2021 Keynote List Table

Sara Gelser

State Senator
Oregon State Legislature – District 8

Sara Gelser was sworn into the Oregon House in 2005, and was elected to the Oregon State Senate in 2014. She is Chair of the Senate Human Services Committee and also serves on the Judiciary Committee, the Education Committee, the Mental Health Committee and the Joint Transportation Committee. Prior to joining the Senate, she chaired the House Education Committee for 6 years and served as the National Education Policy Chair for the Council of State Governments. In 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Sara to the National Council on Disability. The nomination was confirmed by a unanimous vote of the US Senate.​
Before serving in the Legislature, Sara was the Children with Disabilities and Family Support Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Human Services. She also worked as an instructor at Linn-Benton Community College and as a regional coordinator for the Oregon Parent Training and Information Center, where she provided training to parents, educators and administrators about special education law and practice.

Sara earned her BA in history and education from Earlham College and an MAIS degree from Oregon State University. She was a Council on State Governments Henry Toll Fellow, a Marshall Memorial Fellow, and a participant in an American Council of Young Political Leaders international exchange program facilitated by the US Department of State.

Sara lives in Corvallis with her partner, Dr. Michael Blouin, and is the proud mother of five children.

Rob Nosse

State Representative
Oregon State Legislature – District 42

Rob lives in SE Portland with his husband, Jim, and their two children. He has devoted his career to standing up for working people and helping to raise the bar for middle class families. Currently, Rob works at the Oregon Nurses Association where he brings nurses together with a strong, united voice to advocate for themselves and their patients.

After graduating from Miami University, Rob worked as an advocated for students as Executive Director of the Ohio Student Association. In 1992, Rob moved to Salem to serve as the Executive Director of the Oregon Student Association, where he worked to increase access to higher education for working students. Since leaving OSA, Rob has worked as a union representative and fought for equality and opportunity for middle class families.

Rob and his husband, Jim, have been in a committed relationship for over 20 years. Together they have raised 2 children who attend high school in Portland. Rob and Jim have been active PTA members at Atkinson Elementary and Franklin High School. Rob is also active in his community through St. Philip Neri Church, a Catholic Church in SE Portland, where he serves on the Pastoral Council.

Lilia Teninty

Director
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS)

In her role as the Director of the Office of Developmental Disability Services (ODDS) in DHS, Lilia is responsible for the development, oversight and delivery of intellectual and developmental disability services across Oregon.
Lilia brings with her over 13 years of experience, 11 of those working specifically with Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) programs. She has worked in several states, in a variety of roles. She began her career in the field of I/DD working for a small non-profit that provided assistive technology to people with disabilities. In 2003 she began working for the State of  Indiana, where she supervised the Medicaid waiver unit and moved on to become the Chief of Staff for the Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (2006-2007). Lilia later accepted the position of Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities for the State of Illinois (2007-2011). In 2011 she moved to Oregon to work for the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI). As a Senior Policy Specialist at HSRI, she provided consultation on Medicaid policies and funding mechanisms for people with I/DD to several states. 
Prior to starting her career, Lilia earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Mills College and her Masters of Public Affairs from Indiana University. Lilia has a passion for public service and has dedicated most of her career to serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Alonzo Kelly

Principal
Kelly Leadership Group

A dynamic Executive Coach, Professor, 3x Best Selling Author, and Radio Host, Alonzo Kelly has gained international and global attention as a premier consultant and strategist. Alonzo is recognized as one the nation’s leading experts on leadership development, strategic thinking, planning, and acting which results in individual and organizational goal achievement. He has appeared on America’s Premier Experts which airs on major networks across the country including ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.

He holds a bachelor’s in Accounting, three master’s degrees (Public Administration, Human Resource & Labor Relations, Business Administration), and is nearing completion of a PhD in Multidisciplinary Human Services. He is also currently in the process of obtaining his Doctorate in Business Administration.

He currently serves on the State Board of Directors for the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), National Board of Directors for SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted), the Fire and Police Commission for the City of Howard, WI, and the Board of Directors for Family Services of Brown County.

Learn more at www.alonzokelly.com