The Leadership Team
Kris McAlister, executive director
Kris McAlister is the Executive Director of Carry It Forward. He was born in Springfield and spent most of his life there.
He experienced homelessness as a youth and has served 25 years in social justice and service-oriented boards and organizations that focus on homelessness, medical access, poverty intervention, disability, and youth.
In addition to his work in the nonprofit, he has chaired the Lane County Poverty and Homelessness Board and currently has been the Chair for the Springfield Utility Board Budget Committee. Kris also served on the board for Square One Villages and Escudo Latino.
Along this journey, he has earned the rank of Life Scout and the Kirsten Frohnmayer Award, United Way's Community Voice Award, Springfield Alliance for Equity and Respect's Human Rights Award, and most recently, the Eugene Human Rights Commission’s Leadership Award.
Arwen Maas-DeSpain, assistant director
Arwen Maas DeSpain has served 30 years in social justice and service-oriented non-profit organizations focused on racial equity and justice, LGBTQ issues, poverty, and homelessness. In addition to working as Founder and Assistant Director for Carry It Forward, she is a licensed marriage and family therapist and clinical supervisor.
Board of Directors
bob cerince, board president
Bob moved to Oregon in 2019 having lived most of his life in Southern California. After college and graduate school, Bob worked at several churches in Southern California. Later, Bob taught junior high school, worked for non-profit agencies, and then for city and county governments in health and human services agencies, primarily managing homeless services. Bob and his wife, Denise have been married over 40 years and live in rural Springfield where they are pursuing a dream of a multi-generational small family farm with their eldest son, JD, his wife, Gabriella, and 3 old grand daughter, Ayla. Their youngest son, Michaelray lives nearby in Troutdale, OR. Having operated small businesses in Southern California, Bob and Denise found a new business venture and opened Nothing Bundt Cakes of Eugene at Valley River in November 2021. Bob joined the Carry It Forward board in the Spring of 2022 and currently services as the board president.
Leonard Stoehr, Treasurer
“As a Teamsters Union member and representative, I became conscious of the needs and the powers of the underrepresented elements of our community. As a city councilor in Springfield, I came to see the unhoused citizens of our city as a potentially boundless source of energy and knowledge. A wise man said that suffering is the great teacher, and the pain that we endure every day equips us to deal with challenges both immediate and long-term. I am proud and grateful that Carry It Forward has asked me to assist them in their mission.”
Holle schaper, Secretary
Holle Schaper is a statistician and has spent her career working in research using data for positive community impacts. She lives with her family in Springfield, and is active in advocating for equity, justice, and access in her personal life.