Teresa Hogue, the director of The Chandler Center for Community Leadership, has won state, national and international recognition for nearly three decades of work in developing community-based leadership initiatives, collaborations and policies. Her special strength is in bringing together diverse groups of individuals and organizations, helping them find a "common ground" through processes of intensive discussion and dialogue, and forging them into effective, sustainable collaborations to effect positive change.

Teresa has been a member of the faculty of Oregon State University for 28 years, focusing on family, youth and community development. Before being named to head The Chandler Center 7 years ago, she had extensive experience in community work, state and national education development and delivery of programs and services for children, families and communities. During the administration of Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt she served for eight years "on loan" to the governor's office to assist in formulating and implementing community-based positive youth development policies. She has authored and co-authored numerous teaching materials that focus on strengthening community organizations and building community capacity.

The Chandler Center for Community Leadership is a unique public/private partnership among Oregon State University Extension Service, Central Oregon Community College and the Chandler Group. As its name implies, The Chandler Center is devoted to addressing the vital and growing need for practical, effective leadership at the "grassroots" community level. The center serves as a technical assistance and resource base to help government, businesses, citizens' groups, organizations and agencies respond positively to the challenges and opportunities communities are facing today.

The center's motto is: "Nothing grows from the top down." In keeping with this philosophy, the center does not seek to impose "top-down" solutions to community problems; rather, its mission is to help local communities build the capacity to solve their own problems and to bring about positive change. To achieve this mission the center employs a variety of techniques, including development of leadership skills and structures at the community level, leveraging public and private-sector resources within as well as outside of the local community, and providing services in the areas of education, research, information, and facilitating community dialogue.

Currently, Teresa is leading The Chandler Center, its partners and associates in the continuing effort to expand the base of knowledge about successful, sustainable community-based collaborations, how and why they work, how to make them happen, and the roles of community, individual citizens and businesses in philanthropy and leadership development. A major ongoing effort is the Oregon Blueprint Project, which will select five communities representing the state's geographic, ethnic and demographic diversity as "laboratories" for developing procedures, models and policies that can be used to help communities throughout the state and nation more successfully respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow.