We are thrilled to announce that Erin Borla, Executive Director of the Roundhouse Foundation, and Ash Hanson, Chief Creative Officer of the Department of Public Transformation, will be in conversation at our annual virtual gathering, Rural Assembly Everywhere, on July 23. Borla and Hanson will bring their years of experience in the world of rural organizations to discuss funding rural projects and rural philanthropy. Borla was recently named as an innovator on the Time Magazine Time100 Philanthropy list for her work in rural grant making.
About the session
We know that rural folks are used to doing more with less, but that doesn’t mean we deserve less to begin with. Hear from Erin Borla, Executive Director and Trustee of the Roundhouse Foundation, and Ash Hanson, Creative Executive Officer at Department of Public Transformation, as they discuss what it looks like to meaningfully fund rural for the long haul. They’ll discuss what it looks like when rural seems to be a ‘hot topic’ but funding gaps continue to exist and what role philanthropy can play in closing those gaps.
About the speakers
Erin Borla (she/her) is an Oregonian— born and raised in Central Oregon and the granddaughter of Oregon’s own tough mother, Gert Boyle of Columbia Sportswear. For 20 years, she has worked with and for nonprofit organizations that support rural communities with innovative economic strategies. Her dedication to supporting rural spaces through listening, collaborating and open and honest sharing of ideas helps her elevate community partners throughout her work.
Borla holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences from Oregon State University and a master of tourism administration degree from The George Washington University. She completed her professional certificate in Tribal relations from Portland State University’s Mark O. Hatfield School of Government in 2022 and was recently announced as a Fellow for the National Center for Family Philanthropy.
Borla currently serves as an advisor for Center for Disaster Philanthropy, a member of the Future Council for the Society for Environmental Journalists, a member of the advisory board for the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program managed through the Criminal Justice Commission of the State of Oregon and an advisory member of the Comprehensive Suicide Prevention program managed by the Oregon Health Authority. Throughout the past, she has served organizations such as OSU-Cascades, Sisters Park & Recreation District, Central Oregon Regional Solutions Committee, Oregon 4-H Foundation, OSU Extension Service in Deschutes County and others. She has been a trustee for the Roundhouse Foundation of Sisters, Oregon since 2014 and stepped in as the organization’s first executive director in early 2020 at a time of rapid growth for the Foundation.
The Roundhouse Foundation, founded by Borla’s mother, artist Kathy Deggendorfer, supports creative solutions across rural communities in Oregon including the nine federally recognized Tribes and 54 historic bands of Native communities that originally called this region home. The Foundation funds at the intersection of their four programmatic areas: arts and culture, environmental stewardship, education and social services.
When she isn’t road-tripping with her family, Erin enjoys riding her horse Dallas, hiking with her dog, Sherman, knitting hats for friends and family and enjoying the best new young-adult novel.
Ashley Hanson (she/her) has 15 years of experience working with rural communities to activate stories, connect neighbors, and exercise collective imagination. She is a member of the Center for Performance and Civic Practice Leadership Circle and she was an Artist-in-Residence in both the Planning Department at the City of Minneapolis and with the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, where she employed creative community engagement strategies for equitable participation in urban and rural planning and development processes. Previously, she was the Program Director for the Minnesota Theater Alliance—where she managed statewide regional networks and resource sharing—and the Program Director for Public Art Saint Paul—where she produced large-scale participatory public art events and projects, including the Saint Paul City Artist-in-Residence program. In addition to her work with DoPT, she is the founder of PlaceBase Productions, a theater company that creates original, site-specific musicals celebrating small-town life. She holds an MA in Applied Theater with a focus on Rural Community Development, and she was named an Obama Foundation Fellow and a Bush Fellow for her work with rural communities. She believes deeply in the power of play and exclamation points!
About Rural Assembly Everywhere
Rural Assembly Everywhere, our national broadcast, will go live on July 23, 2026. This free virtual gathering welcomes rural leaders, community members, advocates, and allies. It is a space to imagine new ways of expanding opportunity, share resources, and build a more connected, thriving rural America.
The broadcast will feature conversations with leading voices in rural life and culture, along with spotlights on inspiring communities across the country. Throughout the event, you’ll be able to participate in a live chat—connecting with neighbors, friends, and fellow community members in real time as the conversations unfold.
Thirty communities will host gatherings locally; stay tuned to hear if there’s an Everywhere gathering in your area.
Register now to join us on July 23!
