Board Members & Volunteers
Heather Walker
Board President
Heather became Board President in January 2024, taking over after long-time Board President Bruce Holmson retired.
Heather started volunteering for the Hood River County Christmas Project when she joined her husband and her oldest daughter to pack food boxes with the high school basketball team 4 years ago. It was then she saw the good this project does for the community and wanted to be a part of it. She has been organizing the volunteers for the last 3 years.
Aside from being a mom of 3 she is a dental hygienist focusing her efforts on individuals who find getting to the dental office difficult. She is the owner of Hood River Mobile Dental Hygiene and an active member of Westside PTO where all of her children have attended school.
Leslie Hidle
Co-Treasurer
Leslie was born and raised in Hood River. Her father, Bud Collins, was a firefighter and worked with the Christmas Project in the late 1930s.
Leslie has worked with the Christmas Project for more than 20 years, and also serves as board secretary for the FISH Food Bank. She chairs the mid-Columbia CROP walk to raise money for local food banks and has been honored as a Soroptimist "Woman of Distinction."
Lindsey Holmson
Board Vice-President
Lindsey was elected to the board in early 2021 and became Board Vice-President in 2024. She has worked extensively with the Christmas Project, particularly in handling sponsorships for local families. In 2020, her challenge was to organize the distribution of food and gift cards by mail to almost 900 families. She works to ensure that all registered families receive the right food boxes, gift cards, and children's toys.
Juan Reyes
Director
Juan is a long-time supporter and volunteer for the Christmas Project. He joined the board in 2022. He has spent hours helping people register, and has worked on distribution activities. He works with the Christmas Project social media and also coordinates public outreach and fundraising events.
As reported by the Columbia Community Connection: "He now serves at Hood River Valley High School as a prevention and graduation coach, works for Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) as the LatinX Community Outreach Coordinator, and teaches a GED course for adult Spanish-speaking students." (Thanks to WaGap for the photo).
Tracey Tomashpol
Co-Treasurer
Tracey has been a supporter of the Christmas Project since 2006 and joined in person after moving to Hood River in 2018. She helps with the Tree of Joy campaign and with Christmas Project online work. She volunteers at the FISH Food Bank and serves on the board at Columbia Insight, a non-profit environmental news site covering the Pacific Northwest.
John Buckley
Board Member
John joined the Christmas Project Board in 2024, but has been an active volunteer for years. John has also been a longtime member and leader of the Hood River Elks Lodge. He is also a manager of East Fork Irrigation District, where he began in 1980, and works with the Hood River Valley Adult Center, where he’s served on the board, among other areas. John will head our Fundraising Committee - if you want your business or group to help us raise funds, let John know!
Breanna Finlayson
Board Secretary
Breanna moved with her husband and 3 kids to Hood River in 2017, and has been an active community member since arriving. She's been a 3rd grade teacher at the Clackamas Web Academy, and here in Hood River works with the young program at her church. She also can be found on the basketball court, playing or coaching her son's team.
Silvia Maciel
Board Member - Volunteer Committee Lead
Silvia Maciel joined the Christmas Project board in 2024, but has been an active volunteer for years. She helps reach out to help register families who prefer to speak Spanish, and she is an active speaker on behalf of the work done by the Christmas Project. She has often shared the story of how the Christmas Project helped her family after they arrived in Hood River years ago. You can hear her story here: https://youtu.be/tuXlgqp8mQE?si=f6CrIxzXbeabkLUx
Today Silviais a registered nurse and diabetes educator who uses her professional and volunteer hours to help people better understand their health through personal conversations and county-wide education, exercise and cooking classes. She works at One Community Health, and was named a Soroptimist Woman of Distinction in 2024. Reach out to Silvia if you want to volunteer!
Bruce Holmson
Past Board President and
2023 United Way Outstanding Volunteer of the Year
Bruce joined the Christmas Project in 1996, and began "driving the sleigh" in 2003. He oversees the Board's meetings, coordinates overall planning, and is the "voice" of the project throughout the community. Bruce continues to inspire our work. In late 2023, he was also honored by the United Way of the Columbia Gorge as "Outstanding Volunteer of the Year."
Ginger Mooney
Board Member - Food Purchasing Committee Lead
Ginger has been a volunteer with the Christmas Project for several years. She helped with the 2023 Project food purchasing. In 2024, she joined the board, and looks forward to helping our clients have healthy and festive food at Christmas.
​
Ginger work as an attorney in Hood River.