The Best of Us - Oregon Stater

The greatest measure of any university is the quality of the people it sends out into the world. This year’s Alumni Fellows and Changemakers show the amazing ways Beavers use their Oregon State education to make things better, from shaping green building standards to designing tools, expanding rural health care and strengthening local food systems. Meet this year’s honorees.

Alumni Fellows

Since 1988, the Oregon State University Alumni Association, in partnership with the university, has recognized caring, passionate and talented members of Beaver Nation who have distinguished themselves in their professions and their communities. Alumni Fellows are nominated by their colleges and departments.

Adam Bean, ’00

Honored by the Honors College

A member of the first Honors College class in 1995, Adam Bean built a high-impact career leading cross-functional teams in the semiconductor and energy storage industries. More than 30 years later, he continues to shape the college’s identity as the second-longest-serving member of the Honors College Board of Regents and a frequent host of Bay Area alumni networking and mentorship events.

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Scott W. Christianson, ’08

Honored by the College of Business

Scott Christianson’s ongoing tenure with Ferguson Wellman Capital Management began the Monday after he graduated from Oregon State. Today he is a principal and portfolio manager and was named to the 2023 Portland Business Journal 40 Under 40 list. He guides emerging College of Business professionals as a mentor and a member of the Dean’s Council of Excellence and the Finance Advisory Circle.

Keith Dempsey, ’93, M.S. ’96, Ph.D. ’09

Honored by the College of Education

After serving as department chair of the Graduate Counseling Program at George Fox University, Keith Dempsey now leads his own counseling and consulting practice, known for addressing racial trauma and expanding access to mental health care. A mentor, role model and natural connector, he continues to foster belonging for students and alumni as a founding member of the OSU Black Alumni and Friends Network.

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Christine Ervin, ‘77, M.S. ’81

Honored by the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences 

Christine Ervin is a pioneer of clean energy, climate solutions and green building innovation, areas she now consults in through her Portland-based practice. Her extensive leadership includes helping establish the world’s most widely used green building rating system (LEED) as the first CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council and directing $1 billion annually toward clean and renewable energy as a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Energy.

Jerry F. Franklin, ’59, M.S. ’61

Honored by the College of Forestry

Nicknamed the “Father of New Forestry,” Jerry Franklin has contributed substantially to the field of sustainable forest management during his more than 60-year career. He served on the team that developed the Northwest Forest Plan, one of the most globally influential conservation frameworks, and has authored more than 300 publications. He continues to steward the future of the field as a mentor and advisor.

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Ben Rivera, ’90

Honored by the College of Engineering

In a 35-year career with Portland-based Leatherman Tool Group, Ben Rivera designed some of the company’s most iconic multipurpose tools, contributed to more than 150 U.S. patents and served as president and CEO for over a decade. His design for the WAVE Leatherman tool is part of the permanent collection within the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2014, he was inducted into OSU’s Academy of Distinguished Engineers.

Shannon B. Wanless, Ph.D. ’09

Honored by the College of Health 

A national leader in social emotional learning and the director of the University Center for Social and Urban Research in Pittsburgh, Shannon Wanless has dedicated her career to building a future that is more equitable, humanizing and conducive to children and families thriving. Along with her professional accomplishments, she remains connected to OSU as a mentor, guest lecturer and collaborator.

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Kathy Ward, ’77

Honored by the College of Agricultural Sciences 

Kathy Ward’s work in agriculture began on her family’s Century Farm in Baker City, Oregon, and culminated in an international leadership role in vegetable research and development with Bayer Crop Science. Today, she champions student success in the College of Agricultural Sciences through advisory board service, mentorship and philanthropy. She also volunteers with a nonprofit dedicated to farmland and habitat conservation.

Changemakers

The Changemaker awards, hosted by the OSU Alumni Association, celebrate Beavers who transform their communities or fields of interest through career or volunteer work.

Dr. Amanda Achterman, MPH ’06

Dr. Amanda Achterman is a rural family physician and obstetrician at Summit Pacific Medical Center in Elma, Washington, where she helps patients overcome barriers to essential care. Her Oregon State public health training, including work overseeing a community health program in Mexico, helped shape her focus on family medicine and prenatal care. In 2025, she was named Rural Health Practitioner of the Year by the National Rural Health Association.

Jerry Adams, MAIS ’88

Jerry Adams has built a career turning ambitious ideas into practical tools for communities. He developed museum collection management software through MuseComp and Media Rare, then co-founded West Michigan FarmLink, an online food hub that connects small and midsized farms with restaurants, households and institutions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, FarmLink helped farmers sell food that might otherwise have gone to waste while helping households access local products.

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Coral Avery, ’20

Coral Avery is a climate planning specialist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs whose work supports Tribes and Indigenous Peoples in natural resource management and climate resilience. A citizen of the Shawnee Tribe, Avery has worked with the Confederated Tribes of Siletz, the Swinomish Tribe clam garden and the Shawnee Seed Sanctuary. They also lead workshops for Native youth and attended the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil.

Malory Turner, ’16

As a professional learning coach with the Northwest Regional Education Service District, Malory Turner trains and supports special education teachers across 20 school districts in Oregon’s Columbia, Clatsop, Tillamook and Washington counties. She helps educators build skills, manage complex student needs and avoid burnout so they can stay in the profession. Turner also leads the region’s multidisciplinary Traumatic Brain Injury Team and serves on the Oregon Education Association’s Special Education Committee, extending her impact statewide.

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The Best of UsPresenting the 2026 Alumni Fellows and Changemakers.