to help Ollala and the Lincoln County residents receive the many benefits that Olalla has to offer.
Alex Llumiquinga, CHW
Arcoíris Cultural Program Manager
he/him
My name is Alex Llumiquinga. I was born in the country of Ecuador. As a teenager I left Ecuador, to travel around countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Australia performing traditional Andean music. I moved to the US in the year 2001. For many years I worked as a full time musician to support my growing family. A few years ago, I was given the opportunity to work for the LCSD as a bilingual tutor with K-2 students. My current job provides me the opportunity to have a direct connection to the Latinx and Migrant populations in Lincoln County. I am committed to helping the community and being there when they need me. My goal is to make a difference in people's lives and empower them so they can be the change in the future.
Alex Guevara, CHW
Community Health Manager, OHP Assister
she/her
My name is Alex Guevara and I was born in Ecuador. When I was young, I was given the opportunity to travel to the United States and I learned about cultural sensitivity. I am bilingual, I am fluent in Spanish and English. In 2016, I was given the opportunity to assist our community in medical and dental insurance enrollment. This opportunity taught me that the need of our families was greater than only health insurance. Each family lives with other needs, lack of knowledge on how to access services, and barriers to access these resources. This gave me a purpose and motivation to learn about community resources and services available to help families and connect them with agencies, programs and resources to meet their needs.
Jessica Brightman, MS, QMHP
Day Treatment Director, Therapist
she/her
Jessica received a masters degree in clinical psychology from Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona. She began her career by working as a therapist in residential care for the Children’s Farm Home in Corvallis. After 5 years, she became the weekend crisis responder while starting her position as day treatment therapist for Olalla in November 2019. Since then she has moved to program manager and now director of day treatment services at the center.
Every behavior serves a purpose; in order to understand challenging behaviors, we must look at their function. What benefit has that behavior served in the past and how can we create adaptive behaviors that fill the same function. Jessica draws her therapeutic practices from a variety of modalities and client-centered approaches. She utilizes techniques from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Collaborative Problem Solving, and Attachment Theory.
Midwestern University for Masters of Arts in Clinical Psychology
Western Oregon University BA in Psychology
Robb Davis, MEd
Project Bravery Program Manager
he/him
Robb has lived on the Oregon Coast since 2017, but he has always considered the Northwest home. Born in northern California, his family moved briefly to Lewiston, Idaho, when he was three before settling across the Snake River in Clarkston, Washington. He earned his master’s degree and teaching certificate from Western Washington University, then decided to teach overseas -- in Central America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia -- for a decade or so. With a calendar featuring similar school breaks and holidays as the U.S., Robb was able to experience many fascinating places and cultures. He enjoyed the ruins at Petra, in Jordan, so much, he visited three separate times!
After returning to the U.S., Robb wasn’t sure he wanted to continue teaching. Then the pandemic occurred, and he pursued a couple of his other passions: espresso and books. Through volunteer work with the first Newport Pride celebration in September 2022, he was made aware of Project Bravery. He was hired in January 2023, and he continues to enjoy a challenging job with much variety.
When he is not working, Robb enjoys spending time with his partner, going to live music events, hiking, road trips to places in Oregon (and beyond) he's never been (or likes so much he wants to go again), perusing locally owned books shops, enjoying espresso drinks, and scouring the beaches for agates.
Sarah Prue, QMHA-R
Youth Activities Program Manager
she/her
Sarah Prue has been working with the Olalla Center since the summer of 2022 and has quickly become an essential member of the team. With over a decade of professional experience in guest and customer services and an upbringing in a low-income, rural setting, Sarah brings a unique background and perspective to Olalla Center.
“Through organizing fun and educational community activities, encouraging engagement with the natural world, and supporting my neighbors however I can, I hope to demonstrate how deeply I care for and appreciate our community and environment. In collaboration with volunteers and other community members, I also hope to develop innovative and practical approaches to promoting widespread mental, physical, social, and spiritual wellness.”
Amy Shumate
Early Childhood Services Program Manager
she/her
Amy completed her master’s degree in Elementary Education at Western Oregon University in 2017. After teaching in the public school setting in California and Oregon for over 20 years, she decided to expand her career by becoming the owner and director of ABC Educational Center in Newport. She believes that a positive start to a child’s schooling years gives them the best possible opportunity at continued success throughout their education.
Fervently dedicated to helping and serving the working families and the children of this community, her new position with the Olalla Center will help her continue to bring these services to the families in our area.
While not teaching, Amy loves to spend time with her family. She has two grown daughters and twin boys. She and her husband have made their home in Newport and are dedicated to helping our community in any way possible