We love bringing in new members. Get to know one of the newest: Kari Zohner. You can read her introduction as read by her sponsor, Alison Kelley.
What is special about this Rotary Club/is its energy, enthusiasm, skill, experience and compassion. All of you have those qualities and show them every day. I feel Kari is a great fit for the club because she also has energy, enthusiasm, skills, experience, and compassion.
Kari was born and raised in Keizer and really lived there her entire life. She graduated from McNary High School and earned a scholarship to play soccer and
softball at Pacific Lutheran University. Ultimately she transferred to OSU in 1995, where she earned a degree in Communication and Media Studies. As she says with a smile, right out of college she wasn’t quite ready to get a real job, so she worked at Timberline as a snowboard instructor and lift operator. At that time she was also coaching club soccer and living in Portland. Eventually she returned to Keizer and started working as a softball and soccer coach at McNary. In 1997 took at job at Corbin (then Western Baptist Colleg) as assistant Women’s Soccer coach and in 1998 also became an assistant women’s softball coach at Willamette.
Kari then took a job at Nike – moved to just outside of Denver; worked as a Ekin (Nike spelled backward). She had a 4 state territory and her responsibilities were to go in and educate sales associates about Nike products – all the technical aspects. She really got her marketing & training from that experience and from Phil Knight.
After enough time of working the 60 hour weeks, Kari came back to Oregon and took a job with Radio Station Rosie 105 in 2000; she was instrumental in starting the Salem First Wednesday model; worked with businesses in the downtown core to come together to create that event. After that started working as a marketing representative for Salem Keizer Volcanoes. Met husband in 2001, he got out of Marine corps 2001; from Pendleton; moved to Pendleton to help him with his career; worked for radio station.
Came back to Valley in summer 2002; he took a job with Marion County; I went to work for State Farm in auto claims; then stay at home mom for a few years; had boys Drew in March 2005 and Cade January 2007; worked in property management and most recently worked for Keller Williams.
Kari joined the Liberty House team in September 2016 and is a Community Engagement Coordinator. She works 30 hours a week and her major projects include networking, fostering relationships in the community, and reaching out to work with sponsors, donors and contributors. Her other major project is the “Changing Hurt into Hope” sustaining donor campaign.
Hobbies; coaching is my give back : I coach soccer, basketball and softball; like to snowboard and snowmobile with family; cabin in eastern Oregon; Chris with Salem PD 11 and half years; SWAT, honor guard; always had dreams of being a State Trooper and he is in the process of doing so – is currently in training and will be on the road in a couple of weeks.
Kari, we are thrilled to have you at LH and to have you become part of this club.