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Ambassadors

Renee Patrick	Hiking “I have always placed more emphasis on having experiences and challenging myself than keeping a steady job and padding a bank account. This sense of exploration led me to join the Peace Corps after college, and hike my first long trail soon after. Nine thru-hikes and 10,000 miles later I am still in love with discovering my surroundings on foot and now I’m able to use all those experiences in my newest endeavor as the Trail Coordinator for the 750 mile Oregon Desert Trail. I will never stop hiking, and I like to say my favorite trail is the one I haven’t hiked yet.”
Jennifer McCrystal	Bend Magazine Sisters Ambassador I moved to Sisters 11 years ago, to open a restaurant and raise my daughters, since then I have been love with the town. The thing like most about Sister is that I can be running Cottonwood Café at noon and hiking or biking in the trails high to the mountains hours later! Sister’s community is invigorating, stunning and beautiful and I am happy to be a part of it. Jennifer McCrystal is an entrepreneur, mother and adventurer. She owns The Cottonwood Café in Sisters, Oregon. Visit: Cottonwood Café
René Mitchell	Arts & Culture “I absolutely love what Cari Brown has created at The Workhouse; truly a one-of-a-kind inspirational gathering place for artists, collectors, and the curious to exchange ideas and thought-provoking dialogue about the arts. We need more of this!” René Mitchell is an arts and creative culture advocate, president of ScaleHouse, director of Bend Design, BendFilm advisory board member, and Caldera Arts Board of Directors
Matthias Giraud	Adventure “Backcountry skiing is about more than just skiing powder and jumping off cliffs. It’s about connecting, accepting your place in the environment and experiencing the magic of the moment. Standing on top of a mountain means that by paying your dues, you have reached the highest point of a powerful territory. But nobody conquers a mountain; the mountain simply allows you to travel through. You are always at the mercy of its organized chaos.” Matthias Giraud is the Bend Magazine Adventure Ambassador and an avid backcountry explorer. Follow him @matthiasgiraud.
John Abernathy	Beer & Brewing Beer Pick: GoodLife Puffy Coat Porter “A darker beer with coffee and licorice notes to help take the chill off, Puffy Coat includes black licorice, cherry bark and chicory in the brew. The balance of roastiness and dark malt body offers a nice counterpoint to winter days.” Jon Abernathy is a Bend-based beer writer who authored Bend Beer: A History of Brewing in Central Oregon and blogs at thebrewsite.com.
Cassondra Schindler	Culture “Like so many residents, I feel ridiculously fortunate to call Central Oregon my home. This gratitude is felt year round though in my opinion, our summers are pure perfection. Taking liberties, the three things that I love the most include our beautiful Cascade Mountains, phenomenal trails and the talented and interesting people who choose to make Bend, Oregon their home.” Cassondra Schindler is a creative instigator and collaborator at Make Good Creative. She is a co-producer of Bend Design Conference and Armchair Storytelling and supports the vision for a contemporary Creative Center in Bend. She is Bend Magazine’s Culture Ambassador
Lauren Fleshman	Running “Stand confidently in whatever stage you are in—own it, embody it and have fun with it. From beginner to Olympian, we are all, at the end of the day, not competing against others or even ourselves. We are running, and competing, alongside ourselves, in the context of a big full life, throughout transitions, childbearing, career, aging.” Lauren Fleshman is a 2 x USA 5k Champion, 6 x World Championship USA Team Member. Lauren is also a mom, a business owner at Picky Bars, an author of Believe Training Journals. She is Bend Magazine’s Running Ambassador
Roger White	Camp Sherman “Mother Nature has provided us a very amazing and special place. Please explore, but tread lightly.” Roger White is the owner of the iconic Camp Sherman Store. He is advocate for the preservation and enjoyment of the Metolius River and its environs. He is Bend Magazine’s Camp Sherman Ambassador.
Ellen Waterson	Literature “Thanks to my high school English teacher, who gave me the courage and confidence to embrace my inner nerd, my love of words, and follow my interest in writing, I went from “enjoying writing” to “wanting to be a writer”. If we’re lucky, we encounter such an inspirational, life-changing teacher, coach, or mentor at a key time in our education.” Ellen Waterson is poet, author and literary arts advocate. She is the author of four collections of poetry, a collection of essays about the high desert, and a memoir. She was the founder/director of The Nature of Words festival and workshop. She is Bend Magazine’s Literary Ambassador
Jill Rosell	Events Jill Rosell, is a Bend lifestyle and portrait photographer and creator of I Love Bend, OR. As Bend Magazine’s Events Ambassador, Jill is available to photograph select happenings around Central Oregon. You can reach Jill at Jill@BendMagazine.comEvents Ambassador.
Adam Carroll	Start-Up “When I first moved here, I couldn’t have told you anything about the start-up community. Now, the visibility has risen even more than the number of companies. I feel like we’re close to a sufficiently critical mass where you can find someone local that knows about what you need to learn about. There are also more local investors and investment funds, which has made a huge difference for us.” Adam Carroll is a biochemist by training and a data geek at heart, who’s made his career recently doing software and algorithm development. He is the founder of Amplion, medical data software company in Bend. He is Bend Magazine’s Start-Up Ambassador.
Cynthia Laroche	Wellness \| Mindfulness \|Yoga “I’m beginning to understand more and more that happiness isn’t conditional. It’s a choice that I make in each moment. As more individuals become responsible for their own happiness and wellbeing this spreads. It’s in our wellness that we reach out to help those in need, we begin to lift each other up.” Cynthia LaRoche teaches both strong alignment based vinyasa flow and restorative yoga classes in Bend, OR. The foundation of her career as an instructor was shaped in 2005 at the Himalayan Institute. Cynthia also works as a co- director of local non-profit World Muse. She Bend Magazine Wellness and Yoge Ambassador.