Our Summer Stars
Central Oregon LandWatch is delighted to have two thoughtful students supporting our regional livability efforts.
Rita Powers has shown a deeply impressive commitment to serving the public interest. She is currently a certified law student with Metropolitan Public Defender and has volunteered with Northwestern Environmental Defense Center's public lands group. She’ll be taking on legal background and research work in each of LandWatch’s three program areas (Rural Lands, Wild Lands and Water, and Cities and Towns), along with assisting with communications and advocacy work.
Similarly, Grant Strother has exhibited tremendous dexterity while balancing school, work, varsity athletics and student leadership. For one example, he currently serves as the president of the largest Athlete Ally chapter in the country, developing organizational policy positions on inclusion in collegiate athletics. Grant has already proven to be a terrific addition to the team, pitching in on research projects that will add depth to our communications and our Cities and Towns initiatives.
Here’s your chance to get to know Rita and Grant and their reasons for being here, in their own words.
RITA POWERS | “Environmental advocacy has taught me that it takes a village to protect our wildlands …”
Hello! My name is Rita Powers and I am extremely excited to be assisting Central Oregon LandWatch as a legal intern this summer.
Growing up on a cattle ranch, I spent most of my time in the mountains. It was a privilege to have forest access so close to home and the experience inspired me to protect our ecosystems so others may experience the same curiosity and affection. One key reason I came to Oregon was to become more involved in the fight for natural resource protection to preserve a region we can all feel proud to reside in. I’m grateful that my time at Lewis and Clark Law School affords me the opportunity to protect our public lands through policy, forest, and water work. During my studies, I have passionately pursued serving the public interest, and look forward to advocating for community members in Central Oregon this summer.
Coming from Reno, Nevada, I watched developmental pressure reshape the city and surrounding wilderness I was familiar with. That experience drew me to Central Oregon LandWatch because I deeply resonate with their mission to engage in long-term planning for sustainable communities. Environmental advocacy has taught me that it takes a village to protect our wildlands and I admire the organization’s focus on community connection to foster that undertaking.
I look forward to becoming more familiar with Oregon’s land use system and defending the enforcement of our environmental regulations aimed at protecting resources that shape the region’s unique ecosystems. I’m especially fascinated by the Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Passage Initiative, given the protection that wildlife corridors provide to both people and biodiversity. Let's build together to live in harmony with nature!
Hello, my name is Grant, and I am excited to volunteer with Central Oregon LandWatch this summer!
As a student at Tufts University, I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the world of urban land-use law, policy, and advocacy. Through programs in architectural studies, economics, legal studies, and urban studies, my appreciation for Oregon’s unique land-use laws and the efforts by many to guide growth into our cities has blossomed. When I learned about Central Oregon LandWatch and their diverse approach to protecting the beautiful Central Oregon region that I grew up in, I knew that I wanted to get involved. I was inspired by the pragmatic and value-driven approach to policy advocacy, wildland protection, and legal action that Central Oregon LandWatch takes that enables tangible results.
GRANT STROTHER | “… my appreciation for Oregon’s unique land-use laws and the efforts by many to guide growth into our cities has blossomed.”
Having grown up in ex-urban Salem, Oregon, my move to Boston for college brought about an exciting change in environment, as I was now surrounded by the millions of people who make up one of America’s greatest cities (Go Red Sox!).
Along with the excitement, I saw how real-world change can be made in our lived environments when communities come together with a shared vision. Tufts’ host city of Somerville and neighboring Cambridge have transformed themselves in the past two decades into some of the greatest bicycling cities in North America. This transformation was only possible due to the hard work of volunteers, non-profits, and community members to push for and enact the policy changes necessary to promote biking and make it accessible for everyone, no matter their abilities.
I am excited to bring my lessons learned from New England back to Central Oregon this summer and to contribute to the work to continue to make Central Oregon an affordable, beautiful, and sustainable place to live.
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