Staff

Steve Buckstein Senior Policy Analyst steven@cascadepolicy.org

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.

John A. Charles, Jr. President and CEO john@cascadepolicy.org

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.

Karla Kay Edwards Rural Policy Analyst karlakay@cascadepolicy.org

An experienced association executive and lobbyist, Karla Kay has spent her career learning and living in rural areas. She has a bachelor’s of science degree in animal science from California State University, Chico, and a master’s of science in psychology of organizational development from Central Washington University, Ellensburg. Edwards completed the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Development Program in 2001.

Before coming to Cascade, Karla Kay was a water quality and salmon recovery specialist for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, focusing on bridging the knowledge gap between the agriculture industry and the scientists and bureaucrats involved in salmon recovery throughout Oregon. Her experience includes being executive director of Fresno County Farm Bureau, specializing in local land use and environmental policies. In addition, she was the executive vice-president/lobbyist for Washington Cattlemen’s Association, where she worked at both the state and the federal level, advocating for natural resource policies that allowed active resource management at the local level and the protection of property rights.

Kathryn Hickok Director — Children’s Scholarship Fund-Portland Publications Director Development Coordinator kathryn@cascadepolicy.org

Kathryn Hickok joined Cascade Policy Institute in June 2005. She is Director of the Children’s Scholarship Fund-Portland, Publications Director, and Development Coordinator.

Kathryn is coauthor of Cascade board member Larry Dennis’s book 15 Leadership Principles and Ronald Reagan: 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 edited the University’s student literary journal, UP Writers, and served as a foreign language textbook editor for a member of the faculty. A winner of several writing competitions, she was the only high school student to win Cascade’s Independence Essay Competition twice.

Kathryn has been a college-level French tutor, volunteer teacher, and choreographer for ballet students. She held several positions of leadership in a local service organization for young women.

Deanne N. Kastine Research and Administrative Assistant deanne@cascadepolicy.org

Deanne Kastine grew up in NE Portland and graduated from Madison High School. Days after her high school graduation, Deanne joined Cascade Policy Institute as a summer intern. In December 2008, Deanne graduated from George Fox University with a BA in Political Science. Deanne’s political experience includes two legislative sessions (the first as an intern and the second as a legislative assistant) and an internship with the Republican Governors Association. When not working or studying, Deanne enjoys exploring her domestic side by cooking Indian food and learning to sew.

Christina Martin Program Director — Asset Ownership Project christina@cascadepolicy.org

Christina Martin is a policy analyst with Cascade Policy Institute. She directs the Asset Ownership Project, runs the Oregon Education Tax Credit Coalition (ORED) and researches education issues.

Christina moved to Portland in 2008 and became a member of the Oregon bar shortly after graduating from Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In law school, she was a Senior Editor for the Ave Maria Law Review. Christina worked as a law intern for a small firm and for the City Attorney’s Office in her hometown of Yakima, Washington, where she represented the City in various hearings.

Before law school, Christina graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in Physics and Communication, and a minor in Music. While at the UW, she was an active member of the Husky Marching Band.

Tina Pisenti Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer tina@cascadepolicy.org

Tina Pisenti joined Cascade Policy Institute in May, 2005 as Vice President, and is responsible for development, marketing, special events, internal operations, the summer intern program, and the Speakers Bureau.

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 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 involved in a variety of community service activities, including serving as a past Board member for the Junior League of Portland. She has volunteered for the Special Olympics of Oregon, Providence Hospital Festival of Trees, American Heart Association of Oregon, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Association, and the Oregon Beach Clean-Up, as well as numerous other special events and programs. In addition, she fundraises for Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS) research. She is also an active member of the Executive Club, the Economic Roundtable, the Washington County Republicans and 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.

Brian Roesler Online Media Manager brian@cascadepolicy.org

Brian joined Cascade Policy Institute in 2010 as the Online Media Manager. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he attended Willamette University in Salem, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and English. Prior to joining Cascade, Brian lived in Los Angeles working in product development for an online marketing company. He has previously worked on web properties for The American Institute for Full Employment, Thinking Economics, and a number of political candidates.

Sarah Ross Political Analyst sarah@cascadepolicy.org

Raised across the Columbia River in Kalama, Washington, Sarah Ross interned at Cascade in 2009 and has returned to tackle the position of Political Analyst. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the George Washington University and has worked for multiple political and policy organizations throughout Washington, D.C. and the Pacific Northwest, including the U.S. Senate, the Heritage Foundation, Shared Hope International, the Biotechnology Industry Organization and the Cowlitz County Republican Party.

Jacob Szeto Investigative Reporter jacob@cascadepolicy.org

Jacob Szeto joined Cascade Policy Institute in 2009 as an investigative reporter. Jacob is an Oregon native raised in the city of Damascus. He attended the University of Oregon, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Jacob is currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration at Portland State University. Prior to joining Cascade, Jacob worked as a research analyst at LECG in the areas of forensic accounting and securities litigation. He also interned during his final year at the University of Oregon at Alison LLC, a small investment advisory firm in Eugene.

Todd Wynn Vice President todd@cascadepolicy.org

Todd Wynn joined Cascade in July of 2008 as a policy analyst. For over a year and a half, he conducted climate change and energy policy research.

He moved to Portland soon after receiving his Master’s degree in International and Developmental Economics at the University of San Francisco. While studying at the University of San Francisco, Todd worked abroad in India on climate change impact research. In collaboration with the International Crop Research Institute of the Semi-Arid Tropics, Todd produced a report that described the possible damages of an increase in global temperatures and potential adaptation methods for rural Indians.

Prior to studying at the University of San Francisco, Todd attended Virginia Military Institute and California State University, Long Beach where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Economics.

Todd was promoted to Vice President in 2010.