Columbia River Gorge Commission holds workshop to draft shared values after year of internal review

Commissioners of the Columbia River Gorge Commission and consultants from the Avarna Group spent a May 13 workshop identifying shared values and the next steps for integrating those values into commission work.

The session, led by Aparna of the Avarna Group and facilitator Sianna Carrillo Walker Flom, reviewed themes from one-on-one interviews with eight commissioners and then used an interactive poll to surface the six values participants ranked most important: transparency, sustainability, respect (or respectful), equity/fairness, access and community.

Aparna said the session was meant to “reimagine how you can all work together to achieve your common goals” and clarified the workshop was a conversation starter, not a training: “This is why today is not a DEI training, but it is the beginning of a conversation,” she told commissioners.

Why it matters: Commissioners are charged by the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act with a dual mandate to protect scenic, natural, recreational and cultural resources while supporting economic vitality. Several commissioners and the consultants said the commission’s reputation and historical focus has emphasized scenic preservation over economic and community…