Social Enterprises

Who We Are

We are a group of dynamic leaders committed to driving action through impact events for non-profits and social cause-focused organizations. We believe in the power of community and in changing the world with our actions.

Sustainability

We strive to minimize environmental impacts while creating positive economic and social effects on the communities we touch. Our comprehensive sustainability policy is based on industry-wide standards across the entire lifecycle of each event. Click here to read our Sustainability Policy.

B Corporation

With the B Corporation framework, we hold ourselves accountable to the same standards we recommend to our clients, and assure our stakeholders that we mean business when it comes to implementing the triple bottom line across all aspects of our enterprise. Learn more about our B Corporation status and find other businesses committing to #BTheChange. Social Enterprises, Inc. Updates Corporate Status to Join Ranks of Oregon Benefit Corporations.

Proud Oregon Benefit Company

An Oregon benefit company is a type of corporation or limited liability company that considers its impact on society and the environment in the business decision-making process, in addition to earning a profit. Benefit companies differ from traditional corporations and LLCs with regard to their purpose, accountability and transparency. The purpose is to create a general public benefit, which is defined as "a material positive impact on society and the environment, taken as a whole, from the business and operations of the company."

Ericka Nelson | Founder and President

Ericka is the founding force behind Social Enterprises, Inc. — a full-service event planning firm specializing in events with a social impact mission and focus. Working off a passion for bringing people together around ideas that will shape the future, she has built a formidable expertise in executing events that drive revenue to support the growth and continued success of non-profits, impact organizations, and educational institutions. In 2008, Ericka founded the GoGreen Conference series, which ran successfully over a span of 12 years in Portland, Seattle, Austin, Phoenix and New York City, to create a much-needed dialogue for regional stakeholders to collaborate on driving sustainable business practices forward. Ericka's previous corporate experience includes leading business development and marketing for a division of AOL/Time Warner, DoubleClick, ZDNet and CNET.

Kelly Boylen (she/her) | Partnership Manager

Kelly applies her innate matchmaking skills to foster stron partnerships between Social Enterprises' clients and mission-aligned organizations. Kelly's diverse career background includes event coordination, project management, and implementing corporate sustainability strategies. A longtime Eugene resident, Kelly studied both hospitality management and project management at Lane Community College and stays active in volunteering at local non-profits. In her spare time, you can find Kelly kayaking, creating upcycled art, and loving on her twin tuxedo cats.

Heather Cyrus (she/her) | Program Manager

Heather manages conference program development, speaker relationships, and more for Social Enterprises events. Heather has over 10 years of event experience ranging from marketing, event and program management, association relationships, operations, and sponsorship. Heather graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Journalism & Communications. When she is off duty, Heather enjoys adventuring with her family hiking, camping and backpacking, and loves to travel. She is also an advocate for environmental stewardship and holds a Master Recycler Certification for the Portland Metro area.

Corrin Escobar | Event Manager

Corrin is a highly skilled Senior Event Manager, with over 25 years of extensive experience in the event management industry. Corrin has managed live, virtual, and hybrid events across multiple industries and her vast experience in event management has developed her skills in prioritizing and managing multiple projects simultaneously while meeting critical deadlines. She takes great pride in providing unparalleled customer service to clients and attendees while producing successful events. Corrin lives outside Portland, Oregon, and enjoys Northwest summers, trying new foods, traveling with her family, and cheering loudly at her kids’ various sports.

Brooke Foster-McDermott | Senior Event Coordinator

Brooke works on the Social Enterprises events team to lead coordination on event production and logistics to include catering, venue, hotel block, event apps, and more for our event projects. She holds a BA in Hospitality Management from Cal State, a field she has been passionate about from the start. Her journey in hospitality began 25 years ago, working her way through college in various hotel roles. Brooke proudly considers the Pacific Northwest her true home and on weekends, you will find her immersed in diverse activities, from discovering new lunch spots to biking with her two girls, or on the court coaching her basketball team.

Eido Gaschen (they/them) | Design & Marketing Manager

Eido is responsible for all aspects of Social Enterprises design, visual communication and web presence - from concept to execution, they are always striving to find the next best creative solution for an optimal visual representation. They hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art — Graphic Design, as well as a minor in Advertising, from Louisiana State University. Eido has previous experience in graphic design and marketing from working at Coker University, Louisiana State University, and their own freelance company. Outside of work, Eido can be found planning their next Dungeons and Dragons campaign, or simply finding the next innovation in bread baking.

Andrea Lilly (she/her) | Senior Registration and Volunteer Coordinator

Andrea is a senior Social Enterprises team leader coordinating registration and volunteer engagement at our social impact events. She has been a key part of event planning boards at Walla Walla University, Eastern Oregon University, Universidad Adventista del Plata in Argentina and Portland State University. Andrea loves being behind the scenes at events and works hard to make sure every event is a success. She was previously a social worker, advocating for youth and their families in the Portland area. When not working, you will see Andrea volunteering at the Dougy Center or playing board games.

Melissa Morgan | Program and Event Coordinator

Melissa coordinates program and event logistics for Social Enterprises, while ensuring high client satisfaction and adherence to sustainability practices. Melissa is a seasoned Event Planning and Community Engagement Specialist, bringing over nine years of dedicated experience in the nonprofit sector. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Tampa and is actively involved in diverse volunteer activities, with a special passion for the Humane Society and a local Equine Therapy Farm. Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her mother and friends, practicing yoga, attending live music events, and always has a good book nearby.

Mia Primrose | Communications Coordinator

As a leader on the communications team, Mia coordinates marketing, social media, Community Partner relationships, event promotion, and media relations. They bring experience in event and project management, agriculture, service and hospitality, and federal conservation communications. Mia holds a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies with a minor in Music from San Francisco State University. In their free time, they enjoy playing guitar, watching true-crime documentaries, and fishing local rivers and lakes.

Brandon Triglia | Accounting Manager

Brandon manages the development and oversight of the accounting and financial functions of Social Enterprises. Before joining Social Enterprises Brandon worked in logistics, purchasing and as an entrepreneur. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration: Finance from Portland State University. As a native Oregonian, you can find him exploring the great outdoors, enjoying music, art and new dining experiences.

Jill Critchfield | HR Manager

Jill is a professional Human Resources Consultant and the HR Manager at Social Enterprises. Through her business, Pacific HR, she has provided HR services to over 175 small and mid-sized businesses in Portland, Oregon since 1999. She holds PHR certification (Professional Human Resources) through the Human Resources Certification Institute, SHRM-CP certification through the Society of Human Resources Management.