meet

Our Team

We are advocates for the most vulnerable human beings whose right to life is denied or abridged under current law. We work to reestablish protection for all innocent human life from conception to natural death.

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Lois

Executive Director

LOIS ANDERSON

About Lois

Lois has been a part of the Oregon Right to Life team for more than 20 years. Before assuming her current role as executive director in 2017, Lois served as director of political operations. Lois grew up in the Beaverton area, attending local public schools and graduating from Portland State University Honors Program with a bachelor’s degree in history. She worked as legislative staff and on a number of political campaigns before joining ORTL in 1999. Lois and her husband have been married for 32 years, have four grown children and welcomed their first grandbaby in 2022.

I spent years in Oregon political and policy work before I found my home at Oregon Right to Life. A love of history and politics, informed by my faith, drew me to this movement. I consider it a great privilege to contend for legal protection for the most vulnerable human beings in our culture.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
A traditional Thanksgiving dinner – roast turkey, rice stuffing, mashed potatos and gravy, roasted Brussel sprouts, mashed sweet potatoes with chopped pecans (no marshmallows!), pickled beets, pickled green beans, homemade rolls and pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream

About Sharolyn

Sharolyn is a born and raised Oregonian, growing up in the Willamette Valley. After graduating in 2017, Sharolyn went on to work in real estate until settling at ORTL to fulfill her passion for life and her love for people. Starting as office manager in 2019, she has worked her way through several titles, settling at political director in 2023. In her current position, Sharolyn enjoys the fast-paced atmosphere and networking opportunities within the political advocacy realm. She currently lives in the Oregon City area with her ball-crazy golden retriever, Millie.

There’s truth that needs to be shared, fear that needs to be relieved, people who need to be supported, and hearts that need to be changed. The pro-life movement doesn’t stop after birth.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Homemade meatloaf and mac & cheese

Sharolyn

Political Director

SHAROLYN SMITH

Makyra

Community Outreach Director

MAKYRA WILLIAMSON

About Makyra

After four years of insisting that she would not be a teacher just because she was an English major, Makyra graduated from Harding University and became (you guessed it!) an English teacher. She then pursued graduate education at Boise State University, where she taught freshman composition. After completing an MA in English Rhetoric and Composition, Makyra joined our team as the Community Outreach Program Manager. She brings her educational background and passion for learning to this role as she connects pro-life communities across the state. An avid fan of Jane Austen and Anne Brontë, Makyra lives in Salem, where she spends her free time reading Victorian literature, writing bad poetry, playing the piano, and baking chocolate chip scones.

History, science, and reason demonstrate that all humans—regardless of age, development, intelligence, or ability—have an inherent right to life. The injustice against the most vulnerable in our society must end, and I’m committed to being part of that change.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Grilled salmon, roasted asparagus, garlic bread, mashed potatoes, and fudge brownies.

About Ronna

Ronna was born in California and raised in Oregon, currently residing in the City of Kings. She grew up in the tax and accounting world and has been a licensed tax consultant for 35 years, starting her own business in 1992. In addition to her position at ORTL, Ronna serves as accounting manager for a non-profit serving the Latino community. She’s the current treasurer of the Columbia River Unit, former state treasurer for the Oregon Society of Tax Consultants, and a current member of the Oliphant Community Charities board in Lake Oswego. A proud mother of two grown sons, Ronna takes pride in her Catholic faith and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She loves traveling, gardening, golfing and laying by the pool on sunny days.

Womb to tomb, baby!

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
If I’m lucky, the body of Christ

Ronna

Accounting Manager

RONNA SPIGARIOL

Helen

Development Specialist

HELEN DORAN

About Helen

Helen found a passion for supporting mothers and defending unborn lives after attending ORTL’s student leadership retreat, Launch, as a senior in high school. After graduating from Benedictine College, where she served as the president of Ravens Respect Life, she found her way back to Oregon Right to Life as a part-time development specialist. Helen grew up in the Portland-metro area and is currently living in Hillsboro, enjoying life as a wife and mother.

A world with little room for children is a world with little hope. If we want to advance justice and equality, we must start with embracing our most vulnerable as the gift that they are!

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Authentic Italian pizza and pasta

About Emily

After having found success in the real estate world, Emily decided to follow her passion in pro-life advocacy, which led to her position at Oregon Right to Life. It ended up being a great fit and it allowed her to continue her career as a real estate agent. She serves as a member of our development team, managing mailings and campaigns. Emily currently lives in Independence and enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.

My hope is that abortion would not simply be illegal, but as with slavery, simply be unthinkable.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Spaghetti with vodka sauce, several salmon avocado rolls with loads of ginger, and a fountain diet coke.

Emily

Development Specialist

EMILY EVERHART

Trevor

Communications Specialist

TREVOR LANE

About Trevor

Trevor grew up in the Beaverton area and graduated from Oregon State University in 2021 with a Bachelors of Science in Speech Communication. While in college, Trevor participated in the Civil Discourse Club at Linn-Benton Community College where he practiced defending his pro-life beliefs in a constructive way. Outside of work, Trevor enjoys reading and arguing with anyone who will put up with him. He lives in Salem with his wife and their cat, Ruby.

The pursuit of justice is one of my guiding ideals. The protection of innocent life is integral to the advancement of justice, so we cannot have justice until unborn humans are protected from violence.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
The largest possible tomahawk ribeye cooked rare/medium-rare, several roasted sweet potatoes with bacon, at least a pound of roasted balsamic brussies, and a bottle of Ardbeg.

About Jalaya

Abortion, with its devastating effects on women as well as families, has been on Jalaya’s heart since her early teen years. After graduating from Portland Bible College in 2022 with her Bachelor of Theology and Christian Humanities, Jalaya knew she wanted to make a difference in her local community. With Oregon’s lack of restrictions towards protecting women and providing the truth about the harmful effects of abortion, it became Jalaya’s goal to advocate on behalf of them. Through joining the Community Outreach team at ORTL, it is encouraging to see change happen day by day through growing the Education Foundation as well as completing persistent networking throughout the State.

The most beautiful sound to be heard is that of a new heartbeat. Yet, it is this beauty that our world falsifies the most and greatly undermines. We must strive to rebuild this truth, so that its beauty can remain.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Pad Thai

Jalaya

Community Outreach Specialist

JALAYA TAYLOR

Natasha

Data Entry Assistant

NATASHA FORBES

About Natasha

Natasha moved to Oregon in 2015 to attend Corban University and worked corporately after graduation. In 2020, she joined the ORTL team and serves as the Data Entry Assistant, providing a framework of support and information for all entities and programs. Natasha lives in Independence with her husband and can often be found at her church hanging out with middle schoolers.

Truth isn’t relevant and the value of a life doesn’t change because of its age, race, or gender. We need open hearts and agile minds in order to care for our communities and the families in them while changing the culture with the truth.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Medium Sirloin Steak, Baked Potato, and Broccoli+Cauliflower Medley

About Jessica

Jessica has done administrative work in both banking and accounting before coming to ORTL, where she loves working as the administrative assistant to help protect life in Oregon. She grew up and graduated in Montana, after which she moved to Salem in 2017 and married her husband.

I believe we have inherent value, and therefore have a responsibility to protect and support innocent human life at all stages, from well before birth to well after, disproving cultural trends and calming fears that our circumstances negate that value.

If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Her mom’s homemade meat pie

Jessica

Administrative Assistant

JESSICA GLITSCHKA

Oregon Right to Life

Board of Directors

melody-durrett.png

president

Melody Durrett

Melody Durrett is the president of Oregon Right to Life Board of Directors. She is passionate about engaging her peers and people of our great state on the issue of abortion. Melody is committed to compassionate dialogue with those who disagree with her and has put that idea into practice through founding and leading Students for Life clubs. First, at Linn-Benton Community College and also at University of Oregon, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Melody also spent a summer interning for three different national pro-life organizations in Washington, D.C.: Students for Life of America, Rock for Life, and Americans United for Life. Melody has served on the board for the past five years. She lives and works in Eugene.

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