Our Mission
Our mission is to find employment for justice-involved individuals through prison outreach, employer education, and business development services.
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As a 501(c)(3) Non Profit, all donations and contributions are tax deductible.
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Our VISION & VALUES
Vision:
Employers and justice-involved individuals are united in breaking the cycle of recidivism. All formerly incarcerated find quality and sustainable careers.
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Values:
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Partnership: Collaborating with community partners to achieve our shared mission.
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Perseverance: Pursuing new opportunities even in the face of adversity.
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Integrity: Always doing what is ethically right.
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Inclusion: Including those who have historically been excluded and ensuring that all identity groups have the same rights, opportunities, and access regardless of their background or circumstance.
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Transparency: Sharing information openly and honestly, both internally and externally.
Our Success Stories
In just a few short years, Opportunity Oregon has helped hundreds of justice-involved people all over the state of Oregon. They come to us with anywhere from a few years to a few decades of incarceration, from all walks of life, and many different types of work experience and work history. The common denominator for all is that they want to start fresh and become productive members of society. Check out the link below for a few of their stories...
Our team
Nancy pance
Executive Director
After years of mistakes and addiction, Nancy ended up in prison. It was a transformative experience, fueled by work training and rehabilitative programs. She came out a changed person, but struggled to find work because of her criminal background. Through tenacity she found an employer willing to give her a chance, and making the most of the opportunity, she became one of the top 5 performers in a company of hundreds.
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However, her dream was to own a business, so after earning her degree, she teamed up with her brother Joseph to run a fitness gym. Taking it from a struggling enterprise to one that thrives, she realized that her success could not have occurred without those willing to see past her biggest mistakes. Her goal and dream shifted to helping others in the way she was helped.
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Nancy meets with employers to explain the value of hiring people like her, collaborates with the correctional department to select the most deserving candidates, and selects, prepares and matches ex-offenders to employers.
Aubrey Johnson
Deputy Director
Aubrey Johnson joined Opportunity Oregon as Deputy Director in December 2023. Prior to Opportunity Oregon, Aubrey has held key leadership roles in non-profit, fortune 500 publicly traded companies, real estate investment trusts (REIT), and private equity backed organizations. Her most recent role was Deputy Director for a non-profit organization, supporting agribusinesses in the 13 Western United States and 2 U.S Territories increase international growth by providing financial support, export readiness, and business development services.
The distinct value Aubrey brings to the organization is the ability to inspire and align cross functional teams to achieve strategic operating goals. She is a passionate servant leader who thrives in cultivating transformational growth in companies and in people. She has a history of meeting and exceeding key performance indicators to help organizations achieve rapid growth and operational excellence. She is grounded in personal core values of being honest, fair, and kind in all situations. Aubrey takes great pride in consistently performing at a high level, expanding her knowledge, and investing in others to support their growth and development. She holds a B.S. in Business Management and Leadership and a B.S. in Human Resource Management from Portland State University.
Joseph P. Carmack
Director of Marketing & Development
Joseph Carmack has more than 25 years of national and international experience in the security field, and started his own security company 15 years ago. Joseph also owns a commercial property company, a tattoo shop, and co-owns a fitness gym with Nancy. His various companies employ 140 people and operate throughout the state.
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After seeing firsthand the value of hiring a justice-involved individual, Joseph began brainstorming with his sister on creating a company that would exclusively hire those with criminal backgrounds. However, after seeing the amount of people looking for work, such an enterprise felt inadequate to the mission, and too limited by it's own growth and size. So the business model changed to meet the mission goal - instead of employing ex-offenders, they would place as many of them in existing jobs within the community. Opportunity Oregon was born.
MICHELLE EHLERS, CRM & PWS
Reentry Support Specialist/Pathway Home Case Manager
Michelle joined the Opportunity Oregon team in January of 2025, after being released from the Coffee
Creek Correctional Facility. She had lived a life riddled with grief, which stemmed from the tragic loss of her brother when she was only 8 years old. Michelle utilized drugs and alcohol as an attempt to nub the
pain only causing more strife. She lived a life of addiction, crime, toxic relationships and lost touch with herself as a result. She had three children throughout a 14-year time span and in 2019 lost the younger two to the foster care system. The spiral continued until at 42-years old she found herself incarcerated and forced to look within.
Michelle chose to work on herself while at Coffee Creek and through immense trial and tribulations never gave up. She worked in the transition department for 4 years, became a Certified Recovery Mentor, a Peer Wellness Specialist, a respected member of the recovery community, sponsored other women and became the first ever woman to achieve her bachelor’s degree with the Higher Education Prison Program via Portland State University.
Michelle was introduced to Nancy at the first employment workshop conducted by Opportunity Oregon back in 2021 and as a result Nancy was able to identify her strengths while observing her passion for change within the system and supporting those around her. As a result, Michelle became the first reentry support specialist employed by Opportunity Oregon, and was hired before she was released. Michelle was released from prison and started 8 days into her new life.
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Michelle answers all the mail, is responsible for the intakes, conducts pre-release meetings for those releasing back to Lane County and has been going back into the prisons since just 53 days out. She is
involved with community outreach and truly strives to meet all the clients where they are at. She is a true
inspiration and a success story, however her relatable experience and connection is truly what makes her a great support for all people seeking employment post-release.