About the CCE

Matsya Siosal joined the Center for Community Engagement in 2010 and has been CCE’s director since 2015. Her professional background includes a cumulative 20+ years’ experience in higher education, leadership roles in companies both large and small, as well as consulting for mission-driven small businesses and entrepreneurs.

As CCE’s director, Matsya is excited by the program development and business planning that her role calls for, and is energized by the endless opportunities for creativity and collaboration. Her sense of purpose as a human being and a professional is to facilitate and support efforts that promote wellbeing, justice and liberation and she is honored to be able to fulfill this sense of vocation in her daily work at Lewis & Clark. Matsya’s leadership lens is informed by her experience with Courage to Lead principles and she is a Courage & Renewal facilitator. As a facilitator, she finds purpose and joy in holding space for people to experience the transformational power of slowing down, reflecting deeply, and tuning in to their own innate wisdom.

Matsya is a graduate of The Evergreen State College and focused on creative writing in her studies. She has a committed daily writing practice and enjoys gardening, walking and hiking, and sharing time with family and friends.

503-768-6122  |  msiosal@lclark.edu

Jenn Burleton is the program director for TransActive Gender Project. She is a fellow of the Georgetown University Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, and has more than 35 years of experience advocating on issues impacting trans and gender diverse adults.

Jenn is the recipient of the 2021 national ‘Hometown Hero’ Award from LGBTQ Nation and is considered an authority on issues relating to transgender and gender diverse children and youth. In addition to her work with TransActive Gender Project, she serves on the Oregon Youth Authority LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. She has served on Oregon Health & Science University’s Transgender Program Advisory Committee, and the LGBTQ Child Welfare Workgroup for Multnomah County.

She was a 2014 recipient of Multnomah County’s “Sy Award” for lifetime commitment to social justice and has been recognized as a “Queer Hero” by the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. 

Marissa Behringer is the marketing and communications manager at the Center for Community Engagement, and has been with the department since 2015. Overseeing web and email communications, she promotes CCE’s calendar of workshops, courses and programs to the community. Marissa enjoys having the opportunity to elevate the diverse and social justice-focused offerings that the CCE provides, as well as work alongside GSEC staff, faculty, and community partners who continue to propel cutting edge work in the fields of counseling and education.

In her spare time, Marissa is active in the Portland music scene and involves herself in initiatives related to harm reduction and equity in nightlife.

503-768-6222  |  mbehringer@lclark.edu

Kelly (she/her) joined the Center for Community Engagement in 2019 as the program manager. Prior to her role at CCE, she was program coordinator of the Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Program at Lewis & Clark Law School. Her other professional roles include serving as program administrator for several research centers at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), including the Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation, Center for Unconventional Security Affairs, and the Newkirk Center for Science & Society.

As CCE’s Program Manager, Kelly is thrilled to be at the center of developing and growing educational programs that seek to transform and elevate the professional knowledge of counselors and educators across the state and beyond.

Kelly holds double bachelor of arts degrees in Comparative Literature and European Studies from the University of California, Irvine, and a master of arts degree in Education Leadership & Policy with a focus on Postsecondary Adult and Continuing Education from Portland State University. When not at work, she can often be found contributing to arts & cultural work in the API and BIPOC communities around the city.

503-768-6155  |  knovahom@lclark.edu

Shanthi Pattison joined the CCE team in 2022 as the daily operations manager, where she oversees the coordination of department processes and supports the ongoing needs of continuing education students and community members. She also serves as the CCE point of contact for systems support and data integrity across campus systems.

Shanthi holds a BS in engineering from the University of Portland and started her career as a higher education program manager in the software industry.

She is a long time volunteer for k-12 programs, and enjoys traveling, documentary films & music education. Shanthi is a firm believer in lifelong continuing education to better serve our community.

503-768-6043  |   shanthip@lclark.edu