John A. Charles, Jr.

president

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John Charles was named President and CEO of Cascade Policy Institute in May, 2005. Cascade is a free-market think tank working to promote individual liberty, economic opportunity, and personal responsibility.

Mr. Charles initially joined Cascade in 1997 as Environmental Policy Director. His research has focused on transportation, land use, and free-market environmentalism. He is a frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, especially on the subject of growth management, and has traveled to 24 states to discuss this issue. Mr. Charles authored a chapter on the Portland experience in the book, A Citizen’s Guide to Smart Growth, co-published by the Heritage Foundation and Property and the Environment Research Center. He has also been published in newspapers around the country including The Oregonian, Pittsburgh Times-Review, Hartford Courant, and Seattle Times.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr. Charles was executive director of the Oregon Environmental Council for 17 years. During that time he served on dozens of local, state and federal commissions and advisory boards related to environmental protection. Charles was also an active participant in Oregon legislative proceedings, and helped author numerous environmental statutes in the areas of forest management, toxic substances, air pollution, watershed restoration, and transportation.

Mr. Charles received a B.A. degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1976 and an M.P.A. degree from Portland State University in 1990.

Jon Hadley

production manager

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Jon Hadley rejoined Cascade Policy Institute in March, 2005 as production manager after taking a year off to pursue a variety of interests and to return to school. Jon acted as administrative assistant to Cascade from October 2000 through April of 2004.

Prior to Joining Cascade, Jon practiced a variety of middle management trades including warehouse management, sales and marketing planning, residential roofing, and limousine dispatch, detailing and maintenance.

Jon handles the day-to-day operations at Cascade as well as acting as the organization’s task manager and general assistant. He produces and distributes many of the Institutes mailings, handles the in house bookkeeping and is responsible for the upkeep and organization of Cascade’s office and equipment.

Jon is currently attending Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus as a part time student, and plans to earn a degree in business administration from Portland State University. He formerly attended Western Oregon University and is an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

Steve Buckstein

senior policy analyst

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Steve Buckstein helped found Cascade Policy Institute in January, 1991 and served as its president until 2004. As a senior policy analyst, he writes and speaks both in Oregon and nationally on several policy issues including education and Social Security reform.

Prior to founding Cascade, Steve coordinated the 1990 general election campaign for a citizens' initiative which would have provided educational tax credits to every student in Oregon so they could choose public, private, religious or home schooling. Steve served on the board of Oregonians for Cost-Effective Government in 1987 and 1988 and was a 1988 candidate for Oregon State Treasurer.

Steve received his Bachelor of Science degree in physics and his Master's of Business Administration from Oregon State University.

Sreya Sarkar

policy analyst

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Sreya Sarkar joined Cascade Policy Institute in May, 2006, as a policy analyst. She conducts policy research and analysis. As the director of the "Wheels to Wealth" and "Assets Set You Free" projects, she does research, community outreach and education for the projects.

Sreya came to US for the first time in 2003 to pursue her second Masters in Political Science. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005 with specialization in Comparative Politics and Non-profit management.

Prior to joining Cascade and coming to U.S., Sreya was a Lecturer in Political Science in Milli Al-Ameen College in India. She has also worked as a Development Associate for Hitoisha, a kolkata (India) based non-profit and as a freelance journalist.

Sreya received her first Masters in Political Science with specialization in public administration from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2000. She received her Bachelor in Arts with honors in Political Science from Presidency College, University of Calcutta in 1998.

Tina Pisenti
vice president

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Tina Pisenti joined Cascade Policy Institute in May, 2005 as Vice President, and will be responsible for development, marketing, special events, and internal operations.

Prior to joining Cascade, Tina worked as Business Development Manager for Cruise Holidays of Portland (2003-2004), Director of Operations for China Advocates, an educational travel company in San Francisco (2001-2002), Director of Operations for the University of California, Berkeley Alumni Association Bear Treks Educational Travel Program (1999-2000), and Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Whitehall-Parker Securities, a stock brokerage firm in San Francisco (1997-1999). In addition, Tina served as Director of Football Operations for the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears for eleven years (1986-1997).

Tina is also involved in a variety of community service activities, most recently serving as a Board member for the Junior League of Portland. She has volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank, Special Olympics of Oregon, Providence Hospital Festival of Trees, Children’s Museum 2, American Heart Association of Oregon, Oregon Beach Clean-Up, as well as numerous other special events and programs. She is also an active member of the Forest Heights Book Club.

Tina received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Master’s in Business Administration from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Kathryn Hickok
development coordinator
director, Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland

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Kathryn Hickok joined Cascade Policy Institute in June 2005. She is Cascade's development coordinator and director of the Children's Scholarship Fund-Portland.

Kathryn is coauthor of Cascade board member Larry Dennis's book, 15 Leadership Principles of Ronald Reagan and How You Can Use Them to Change Your World, and formerly managed a Portland accounting firm.

Kathryn graduated with honors from the University of Portland with a degree in English and a minor in French. She was the only high school student to win Cascade's Independence Essay Competition twice.