Tinker Camp Board of Directors

The Tinker Camp Board not only provides help and guidence for the overall arch of our future success, but they also play a key roll in fundraising.

Kathi Fastnow-Dirkse
President
In her former life, Kathi Fastnow Dirkse was a Producer of Live Events and Theme Park Attractions for Universal Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering and various themed entertainment companies. She enjoyed building teams of specialized tinkerers to create engaging and immersive experiences for people around the world. While raising her two daughters, Kathi was also a Girl Scout leader, substitute elementary teacher and advocate for student mental health programs. Her tinkering focused on paper crafting and collage. Now “retired," Kathi is diving into Development for Tinker Camp, after her college classmate Blake shared his passion with her. Tinkering can take you many places, and our kids (including Kathi’s new grandson Zeke) need these supportive opportunities to grow, learn, explore and create.

   
Cathy Swider
Board Secretary
Cathy has a wide range of interests and has lived a life filled with varied experiences.
Her background includes being a lifetime Girl Scout and working with FIRST ® robotics
programs for over twenty years in a variety of capacities, including serving as the
Ambassador of Fun at the FIRST ® World Championships. In 2010 Cathy was honored
by the Daughters of the American Revolution as a significant Woman in American
History for her work in STEM education. Cathy lives in Portland with her husband and
their two cats, and she enjoys spending time with their adult daughter. Cathy is an avid
knitter, a science fiction author, and loves volunteering at Tinker Camp helping the
children realize the potential of their creations.
   
Emily Swensen
Treasurer
Emily is mother of twins and an avid ultralight backpacker. It's not even a thing unless it is 50 miles or more. She graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School in 1996. She works in the Portland City Attorney's office and is a member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar. She is also very moved by photography and other visual arts, and loves collage.
   
Steven Huff
Member At Large

Steven is a US Navy veteran who was assigned to NASA recovery missions for the Apollo program. He is a graduate of Western Washington University’s MBA program and he and his wife moved to North Portland from Knoxville, TN in 2010. He is an orginal member of Bridge Meadows, a multi-generational community that provides permanent homes to children in foster care. Steven is retired from Farwest Steel Corp. where he was a product engineer and machine programmer.
   
Morgan Masterman
Member At Large
Morgan began her public service career in 2007 at Prosper Portland, the City of Portland’s economic development agency. She is currently a Program Manager, implementing several initiatives to foster equitable wealth creation through business development. Through this work she has developed strong partnerships with community organizations and has supported the growth of several hundred local businesses. Morgan graduated from Portland State University with a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning. Morgan lives with her husband, daughter and one-eyed chihuahua. She enjoys crafting, going to concerts and plays, and begrudgingly caring for her 926 pandemic house plants. Her favorite foods are manicotti and pistachio ice cream and she’s always on the lookout for a new local restaurant to try.