Meet the Board
After retiring from his first career as a business owner and consultant, he turned to his second career as a pastor. Jefferson has served on several Beaverton committees such as, the Beaverton Loop project committee and is the Board Chair and Founder of WakeUp Beaverton! Jefferson is passionate about advancing BIPOC and immigrant and refugee communities to flourish as a first-generation immigrant child in a cross-cultural setting. In his spare time, he enjoys family time, watching movies, weight lifting, and running.
Jefferson Chao
LaVerne is a business navigator, educator, and director position for TriMet District 6, covering east Multnomah County. She has 40+ years as a credentialed tax accountant and a full-service accounting-tax-business start-up resource firm, including IRS representation, and the founder/CEO of the Women-Sew Global Foundation.
LaVerne is passionate about creating positive social change in the lives of women and girls and works across the globe to raise awareness to achieve economic empowerment. She enjoys watching movies, playing Nintendo Switch, and traveling in her spare time.
Xiomara Tlapala
LaVerne Lewis
Born and raised in Sinaloa, Mexico, Xiomara received her degree in architecture from Universidad Casa Blanca. After graduation, she relocated to Beaverton, Oregon, to volunteer at a local Spanish immersion preschool called Amiguitos. Xiomara later took on a role as an administrator before moving on to pursue her passion for design. While living with her family, she began her first role in industrial design as a Detailer at Evan’s Metal Fabricators in Portland, Oregon. After regreasing her design wheels in the steel industry, Xiomara joined the local architecture firm Axiotecture in Downtown Beaverton. As a Project Manager, she has played an integral role in improving the look and feel of The City of Beaverton and its surrounding areas. The crisp weather and unique culture, along with the endless variety of local restaurants and vineyards, keep her inspired to continuously make a positive impact on the Board of Wake Up Beaverton and in the communities that make the Pacific Northwest her favorite place to call home.
Hiral Pandya
Hiral immigrated from India and to the USA in 2007. Hiral moved to Oregon in 2011 to work at Intel and has been in Beaverton since 2012. He has volunteered with various cultural and religious organizations for the last few years. Hiral has volunteered at his children’s elementary school and enjoys working with kids from different backgrounds. He is currently a member of the AAPI group and the DAB (Diversity Advisory Board) for the City of Beaverton.
Sydney has twenty years of experience in the real estate industry. Recently, she joined the Korean Society of Oregon, serving the Korean communities in Oregon and SW Washington. Sydney is passionate, dedicated, and committed to helping underserved communities. Additionally, she volunteers at Oregon Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and Sunshine Pantry. She’s a vivid tennis player who competes at the national level and travels worldwide with her husband.
