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Board, Advisory Board

Board Members

, President

Grayson Dempsey has served as the President of Backline since its inception in 2004 and has been working as a counselor, activist, doula and trainer in the reproductive rights movement since 1999. She has received national recognition for her work with abortion and reproductive healthcare issues, and in 2004 was named one of the Top 30 Under 30 Activists for Reproductive Freedom by Choice USA. In recent years, she has served as a consultant to organizations such as the National Coalition of Abortion Providers, Ipas, the Abortion Access Project, Pro Kan Do, Oregon Health & Science University, and the Abortion Conversation Project, and has served on the Board of Open Adoption & Family Services and the Birthingway College of Midwifery.

Jani Iverson

Jani Iverson has dedicated more than 15 years to nonprofit service benefiting women and children. She entered the nonprofit community as a volunteer for Planned Parenthood in Seattle, WA, before earning her Master's degree in Organizational Development. Jani brings experience in strategic & operational planning, staff development and fundraising. A native of Washington, she comes to Oregon via a stint in the United States Peace Corps where she provided nonprofit leadership development and consulting to organizations serving women on the island of Western Samoa. Prior to her service abroad, she held the position of Vice President of Planning and Development for Planned Parenthood of Central Washington, providing clinical services, educational programs and public advocacy efforts from 12 centers in central and eastern Washington. She is currently the Interim Executive Director for a shelter serving the needs of women and families who have been impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault. She joined the Backline Board in July, 2008.

Shani Pines, JD

Shani Pines brings a legal and counseling background to her work at Backline. She served as the Outreach Director of the UCLA Peer Helpline, and worked as a pro-choice volunteer for the Fund for the Feminist Majority. Shani also spent five years as a staff attorney at a capital legal resource center, where she focused on mental health and social justice issues.

Rebekah Schiefer

Rebekah Schiefer comes to the Backline Board with several years experience in the field of reproductive health education and activism. She started volunteering with Planned Parenthood in 1996 as a peer educator conducting HIV and AIDS prevention with middle and high schoolers. She attended The Evergreen State College, where she focused her studies in political science and constitutional law. In 2005 she moved to Portland, where she started working with the local Planned Parenthood affiliate in the health clinic and then as a health educator. Rebekah also had the opportunity to work in a boys group home and as a case manager for foster youth transitioning to independent living. Rebekah completed her MSW at Portland State University in June 2009.

Melissa Valencia-Manerini

Melissa Valencia-Manerini became involved in reproductive health and pregnancy options education after she was touched by an unplanned pregnancy as a teenager. Melissa served as a peer educator, mentor and public speaker for a teen pregnancy prevention and sex education program in Kansas, where she shared her experiences with pregnancy and her choice to plan an Open Adoption. After moving to Oregon, Melissa became involved with Open Adoption & Family Services, speaking as a Birthmother and advocate for Choice for all women. She has been on the Board of Directors of Open Adoption & Family Services since 2004 and is very excited to pursue new opportunities with Backline and further her knowledge in the fields of Reproductive Choice, Health and Justice.