Dr. Jenny Lind Withycombe, Assistant Director for Health and Adapted/Physical Education in Portland Public Schools (PPS), has over 25 years of experience within the field of health, physical education, and PK-12 instruction.

Dr. Withycombe is responsible for ensuring quality, inclusive, Health and Adapted/Physical Education implementation in a safe and supportive environment for all 50,000 PPS students PK-12. She has brought over $5.5 million in grants between 2017-2021 to support health and physical education in PPS.

Grants:
• Kaiser Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment    2021-2024
• Centers for Disease Control, Mental Health – COVID Response Grant    2021-2023
• Adolescent’s and Communities Together 2.0 (ACT)    2020-2023
• Campbell’s Soup Grant (Healthy Active Schools)    2020-2021
• ISC – Professional Development Task Force    2020-2021
• Centers for Disease Control, Mental Health – COVID Response Grant    2020-2021
• Oregon Health Authority, HEALTH for K-5 Grant    2019-2021
• Centers for Disease Control, SAY Wellness Sexual Health Grant    2018-2024
• Advocates for Youth and the CDC Sex Education Grant    2017-2021
• Presidential Youth Fitness Program Grant    2017-2018
• Erg Ed Grant, George Pocock Rowing Foundation    2016-2020
• Adolescent’s and Communities Together 1.0 (ACT)    2016-2020

Service:
• USRowing Grievance Panel, 2022-Present
• Health Content Panel Advisory, Oregon Department of Education, 2022-Present
• PE Content Panel Advisory, Oregon Department of Education, 2022-Present
• SHAPE America Conference Reviewer, 2021-Present
• SHAPE America Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, 2020-Present
• USRowing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, 2020-Present
• School Health Advisory Council Planning Team, 2019-Present
• Urban Wellness Coalition, Action for Healthy Kids, 2016-Present
• Adolescents and Communities Together, Educational Subgroup, 2016-Present
• Family Violence Coordinating Council, Prevention Subgroup, 2016-Present
• Wellness Advisory Council, Coordinator, 2016-Present
• Health and PE Curriculum Analysis Group, Oregon Department of Education, 2017
• Health Curriculum Evaluation Development, Oregon Department of Education, 2016
• Health Content Panel Advisory, Oregon Department of Education, 2016-2019
• PE Content Panel Advisory, Oregon Department of Education, 2016-2019
• Erg Ed District Coordinator, George Pocock Rowing Foundation, 2016-2019
• Editorial Board, Women’s Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 2012-Present

Dr. Withycombe is a competitive Master’s Rower and Women’s Team Captain for Willamette Rowing Club. She has over 100 medals earned throughout her 20+ years of rowing. Her most special gold came from stroking the 2013 Head of the Charles Mixed Quad. Dr. Withycombe lives in Portland, OR with her husband, two daughters, boxers, cat, and bearded dragons.

Susannah Lightbourne-Maynard is a K-8 TOSA-IC. She began teaching over 15 years ago as a 4th and 5th grade teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools. She joined the PPS Health and Adapted/Physical Education team in 2019. 

Lexie Zimbelman has a Masters Degree in International Development with a Certificate in Global Health Affairs, focused on Maternal and Child Health from the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

Lexie has worked in the field of public health for 12 years. Her experience includes providing Maternal and Child Health, Sexual Health, and Malnutrition Programming in India, Haiti, Nepal, and the United States (as well as interning with the United States Agency of International Development with the Office of Science and Technology). She has eight years of experience working with PPS as a sexual health educator and manager (first while working at Planned Parenthood, Columbia Willamette as an Assistant Manager and now at PPS as the Manager of a Centers for Diseases and Prevention-funded grant). She is fluent in French (having lived in France for three years and majoring in the language in college). 

Currently, Lexie oversees the Schools Advancing Youth (SAY) Wellness Grant Program as the Program Manager. The SAY Wellness Grant is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded cooperative agreement that runs five years with a total budget of $2.1 million. It focuses on supporting grades 9-12 and gives technical assistance on all things related to sexual health education, access to sexual health services, and support for safer and supportive environments. In addition to this, Lexie oversees the implementation of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey in PPS and the School Health Profiles Survey. 

Lexie enjoys traveling (40 countries down, many, many more to go), reading, learning languages, and playing piano. Her current favorite reads are The Broken Earth Trilogy, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Terra Nullius, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, A Fine Balance, The Kingkiller Chronicle (soon to be) trilogy, and the Ibis Trilogy.

Lyss Linares (they/them) is a non-binary queer mixed chicane femme living on the ancestral lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, also known as Portland, Oregon. They work for the Health Education team at Portland Public Schools as the SAY Wellness LGBTQIA2S+ Program Coordinator, working on all things LGBTQ+ safer environment work for the district, as well as supporting queer and trans-inclusive sex-ed curriculum for high schoolers. In their current role, they work closely with GSA's and other LGBTQIA2S+ staff around the district to support various community-building projects and programming. Their background in community education began while working as a sex educator at Good Vibrations, and continued on when they moved to South Korea for two years to be an English teacher for kids ages 5-17. Most recently, they supported queer and trans youth locally at SMYRC, while also bringing their passion for teaching and equity to the Bridge 13 Community Education program, working closely with many schools in Portland. Outside of work hours, you can find them playing with their puppy Boba, watching Encanto (again), or sipping Mexican hot chocolate.

Rachel Toback (she/her) works in the H-A/PE department overseeing the Mental Health Supplement for the Schools Advancing Youth (SAY) Wellness Grant Program funded by the CDC. This work focuses on all grades with the goals of increasing student and family access to mental health services,  increasing staff capacity, comfort and knowledge regarding mental health topics such as suicide prevention and cultivating safer and supportive environments for all students at PPS.  Rachel holds a Masters degree in Teaching which she has used for the past four years at PPS as a High School Health and PE teacher (Go Riders!). When she is not reading the ODE Health Standards (again) you can find her baking cakes for her friends, taking a long walk through Forest Park,  riding her bike to the river or gym or reading a memoir while snuggling with her grumpy cat.

Elena Beeck (they/them) is the new Business Operations Specialist for the Health and Adapted/Physical Education department. They are a graduate of the University of Portland’s School of Social Work, and have been working for Portland Public Schools since the 2020-21 school year. They supported the initial launch of Summer Acceleration Academy, and have worked closely with the TAG/AVID team throughout their time at PPS. Elena lives in Portland, OR with their two cats, Goose and Raven; most evenings they can be found reading a sci-fi or fantasy novel.

Alana is one of seven K-12 Adapted Physical Education teachers in Portland Public Schools. She serves over 10 schools on her caseload in North Portland. She provides specially designed instruction for students with disabilities who require adaptations and modifications to participate safely and successfully in physical education. This specially designed instruction includes a continuum of services ranging from direct service to consultation. Adapted physical education includes teaching fundamental gross motor skills, static balance, participation, and the knowledge and understanding of various lifelong activities to students with disabilities.  

Alana graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in Kinesiology and Physical Education Teacher Preparation and a Specialization in Adapted Physical Education. She also has a Masters degree of Science in Recreation Administration and a Specialization in Outdoor Pursuits Administration. She has been teaching Physical Education/Adapted Physical Education since she graduated from Wisconsin in 2004. Alana was also a division one varsity rower on the crew team at the University of Wisconsin. The Pacific Northwest is Alana’s true utopia as she loves to snowboard, kiteboard, wakeboard, wake surf, play golf and tennis with her partner, and adventure kitty Ocho. She truly loves all sports and inspiring students of all abilities to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

Lonzo is one of eight K-12 Adapted Physical Education (APE) teachers within Portland Public Schools (PPS). He's a Chicano bilingual speaker, born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Education from Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. He grew up in a baseball and softball loving family and played three years at his HBCU. He then graduated with his Master of Science in Physical Education with an emphasis in Adapted Physical Education and Adventure Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2016. He has been teaching APE with PPS since then and currently serves students enrolled in the Online Learning Academy and multiple schools in the SouthWest clusters. He provides a continuum of APE services ranging from direct to consultation for students in grades K-12 who are found to be eligible under the Special Education process. 

He strives toward helping create opportunities for students to access the general physical education curriculum, create positive learning experiences, boost student self-esteem, and foster healthy and active lifestyles for students of all abilities.  Lonzo has also been on the PPS Inclusive Play Spaces Guiding Coalition since 2021.  Life with his wife and family in the Pacific Northwest introduced him to one of his new favorite hobbies.............snowboarding! When he's not on the mountain, he likes to spend his time at the driving range, batting cages, kayaking, hiking, and wave watching on the Oregon coast.  He loves working with people of all abilities and sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for physical activities and sports to encourage lifelong movement for all learners. 

Amanda Torres is an Adapted Physical Education teacher in the Portland Public Schools. She serves multiple schools in SE and NE Portland. She provides specially designed instruction for students with disabilities who require additional support to participate successfully in PE. Supports may include adaptations, modification, accommodations, adaptive equipment, direct support, and consultation. APE focuses on the fundamental gross motor skills, individual and team games, social skills, student engagement, and developing lifelong skills that encourage physical and mental wellness.

Torres began her teaching career in 2011 as a special educator in focus classrooms. After involving students in Unified Sports, she made the jump to Adapted Physical Education in 2018. She holds a Master’s degree in Adapted Physical Education from Western Michigan University, a Special Education Endorsement from Lewis & Clark College, and a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Westmont College where she played collegiate soccer. Before entering the teaching profession, she spent time in various Latin American countries participating in community development projects.

When she is not teaching, Amanda spends most of her time with her husband and two energetic boys exploring the PNW, drinking too much coffee, and reading a good book. She is perpetually grateful to work as an APE teacher which combines her love of sports with her desire to advocate for people with disabilities. 

Casey Bartlett has taught Adapted Physical Education for three years for PPS. He has taught and ran physical activities for almost 20 years with a wide range of ages and abilities. He has worked in schools, gyms, a cruise ship, and a variety of camps. 

Casey was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. He is a husband and father of two kids. They love spending time outdoors, playing basketball, swimming, and going to the beach. He has a passion for helping all students be active and supporting their fitness goals.