Meet Our Team
Nerissa Donlon
Program Director
Eastside Explorers/Courts Fitness & Enrichment Program
A native of East Multnomah County, Nerissa attended both Franklin High School and Mt. Hood Community College. She brings with her over 20 years of experience in the medical and caregiving fields, including more than 10 with our family of programs. Nerissa began her journey with Eastside Explorers before joining The Courts Program as a Care Coordinator. She later served as the Program Director of Mt. Hood Adult Day Center and has since returned to lead both the Eastside Explorers and The Courts Program as their Program Director. Throughout her career, Nerissa has remained committed to fostering meaningful interpersonal relationships and delivering person-centered care, qualities that make her uniquely well-suited for the reins of leadership!
In what spare time she has, you can find Nerissa with her family, traveling, hiking, going to the beach, and doing just about any outdoor activities that strike her fancy!
Ronnie Jones
PM Care Coordinator
Ronnie has been working in the caregiving field since 2011 where she began working with her mother, who owned a foster care home. Ronnie developed a passion for working with individuals with intellectual & developmental disabilities. In 2017 Ronnie started working with Eastside Explorers as a Skills Trainer and further developed her caregiving skills. She worked and went to school, gain her Associate’s Degree and has chosen a career with Eastside Explorers as a Care Coordinator with our team. Ronnie has a strong desire to be a servant to others
and understands the importance of spending time with others. Ronnie is great at building relationships with families and Service Coordinators to ensure that the support needs of individuals is being met in the highest quality possible.
Crystal McDowell
AM Care Coordinator
In 2014, Crystal started interning with Mt. Hood Adult Day Center before the company branched out to include the Eastside Explorers. Since that time, Crystal has gained a passion for working with this population, where she is able to use skills such as those she learned becoming a Certified Behavioral Healthcare Specialist. Crystal’s schooling, where she earned her Associate’s in Mental Health and Human Services, has armed her with powerful tools and techniques that are essential for conducting a successful program. Crystal and Ronnie work closely as a team.
Stephen Rumph
Outings Coordinator
Starting in the summer of 2023, Stephen began working seasonally with Eastside Explorers and The Courts Program as a Skills Trainer. Prior to his current position as the Outings Coordinator, he worked as an educator that utilized Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) on a daily basis with I/DD individuals of varying ages. These former roles helped strengthen an already versatile skillset involved with making meaningful connections in different spaces and those who occupy it. Despite earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in sustainability and social justice from San Francisco State University, he continues to emphasize the importance of community building and support systems meant for collective empowerment. As the Outings Coordinator, Stephen looks forward to connecting program participants with the communities of the greater Portland Metropolitan Area.