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According to the Multnomah County Joint Office of Homeless Services data dashboard, 43% of people experiencing homelessness report they are women, transgender, or have no single gender identity.
Join City Club’s Health and Public Safety Issue Committee for a community conversation about homeless services tailored to the unique needs and experiences of women, with a focus on measures to address and reduce the risk of gender-based violence.
The program will feature brief presentations from Robin Miller, an advocate and lived-experience expert, Katie O’Brien, executive director of Rose Haven, Emmy Ritter, executive director of Raphael House, and Scott Kerman, executive director of Blanchet House, followed by a conversation among the panelists shaped around audience questions, and a debrief to share takeaways and next steps for those who want to support the cause.
This event is part of the “It Takes a Village” series, which brings together local experts who are working on Portland’s housing and homelessness crisis to share their approaches, perspectives, and strategies for coordinating services for different segments of the population.
About the Speakers
Robin Miller is an advocate and lived-experience expert with more than a decade of direct service supporting children, youth, and adults impacted by the commercial sex trade, employed as the Pacific Northwest Advocate and Intake Manager for Empowered Network. She also serves on the Human Trafficking Task Force of Clark County and the Human Trafficking Advisory Committee for the Oregon Department of Justice, and is a co-founding member of the Sex Trade Survivor Caucus, formerly known as the Northwest Survivor Alliance, while serving on the boards of the Northwest Collaborative and the EPIK Project. She has trained diverse audiences such as students, educators, healthcare providers, faith leaders, law enforcement, and policymakers, and holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Portland State University.
Katie O’Brien has served as Executive Director of Rose Haven since 2019, after more than a decade of involvement with the agency. With 30+ years of nonprofit leadership experience, she has been pivotal in strengthening Rose Haven’s capacity to meet Portland’s growing homelessness crisis. Rose Haven, now in its 28th year, remains downtown Portland’s only day shelter and resource center for women, children, and gender-diverse individuals, serving more than 4,000 people annually. Katie also serves on the Board of the National Women’s Shelter Network, a coalition of 400+ shelters working to end homelessness nationwide for women and families.
Emmy Ritter has served as Executive Director of Raphael House of Portland since 2019, leading its mission to support survivors of domestic violence through trauma-informed and survivor-centered services. She first joined Raphael House 15 years ago as Programs and Services Director and has been a dedicated advocate for domestic violence survivors for more than 30 years. Under her leadership, Raphael House has strengthened its community response to family violence, and Emmy was honored with the Judge Herrell Award for Exceptional Leadership in Program and Community Response to Family Violence.
Scott Kerman has served as Executive Director of Blanchet House since 2019, leading its mission to provide meals, shelter, and support to those experiencing homelessness in Portland. Under his leadership, Blanchet House is working to open Bethanie’s Room, an overnight emergency shelter for women. With more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Scott guided Blanchet House through the challenges of the COVID pandemic and was named Portland Business Journal’s 2022 Nonprofit Executive of the Year. He is also a 2024 recipient of Santa Clara University’s Ignatian Award, which honors alumni for outstanding service to humanity.
A special thanks to Kells for generously hosting us!