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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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, a Willamette Valley native and lifelong Oregonian, began her career in real estate before finding ORTL to better fulfill her passion for advocating for vulnerable people. Joining the team as office manager in 2019, Sharolyn explored a variety of positions but found her stride in the fast-paced world of political advocacy, officially taking on the role of Political Director in 2023. Sharolyn resides in Gresham with her golden retriever, Millie, and enjoys exploring Portland’s vibrant food and nature scene in her free time.
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.
Political Director
SHAROLYN SMITH
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, and she currently resides in what she calls the “City of Kings.” She grew up in the tax and accounting world and has been a licensed tax consultant for almost 40 years, starting her own business in 1992. In addition to her construction contractor, she is involved with a non-profit serving the Latino community. She is an Oliphant Community Charities board member 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 lying by the pool on hot, 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.
Accounting Manager
RONNA SPIGARIOL
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.
Development Specialist
EMILY EVERHART
Social Media & Events Specialist
RAMONA MELLISON
About Ramona
Ramona Mellison is a creative visionary. You can count her in if a project has anything to do with a few color paints and a crisp piece of paper. She graduated from Corban University with a Bachelor’s in Digital Communications and Multimedia. Her faith in Jesus has given her the passion for speaking the truth, and with the combination of her creative abilities, she decided to apply for the Social Media and Event Coordinator role. As the story goes, she got the job.
In her downtime, she loves going on walks with her Italian Greyhound Asa, watching movies with her husband, learning French, and practicing pliés in beginner ballet.
Speaking up for what's right, especially for the vulnerable, is far more valuable than being accepted by the masses.
If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
After church, going on a picnic and enjoying bruschetta in the sunshine, without a care in the world.
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.
Community Outreach Specialist
JALAYA TAYLOR
Community Outreach Coordinator - Eastern Region
SHANNON GARLITZ
About Shannon
Born and raised in Washington, Shannon has lived all over the Pacific Northwest. She spent 12 years in Portland before relocating to Boise with her husband and young daughter. In 2011, after welcoming two more children, Shannon and her family returned to Oregon, settling in the Northeast part of the state where they currently reside. As ORTL’s Outreach Coordinator in Eastern Oregon, Shannon brings a wealth of experience in community outreach, advocacy, education, administration, and volunteer work with non-profit organizations.
There’s no greater work than advocating on behalf of the most innocent and vulnerable humans. Opportunities for life-affirming education and support are limitless. We can, and will, make a difference by helping others say yes to life.
If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
Bowl of popcorn followed by Tillamook chocolate chip ice cream and a strong cup of extra hot coffee.
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 Dallas with her husband and son and can often be found at her church hanging out with middle schoolers.
Truth isn’t relative 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.
Data Entry Assistant
NATASHA FORBES
Administrative Assistant
JESSICA GLITSCHKA
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.
About Cassie
Cassie was born and raised in California. After graduating from the University of California, Riverside, with a Bachelor’s in English Literature and a Master’s in Education, she spent a few years teaching English in the inner city schools of Southern California. With a heart for people and an itch to travel the world, she “took a year off” to join an international Christian organization, where she spent the next ten years working all over the world for the sake of the most vulnerable and landing in Salem, Oregon as her home base. Since she was young, her heart broke for the lives of the most innocent in her home country. In 2024, she joined Oregon Right to Life as the Office Manager/Executive Assistant to fight for their voice to be recognized.
Everyone deserves a right to life, even when it makes us uncomfortable. I want to live in a world where the least, the last, and the lost are honored, protected, and cared for. I want to be an active part of making that world come to fruition.
If you could plan your last meal on earth, what would you choose?
In the midst of friends and family, laughing and eating the best breakfast you could think of: waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, eggs cooked to perfection, thick-cut bacon, fruit from all over the world, and a steaming cup of milky tea.
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
CASSIE RIES
Oregon Right to Life
Board of Directors
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.
