Board of Directors

Pastor Mary Overstreet Smith, Clinic Founder

Dr. Mary H. Overstreet Smith, known to millions as “Pastor Mary” and nicknamed “Hurricane Mary” for her efforts in aiding the Hurricane Katrina victims, is the founding mother of the North by Northeast Community Health Clinic. She is uninhibited in the midst of challenges and has founded, among other things, the Powerhouse Church of God in Christ and Harvest Time Ministry TV Cable services. In addition to aiding Hurricane victims without the help of the government, Pastor Mary has aided those in her own community by founding and operating a food bank, a homeless and emergency shelter and drives to distribute warm clothes and blankets to the homeless. She ministers in jails and prisons and actively participates in the Northeast Gang Intervention Program as well as mentoring youth and providing college scholarships to those who want better lives for themselves. Pastor Mary holds degrees in social work, administration of justice and correction, and an honorary Doctor of Divinity. She is licensed as a foster parent and practical nurse. Her awards reflect her many years of deep service to her community and are too numerous to mention. 

Jill Ginsberg, MD MPH, President and Medical Director

Jill Ginsberg is the founding physician partner of the North by Northeast Community Health Center. She and Pastor Mary Overstreet met in November 2005 and opened the clinic doors in August of 2006. She has been active in the pursuit of social justice for many years, including working with the Portland Jobs with Justice Workers’ Rights Board and serving on the Board of Directors and as Social Action chair of Congregation Beth Israel in Portland. From 2001-2007 she served on the Commission of Social Action of Reform Judaism, which helps set public policy for the Reform movement’s 900 congregations. Jill’s experience in helping start a free medical clinic for Spanish-speaking residents of Forks, WA, and her commitment to community engagement have been invaluable in her work with North by Northeast Community Health Center. Her educational background includes undergraduate studies at Barnard College, medical training at the University of California San Francisco and a Masters in Public Health from the University of California Berkeley. Jill has lived in Northeast Portland with her family for 15 years. She has been a family physician with Northwest Permanente since 1995 and since 2008 serves as Physician Lead for Community Care.

Louise Clark, MD, Secretary

Louise Clark is currently a Hospice and Palliative Medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente. Prior to becoming a Palliative Medicine specialist, she was a Family Physician in California, Washington and Oregon, including working for the Indian Health Service. She brings to the Board extensive experience in program development, budget oversight, staff development and compliance. Her education was completed at the University of Michigan and University of California San Francisco. Louise has served on the Board of The Northwest Academy and has lived in Northeast Portland with her family for 15 years.

Richard Howells

Richard Howells has been a practicing management consultant for 25 years. He has held executive leadership positions and served as Director of Organization Development for an Oregon-based insurance company. He consulted for six years as a principal with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC). In 2000, Richard founded his own management consulting practice in Portland, Oregon, actively collaborating with clients and colleagues on various large-scale change projects. Richard has developed tools for exploring the effectiveness of team decision-making, accountability management, conflict management and other areas of organizational effectiveness. He is skilled using interviews, focus groups and surveys to identify organizational strengths and opportunities for improvement. Some of the clients that Richard has served include Allstate Insurance, GE Capital, Iowa Electric Services, Illinois Power, OxyChem, NASA (Lockheed-Martin), Raytheon, Mead Corporation, Cadence Design Systems, Liberty Northwest (Insurance), BP (energy) and Pierce Transit.  Richard has also provided pro bono services to many non-profit boards and organizations. Richard enjoys being with his wife (Kate) and two grown children, Lindsay and Evan.  He plays golf, tennis, and is an avid reader.  He relaxes by puttering around his shop or taking hikes and being in the outdoors.

Raymond Robertson

Raymond Robertson is currently retired from the position of Vice President of Medical Operations Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region. During his 33-year career with Kaiser Permanente, he held a variety of positions, including Chief Pharmacist-West Los Angeles Area, Regional Pharmacy Manager-Northwest Region, Regional Support Services Manager, Interim Director of KPNW Dental Program, and Vice President of Medical Operations for the Northwest Region. Ray’s educational background includes a BS in Pharmacy from Oregon State University, completion of the Kaiser Permanente Executive Program at Stanford University and Kaiser Permanente’s Advanced Leadership Program at the Kenan-Flagler Business School University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Oregon Employment Services Corporation.  Ray’s interests include wine collecting, college athletics, and outdoor activities such as rafting, biking, golfing, and running, including completion of three marathons and participation in 16 Hood to Coast Relays.

Margo Russell

Margo Russell is a native of Montana and moved to Oregon in 1968.  She is a Registered Nurse and has a degree in Management and Communication from Marylhurst University.  Up until her retirement in 2007, she worked for Kaiser Permanente Northwest in various management capacities, finishing her career as a project manager for Kaiser’s many capital construction projects.
Margo loves art and volunteers at Contemporary Crafts Museum and Gallery.  She enjoys knitting, photography, gardening and spending time with her friends. 

Cary Schaye

Cary R. Schaye is retired from a life devoted to working for social and economic justice. Following 13 years work as a community organizer and then an organizer for a national labor union, Cary served as executive director for the Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) of Washington County, followed by stints as development director of the Cascade AIDS Project, Trillium Family Services and executive director of The Parry Center for Children. Cary currently advises non-profit organizations on fund raising, strategic planning, program development and capital campaigns while also serving as a vice president of the board of trustees of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.