Drew Sizemore
Director
My career has been devoted to working with people to reduce their energy burden in the built environment. In the past fifteen years I have gained experience in building materials waste diversion, natural and conventional building in residential construction, energy auditing and low-income weatherization in Illinois and Oregon, commercial energy auditing and conservation work in Illinois and Oregon, residential project management, and local public and private procurement processes. My passion for developing energy solutions with real people in mind has been the thread that has carried through my career. I am a graduate of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico and am a certified energy manager through the Association of Energy Engineers.
​
Some of the most enjoyable work that I have done is finding interesting and engaging ways to educate people in how energy is interwoven into our lives. It is both gratifying and deepens the effect of our work when we help people understand that our behaviors and the ways that we use power directly affect our health, comfort, pocketbooks, and societal energy waste. I find that I am only capable of engaging on this level when I too am constantly refining and deepening my own understanding of the work that we do and all its consequences.
Lara O'Brady
Lead Instructor
Lara O’Brady has extensive experience instructing others and working within community action. Coming from Moscow, Idaho, Lara attended the University of Idaho receiving a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with both a combined minor in Math and Physics and Certification to teach math and science to grades 6- 12. She is dedicated to giving great instruction to others and ensuring that our environment is cared for. With teaching almost every age group K-12 from Oregon to Mexico City, Mexico to Wyoming, Lara leads a happy life with her husband and three children. In 2009, Lara accepted an Energy Educator position with Yamhill Community Action Partnership (YCAP) where she developed Energy Education curriculum. Using this curriculum, she lead many different workshops and 1:1 Energy Education sessions for the agency before becoming an Energy Auditor at YCAP. After her time with YCAP, she spent six years with Community Action in Washington County, Oregon as a Senior Auditor/Inspector. Wanting to return to teaching and having a passion for environmental education, she joined the Oregon Training Institute in 2023 as a lead instructor.
Suzanne M. Gray
Workforce Development Manager
Suzanne joined OTI in December 2022 and brings over 15 years of experience in trauma informed training, curriculum development and facilitation. Suzanne's previous work focused on trauma informed services for victims of interpersonal violence, and she provided training and curriculum development for institutions of higher education, law enforcement agencies, medical professionals, victim services professionals and non-profit agencies.
Suzanne is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. She is passionate about serving low-income and marginalized communities and developing sustainable and culturally appropriate training and services. Suzanne's vision for workforce development includes a comprehensive and human centered approach. She is dedicated to helping OTI achieve a vision of training and advancement for all students and staff in weatherization assistance programs in Oregon.
​
In her spare time Suzanne enjoys spending time with family and friends, baking, kayaking, and reading. She loves kitchen gadgets and is always open to recommendations on recipes or kitchen gizmos.
Nick Arvidson
Trainer
Nick is an experienced professional dedicated to advancing building efficiency and sustainability. With a decade of experience in the home performance and weatherization fields, Nick possesses a deep understanding of building energy performance and is passionate about providing others with the skills and knowledge to create more sustainable structures.
Nick graduated with a degree in architecture and started working as an energy auditor within National Grid’s Energy Wise program in Rhode Island.
After moving to Santa Fe, NM he worked in the private sector as a building science consultant and certifying HERS and Energy Star for Homes ratings on new single family homes and low-rise multifamily buildings. He also worked as a trainer for the Energy Smart Academy serving weatherization agencies in NM, TX, KS, and CO.
​
Outside of work, Nick prefers to spend his time enjoying the outdoors, often hiking, mountain biking and skiing.
Jill Hollingsworth
Training Specialist
With over 25 years of administrative experience and degrees from Cal State Sacramento and the University of Oregon, Jill has worked primarily in the non-profit arena where she managed a crisis service, developed curricula for youth suffering from depression and suicidal ideation, trained caregivers and instituted protocols for juvenile justice facilities.
Jill also brings experience as an operations specialist working in support of the Institute for Security Governance where she was responsible for supporting subject matter experts conducting United Nations Peacekeeping trainings throughout the world.
​
She joined OTI in 2024 and is excited to work with a team that is passionate about helping people from marginalized communities. She will support participants as they work through the Energy Conservation and Weatherization Internship, and the team as they develop curricula. She is also responsible for managing the website.
In her spare time, she can be found at the dog park, behind a book or in front of the computer planning her next adventure.