Our
History
Tasha’s House is named after Tasha Oliverson. Tasha was a member of Roseburg’s LGBTQIA+ community and championed local activism for LGBTQIA+ rights and other marginalized groups such as women and people of color. She was a founding board member of PFLAG Roseburg and served as the Secretary.
Tasha was also a member and president of the Queer Students Advocacy (QSA) group at Umpqua Community College (UCC). As a student in the Social Services program at UCC, she focused on using her degree to serve the Douglas County community.
Tasha and the founding Board Members of Tasha’s House had several conversations concerning the need for an LGBTQIA+ based resource center locally, and during those conversations, she would regularly say, “If I could, I would just take them all to my house!”
Unfortunately, Tasha tragically lost her life due to contracting an infection that turned septic and attacked her vital organs. The naming of Tasha’s House is an effort to honor and remember this truly extraordinary individual.
Our
Mission & Values
Our Mission is to support, educate and empower Douglas County's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender (LGBTQIA+) youth and community in safe and diverse spaces to promote dialogue, wellness, and to foster social change.
We envision a world where LGBTQIA+ people, inclusive of all our intersecting identities, can live safely and openly as our whole selves.
Make a Difference.
Join our Board!
We’re looking for passionate community members to join our board of directors at Tasha’s House! Help us provide support to Douglas County’s LGBTQIA+ youth. Follow the link to fill out the Board Member survey to see if you’re a good fit!
Our Board
Lehi
Dowell
Tasha's House Board Secretary
Lehi Dowell is a fourth-year Ph.D. student in Planning, Governance, and Globalization at the School of Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech. He earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of La Verene and a master's degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management from Florida International University.
Over the past few years, he has worked extensively to incorporate cross-campus and interdisciplinary activities at Virginia Tech by taking leadership positions in organizations such as the Graduate Student Assembly, the Community Change Collaborative, and the Diversity Scholar program. Having worked for ten years in hospitality operations management and ten years in nonprofit administration, Lehi has been exposed to issues concerning economic growth, sustainable development, and community engagement on both local and international levels.
As the Economic Development Director at CCD Business Development Corporation in Southwestern Oregon, he leads their award-winning Economic Recovery Initiative (ERI) and Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the three-county region. Lehi grew up in Douglas County and graduated from Sutherlin High School. As a founding board member of Tasha's House, he is proud to take part in providing safe passage for Douglas County LGBTQIA+ youth.
Mark
Lenihan
Tasha's House Board Chair
Mark Lenihan is a long-time resident of Douglas County. He and his wife, Alana, are the parents of four children, three of whom identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Mark comes from a very conservative background and, at one time, was beginning a career in Evangelical Ministry. During this period, he began to question and investigate further his beliefs concerning the LGBTQIA+ community and the ideology of the Evangelical faith. This investigation led him to realize that his views concerning the LGBTQIA+ community were wrong, resulting in him leaving the church and beginning a campaign to establish equal rights and education for the public concerning the LGBTQIA+ community.
Mark was the founder of PFLAG Roseburg and is a sitting board member for the Douglas County Gay Archives. He has also helped to organize several Pride Parades in Roseburg. In addition, he was a driving force in getting the Roseburg City Council to proclaim in 2022 that it officially recognized June as Pride Month in Roseburg.
Adrienne
Asplund
Tasha's House Board Member
Adrienne Asplund is a special education teacher at Roseburg High School. She runs the Success behavior support program at the high school level and sponsors the school's Gender and Sexuality Alliance club. She services a wide range of students and disabilities with the principles of trauma informed teaching and universal design for learning.
Adrienne feels it is very important to provide representation for religious queer youth and adults (like herself) and to promote empathy, civility and fostering good community working relationships. She grew up near Woodburn, Oregon and graduated from North Marion High School, then from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor's of Science in Special Education. Because of the lack of resources for LGBTQIA+ youth in her area growing up, she is happy to support more resources for her students and anyone in the Douglas County area.
Adam
(no last name/photo to protect identity)
Tasha's House Board Member
Adam is an 11th-grade student at Roseburg High School. After experiencing bullying at school, he took a leadership role in resurrecting the Gender Sexuality Alliance club at RHS after it had all but disappeared due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adam is a kind, hard-working youth who is always willing to help his peers when needed. He is proud to serve as Tasha's House youth voice board member.
Elizabeth
Jam
Tasha's House Board Member
Elizabeth Jam, known by Liz to her friends, is a long-time resident of Douglas County. When she is not busy volunteering, you can find her with her husband, Ben, their three children, and their many animal rescues.
Although she was born in Arizona, Liz was raised in Douglas County and considers this community to be her home. In her teenage years, Liz found herself questioning her conservative upbringing and what she had been taught about the LGBTQIA+ community. During this time, she found herself with questions and quickly realized the area needed more resources and education.
Over the past few years, Liz has consistently volunteered with local organizations and events such as the Pride Planning Committee, PFLAG, and Soul 2 Soul Animal Rescue. She is always looking for opportunities to educate, support, and empower those around her to feel comfortable and accepted in their own journey. She is excited for the opportunity to provide assistance to the LGBTQIA+ youth of Douglas County
Contact Info
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT: Tasha’s House is an equal-opportunity service provider. Therefore, we will review each case based on individual needs; without regard to race, disability, religion, sexual identity, gender orientation, political affiliation, or age.