Raised in the Bay Area by a second generation Oregonian, Mara went to Wellesley College and UC Berkeley School of Law. She quickly discovered that she was more interested in the policies and social systems that created people’s legal challenges than in practicing law. As a result, she shifted focus to public policy and nonprofits, and then moved to Oregon in 2006. 

Mara first worked on electoral campaigns to protect state funding for basic services, and then as the legislative aide to Kate Brown, who was Oregon Senate Majority Leader. She spent eight years as the policy director and then executive director at the Coalition for a Livable Future, a nonprofit where she worked to increase sustainable and equitable policies and funding in regional planning. That work crossed multiple sectors, including public health, racial justice, transportation, affordable housing, labor, environment, and land use. She also spent several years doing communications for a regional clean energy nonprofit.

Since 2020, Mara has consulted with mission-driven organizations providing on-call services and as an Interim Executive Director. The work allows her to collaborate with thoughtful, committed people to support our communities and advance environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice.

Mara’s career is centered on building collective strategies for equitable policies and programs. As an analytical problem-solver with a legal background, her skills include identifying issues, synthesizing complex ideas, and developing organizational strategy. She also prioritizes fostering strong, authentic relationships to advance shared priorities.