Meet the PACE Team
Administration
Dave Harvey
Director of PACE Administration
Dave came to Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) with over thirty years of experience as a General Manager with a management company. He has experience in building strong client relationships with key administrators in the public and private school environment. Dave has attended numerous training programs from ethics to affirmative action plans, and equity and inclusion to client engagement.
As the Property and Casualty Coverage for Education (PACE) pool Administrator for OSBA, Dave has helped shape the continual improvement of the PACE program. He continues to increase the opportunity of risk and legal counsel trainings and workshops, and online resources to its members. Dave has especially focused on being a face for PACE, by meeting with members in all corners of the state, to listen to all needs in person and creating action plans to address service needs. His goal is to continually and intentionally improve the benefits of PACE, so that all public educational institutions and their students can be safe, informed and thriving.
Scott Neufeld
Deputy Director, SDAO
Scott Neufeld is SDAO/PACE’s Director of Claims & Risk Management where he supervises the risk management team that conducts loss control surveys, assists with safety/liability training programs, reviews safety programs, and assists members with OR-OSHA compliance. He has been in the Loss Control/Risk Management field for over 15 years. Scott is actively involved in the Oregon chapters of ASSE, RIMS and PRIMA. Scott worked as a Loss Control Specialist for Salem Area Mass Transit District where he was in charge of their workers’ compensation, property and liability claims, drug and alcohol, and safety programs. Scott also worked for a staffing company in Portland, Oregon that did industrial and trucking job placement. He conducted loss control audits in Oregon and Washington and assisted with accident investigations and OSHA compliance. Scott graduated from Oregon State University in 1997 with a degree in Environmental Health and Safety with an option in Occupational Safety.
Scott received the 2008 Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Safety Professional of the Year award recognizing him as a leader in health and safety in Oregon. Scott also received the 2012 Silver Sparky award from the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, which is the highest honor a civilian can receive in the fire service, for his work on the PACE/SDAO arson prevention program.
Claims
Communications
Alex Pulaski
Director of Communications
Alex Pulaski joined OSBA’s staff as a communications specialist in February 2013, and rose to communications director in August 2016. He has had an integral role in “The Promise of Oregon” campaign, and has worked closely with school board members and districts to address their communications challenges, including crisis communications. He is a product of K-12 public schools and community college.
Before joining OSBA, Alex spent 16 years at The Oregonian as a reporter and editor. Before that he was a reporter and editor at The Fresno Bee. During his reporting career he has covered everything from schools to courts to growth to agriculture and migrant farm workers. In 2000, he and reporter Brent Walth were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in explanatory reporting for their series on the politics of pesticides. Alex is fluent in Spanish.
Alex attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif., and received his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal State University, Fresno. He has a minor in economics.
Risk Management
Dan Davenport
Director of Risk Management
Dan Davenport graduated from Oregon State University in 1989 and spent the next four years in the US ARMY. In 1994, he went to work as a claims adjuster at SAIF Corporation then moved into risk management as a return to work consultant. In 2001, he began working for Beaverton School District as a loss control specialist responsible of all aspects of safety for all lines of coverage property, liability and workers compensation. In 2009, he joined SDAO and PACE as their risk manager working with both schools and special districts.
In 2000, he completed the certified professional disability management (CPDM) course and in 2006 completed the associate in risk management (ARM) program. Dan has also been a member of the boards of Oregon School Safety Officers Association and Oregon PRIMA.
Mike Jacobs
Sr. Risk Management Consultant
mjacobs@sdao.com
PACE Legal Services
Haley Percell
Chief Legal Counsel
Haley Percell joined OSBA’s legal services department in March 2011. Prior to joining OSBA, Haley worked for over five years as an employment law attorney at the law firm of Lafky & Lafky in Salem, Oregon. Haley obtained a bachelor of science degree from the University of Portland in 2002 with a major in biology and a Spanish certificate. Haley earned her law degree from Willamette University College of Law in May 2005.
Haley has significant experience in employment litigation as well as counseling and advising clients regarding employment law matters. At OSBA, Haley provides advice and litigation services to member school districts.
Haley is admitted to practice law in all Oregon state and federal courts and is also admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court. Haley belongs to several professional organizations including the Federal Bar Association, the Marion County Bar Association, and the Oregon Women Lawyers.
In 2010, Haley was professionally recognized as an employment law “Rising Star” by West’s Oregon Super Lawyers publication.
Michael Miller
Interim Director of Legal Services
Michael joined OSBA’s Litigation Services Department in June 2016. Prior to joining OSBA, Michael practiced civil litigation with various top-rated insurance defense firms in Portland and Northern California. Michael graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Arts’ Degree in 1998. He then earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2001.
Michael has significant civil litigation experience, with an emphasis in personal injury litigation, premises liability, and general tort defense. At OSBA, he provides advice and litigation services for member school districts.
Michael is admitted to practice law in all Oregon state and federal courts, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is also a member of the State Bar of California and the Washington State Bar Association. Michael is an active member of the Multnomah County Bar Association, Marion County Bar Association, Oregon Association of Defense Counsel, and the Council of School Attorneys.
Callen Sterling
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel, Team Lead
2020 Presentations:
- Oregon School Law and Finance
- Student Speech: Where does student speech cross the line to student discipline?
Amy Lopez
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel
Amy Lopez is a litigation services attorney with the Oregon School Boards Association where she represent school districts, charter schools, community colleges, and education service districts throughout Oregon. She provides litigation defense, general counsel advice, and training to clients on a variety of topics. Prior to joining OSBA, Ms. Williams worked for seven years as a Litigation Associate at a private law firm in Sacramento, California where her practice primarily focused on defending school districts in employment and negligence matters. At OSBA, Ms. Williams provides advice and litigation services to member school districts. She is admitted to practice law in Oregon and California. She earned her B.S from Southern Oregon University, and her J.D. from Western Michigan University.
Brian Kernan
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel
Brian Kernan was raised in Redmond, Washington. Brian obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. He also studied Mandarin Chinese in college and spent a year in China after graduating from Santa Clara. Brian moved to Portland in 2011 to attend law school. He obtained his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School in 2014.
Brian joined OSBA’s legal department in 2021. Prior to joining OSBA, Brian worked as a Senior Assistant County Counsel for Marion County, where he provided advice on labor and employment matters. Prior to that, Brian practiced civil litigation at two private law firms in Portland, Oregon for over six years. Brian has significant civil litigation experience, with an emphasis on defending employment matters.
Brian is a member of the Oregon State Bar. He is admitted to practice law in all Oregon state and federal courts. In his spare time, he enjoys running, tennis, and spending time with his family.
Education and Admissions
Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2014
Santa Clara University, B.A. and B.S., 2009
Oregon State Bar, 2014
United States District Court, District of Oregon, 2014
Professional Distinctions and Affiliations
Multnomah County Bar Association
Marion County Bar Association
National Council of School Attorneys
Cabinet Member, Oregon Historical Society
Best Lawyers in America®, Ones to Watch distinction in Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment (2021)
Tonyia Brady
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel
Tonyia Brady was raised in Dallas, Oregon. She is a proud product of the Oregon public school system. Tonyia attended the University of Oregon and graduated Cum Laude with degrees in political science and history. Tonyia earned her law degree from Willamette University College of Law.
Tonyia joined OSBA’s legal department in 2020. Prior to joining OSBA, Tonyia worked as an employment litigator at a small firm in Salem, Oregon for over 9 years. During law school Tonyia worked as a law clerk for the Employment Litigation Section of the Oregon Department of Justice and interned for the Honorable Anna J. Brown, an Oregon U.S. District Court judge.
Tonyia has signification experience in employment law litigation as well as counseling and advising clients in various areas of the law.
Tonyia is a member of the Oregon State Bar, United States District Court for the District of Oregon, and the United States District Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Education and Admissions
Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 2010
University of Oregon, B.S., 2007
Oregon State Bar, 2010
United States District Court, District of Oregon, 2010
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2014
Professional Distinctions and Affiliations
Marion County Bar Association
Oregon Women Lawyers
Oregon Council of School Attorneys
National Council of School Attorneys
Oregon Super Lawyer’s “Rising Star” 2013-2020
Presentations
2020
- Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools
- Student Speech: Where does student speech cross the line to student discipline?
Therese Holmstrom
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel
Therese was born and raised in Austin, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Geography and worked in human resources before obtaining her law degree from Willamette University College of Law in 2012. She has been a member of the Oregon State Bar since 2012 and is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of Oregon.
Therese worked for a workers’ compensation firm and a business law firm, Saalfeld Griggs, before joining OSBA in 2016. Therese was with OSBA for two years and then returned to private practice for another five years before rejoining OSBA in January 2023. While in private practice, Therese defended employers against employment-related litigation, and she has over a decade of experience advising clients on legal compliance and risk management. Therese is familiar with the wide variety of legal issues facing OSBA’s members.
Although Therese is not originally from Oregon, she has embraced Oregon as her new home and has visited each of Oregon’s counties at least once. She enjoys cooking, reading and traveling in her spare time.
2023
- Public Meetings & Ethics, OSBA Summer Board Conference
- Administrative Professionals and Public Meetings, OSBA Summer Board Conference
- OSPA Summer Conference, Case Law Update for HR Professionals
- Legal Hot Topics, OSPA Winter Retreat
- Every Student Belongs and Gender Identity in School Programs, Oregon City Equity Conference