Our Board
Benny C. Williams: Benny is Director of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. He recently joined the team due to his wish to strengthen the organization's presence and prominence. To him, the organization is a means of providing financial and mentorship help to students of the BIPOC community. Benny's hometown is Salem, Oregon and a fun fact about him is that he's a Historian of AA history and a politics junkie.
Kenneth F. Bierly: Ken is Vice-President of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. He joined the team around 2011 due to his wish for others to have the opportunities that he received from education. To Ken, the organization recognizes that the opportunity to achieve more is not shared equally and the organization can help in a small way to provide opportunities for those with less access. Ken's hometown is Salem, Oregon and a fun fact about him is that he has worn Birkenstocks every day for the last 15 years.
John Savage: John is Treasurer of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. He has been a member of the team since 2015 due to him wish to work with the board and others to continually increase how many scholarships we can offer each year and how many scholars we can help through scholarships and other means. To him, the scholarship represents a way to truly make a difference in youth's lives. John's hometown is Manitowoc, Wisconsin and a fun fact about him is that he believes that the Green Bay Packers are the only professional football team worth watching (but that's not quirky, that's fact).
Linda M Ringo-Reyna: Linda is board Secretary of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. She joined the team around 2014 due to her wish to make a difference in students lives. The T-patch organization to her signifies care, sincerity, and a means to reach out and up to people who reach back. Linda's hometown is in Seattle Washington, and fun fact, she lived in Tripoli, Libya for 4.5 years!
Delia Olmos-García: Delia is a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. She joined the team in 2017 due to her wish to join a community that prioritized students who have been continually overlooked by other scholarship processes. she believes that all students should have the opportunity to pursue their own and unique education paths. To her, Thompson-Patch is a collective of members that are invested in giving back to their local communities. Delia's hometown is Salem Oregon and a fun fact about her is that sometimes she still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings.
Paul A. Wilson: Paul has been a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship since 2011. He joined the Thompson-Patch team due to the value he saw in providing turn-around scholarships to students who have learned of overcome major obstacles, but who don't have the GPA to qualify for most academic scholarships. To Paul, the Thompson-Patch scholarship is a chance to help motivated students from non-white backgrounds. Paul's hometown is Jefferson Oregon and a fun fact about him is that he is an amateur bee keeper.
Endy Zarate: Endy is a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship since late 2020. He joined the team due to his passion of helping underrepresented students and to be able to assure students on their path to higher education. To him, the Thompson Patch Scholarship means a second chance for students who are often overlooked by other organizations and foundations, but are just as capable and passionate. Endy's hometown is Salem Oregon, and a fun fact is that he can I can lick his elbow.
Vanessa Suarez (Intern): Vanessa is a rising senior at Willamette University with a major in Business Administration. As a Thompson-Patch Scholarship recipient herself, Vanessa is excited to give back by serving as an intern this summer. Through this experience she hopes to gain more tools that will further her professional and career goals while insuring that more students have more access to this opportunity.
Kenneth F. Bierly: Ken is Vice-President of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. He joined the team around 2011 due to his wish for others to have the opportunities that he received from education. To Ken, the organization recognizes that the opportunity to achieve more is not shared equally and the organization can help in a small way to provide opportunities for those with less access. Ken's hometown is Salem, Oregon and a fun fact about him is that he has worn Birkenstocks every day for the last 15 years.
John Savage: John is Treasurer of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. He has been a member of the team since 2015 due to him wish to work with the board and others to continually increase how many scholarships we can offer each year and how many scholars we can help through scholarships and other means. To him, the scholarship represents a way to truly make a difference in youth's lives. John's hometown is Manitowoc, Wisconsin and a fun fact about him is that he believes that the Green Bay Packers are the only professional football team worth watching (but that's not quirky, that's fact).
Linda M Ringo-Reyna: Linda is board Secretary of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. She joined the team around 2014 due to her wish to make a difference in students lives. The T-patch organization to her signifies care, sincerity, and a means to reach out and up to people who reach back. Linda's hometown is in Seattle Washington, and fun fact, she lived in Tripoli, Libya for 4.5 years!
Delia Olmos-García: Delia is a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship. She joined the team in 2017 due to her wish to join a community that prioritized students who have been continually overlooked by other scholarship processes. she believes that all students should have the opportunity to pursue their own and unique education paths. To her, Thompson-Patch is a collective of members that are invested in giving back to their local communities. Delia's hometown is Salem Oregon and a fun fact about her is that sometimes she still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings.
Paul A. Wilson: Paul has been a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship since 2011. He joined the Thompson-Patch team due to the value he saw in providing turn-around scholarships to students who have learned of overcome major obstacles, but who don't have the GPA to qualify for most academic scholarships. To Paul, the Thompson-Patch scholarship is a chance to help motivated students from non-white backgrounds. Paul's hometown is Jefferson Oregon and a fun fact about him is that he is an amateur bee keeper.
Endy Zarate: Endy is a board member of the Thompson-Patch Scholarship since late 2020. He joined the team due to his passion of helping underrepresented students and to be able to assure students on their path to higher education. To him, the Thompson Patch Scholarship means a second chance for students who are often overlooked by other organizations and foundations, but are just as capable and passionate. Endy's hometown is Salem Oregon, and a fun fact is that he can I can lick his elbow.
Vanessa Suarez (Intern): Vanessa is a rising senior at Willamette University with a major in Business Administration. As a Thompson-Patch Scholarship recipient herself, Vanessa is excited to give back by serving as an intern this summer. Through this experience she hopes to gain more tools that will further her professional and career goals while insuring that more students have more access to this opportunity.