Photo credit: White Lion Photography & Design
Statewide Administrative Staff
Monica Goracke joined Oregon Law Center in 2005 as a staff attorney and served as managing attorney of the Portland Regional Office from 2009 until 2018. Monica was raised in Grants Pass, Oregon, and began her legal aid career as a student volunteer with the Grants Pass legal aid office. She is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Williams College. Between college and law school, she worked as a Jesuit Volunteer helping homeless clients with mental disabilities at a residential treatment program. After law school, Monica clerked for United States District Judge Myron H. Thompson in Montgomery, Alabama, and then worked as a staff attorney for three years at Disability Rights Advocates in California. During her career, Monica has represented people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, immigrants, and other clients in state and federal court, conducted outreach and community presentations, and worked with local and state agency staff and elected officials to advocate for policies that improve low-income people’s lives. As Executive Director, Monica is responsible for leading Oregon Law Center’s ongoing planning efforts and implementation of our strategic vision; ensuring the continued provision of high quality legal representation and systemic advocacy; leading partnerships with community organizations, funders, and the private bar; building strong relationships with leaders in the judicial, legislative, and administrative branches of state and federal government; and maintaining stable revenue and strong financial systems.
Sarah DeMartino joined Oregon Law Center in 2008 as the Financial/HR Specialist until 2016, when she moved into the role of Chief Financial Officer.
Sarah grew up in Springfield, Oregon and attended the University of Oregon where she majored in English Literature. In 1996 she moved to Portland and started employment at the American Red Cross – Oregon Trail Chapter. After working in various roles she found her niche in the accounting department. This is where she realized she wanted to maintain a career in the nonprofit sector. After leaving the Red Cross, she was hired at OLC and went back to school to receive a Post-Baccalaureate Accounting degree from Portland State University. She enjoys being behind the scenes, supporting those on the front lines so they can focus on fulfilling the mission of the Oregon Law Center.
Rej Joo is Oregon Law Center’s DEI Director.
Rej is a 1.5-generation Korean American man of trans experience who was born in South Korea and grew up in Portland. He recently returned to Oregon after living in NYC for 15 years, where he received his degree in psychology and completed his MPH from Columbia University. Since 2003, Rej has had the opportunity to grow with and serve various communities affected by poverty, mental illness, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, houselessness, homophobia, and transphobia. He is passionate about creating a learning and unlearning environment that is grounded in cultural humility where we acknowledge the ongoing process of self-reflective work. He strives for collective liberation through an intersectional lens where economic realities of low-income people cannot be divorced from racism and other systemic inequities. His DEI work has been shaped by experiences in the fields of public health, social service, research, community education, anti-violence work, and program evaluation. Rej enjoys gardening, geeks out on martial arts and holds black belts in the disciplines of Hapkido and Taekwondo (currently taking up BJJ).
Kristy Wood is the Director of Operations for Oregon Law Center. She joined the organization in 2019.
Kristy Wood attended Oregon State University where she received a Master’s Degree in Communications. She started her career as one of the first staff of CASA for Children in Oregon. After working as a Development Director for the Meals on Wheels program she was hired as the Development Director for New Avenues for Youth. She then joined the new non-profit Community Warehouse where she worked as the first Executive Director for twelve years. She was also the first Executive Director of Guardian Partners where she spent five years working with the legal community to help end abuse of those under guardianship care.
Throughout her career, she has successfully help grow non-profits into thriving organizations by developing successful fundraising programs and strong operating systems. She has a particular passion for the important work of non-profits in helping our most vulnerable citizens. Kristy has four children, two rescue dogs, and lives in Gresham.
