Meet our Facilitators!

HOPE Facilitators are volunteers who are active in or have experienced caregiving of someone with dementia and have completed facilitator training. HOPE also has many additional volunteers who dedicate their time helping with projects and programs. We are so grateful!

Lynn Crawford

Lynn became a group leader for the HOPE Dementia Support Groups following the death of her husband in 2016 from complications of Lewy Body Dementia. She currently serves as the Program Manager for HOPE.  Her goal is to use her experience and knowledge to assist those care partners who are undergoing a similar experience.

Her background is nearly 45 years of nursing, primarily in Critical Care.  Prior to retirement she was privileged to work in Palliative Care, supporting patients and their families as they faced serious illness and end of life issues. She is honored to be a member of this dedicated team.

Mary Lookingbill

Mary is a retired clergy woman (United Methodist denomination) who served as a chaplain at PeaceHealth and the Ray Hickey Hospice House.  She started attending the New Beginnings group in 2022 and is grateful for the chance to give back to her community. Mary and her husband Dean live in Vancouver along with their 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren.  Besides community volunteering, you can find Mary active in her church’s activities as well as involved with her local family.

Julie Donovan

Julie Donovan came to HOPE with a background in Home Care Services and Hospice. This allowed her to see first-hand the difficulties families experienced when dealing with a loved one living with dementia. Julie holds a Post-Graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Washington State University. Her ability to communicate with businesses, clients and community members, has allowed her to be an effective proponent of the HOPE mission. Julie’s favorite activities are time with her family, walking, music and art.

Mary Carroll

Mary is a Registered Nurse and has been with HOPE since its inception in 2008. Mary began as a Chaplain with Nursing Home Ministries. During these visits to hospitals and other support facilities, she recognized an overwhelming need for education and support around Dementia.  This disease not only impacts the patient, but also their families, friends, and medical staff who care for them.  Mary’s desire to educate and support those affected by this disease quickly became a new passion which led to a new purpose in her life.

Pastor Dick Merrick was a guiding light in Mary’s journey – he was a mentor, teacher, and a friend and she served on his Board of Directors for 3 years.  During this time she became acquainted with Teepa Snow: therapist, teacher, and author of “A Positive Approach”. In 2011, Mary was honored to be asked to take over Dick Merrick’s support group and she maintains that role to this day. She is amazed to see how much the program has grown and how many people have found support, education, and advocacy through HOPE.

Darlene Peterson

Darlene was one of the first Board members of HOPE in 2012, before it was called HOPE, and has seen the many changes HOPE has been through over the years, “all for the better”. Darlene was a member of a support group and when her husband passed away with Alzheimer’s in 2011 she felt the need to give back to the group that had taught her so much about dementia. “The group basically saved me from disaster.” Her personal experience and education have enabled her to help those going through the difficulties of caring for someone with dementia.

Beth Johnson

Beth has been a part of HOPE Dementia Support since 2016.  After retiring from Hospital, Hospice and Palliative Care Chaplaincy she began serving on the Board of Directors and in 2017 began a HOPE support group in the greater Portland area.  The group Beth leads is now an “Online” group, serving care partners from various areas of Washington and Oregon states.

Bill Cohen

Bill Cohen leads caregiver support groups, is a HOPE Dementia Support and Alzheimer’s Association volunteer, a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)®, and the owner of Cohen Caregiving Support Consultants.  His loving and talented mother, Sheila, lost her home to Hurricane Katrina. Then, she lost her health, ability to create beautiful art and, ultimately, her life due to Alzheimer’s. For almost 10 years, Bill was her primary caregiver and advocate, not just her elder son. He first attended a support group over 16 years ago, found it helpful and informative, and became a facilitator over 8 years ago. Bill has completed multiple caregiving and aging courses. He has lived in the Portland, Oregon area for 37 years with his wife of 41 years, Lori.

Joey Yourchek

Joey is a support group leaderr with HOPE and also holds a position on HOPE’s Advisory Council. He volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association as well – OR/SW WA Chapter, leading the organization Sundown Squad, also serving as the Committee Chair for The Longest Day Volunteer Committee, Board Member of the Chapter’s Leadership Board, Volunteer Support Group Facilitator, as well as the Co-Choir Director for the Sing Here Now Choir in Vancouver, WA. He serves in many additional volunteer roles. Joey is currently the Agency Administrator for Elfin Services.

Joey has a passion for his community and Seniors. He actively pursues opportunities to expand not only his own knowledge but help others toward the same goal. Joey loves being outdoors, especially when hanging out with friends and family. He lives with his partner of 20 years and his beloved cat Izabel (“Izzy”).

Carol Becker

Carol Becker is a HOPE Support Group Leader, and HOPE Board member who has been fascinated by and exploring the field of memory loss after recovering from her own brain infection thirty years ago. As a certified master hypnotherapist, Master Practitioner in NeuroLinguistic Processing and TimeLine® Therapy, and a Trauma and Dementia Therapy Specialist, Carol has worked over 20 years helping people find hope and meaning in their lives.  As a knowledge junkie, Carol loves learning how things work whether internal combustion engines, magnetism, or human beings. She brings that innate curiosity and passion for learning to her work with group members and their loved ones living with dementia. Having moved from Arizona, Carol is busy setting up her new house, learning her way around the city and making new friends. She is learning about lawn care and gardening, and relaxes with classical music, jazz, and her Siamese cat, Julie.

Amanda McCallum

As a Regional Account Manager for 1^st CHOICE Advisory Services, Amanda has the privilege of working with families and seniors to find safe housing when they can no longer live at home. Ten years ago she lost her mom to Dementia. Ten years ago she knew nothing about Dementia. Today she wants to share all the helpful knowledge that comes her way personally and professionally.  “It’s a terrible disease but the more we know about it the better our journey can be!”