New Partners: Mark and Jess Desbrow

(from the September 2009 Newsletter)

Mark and Jess Desbrow joined SVPP in July. Mark says it is a natural fit, a way to leverage their investment and broaden their circle of friends and networks. The Desbrows are presently embracing a number of life changes. In the last two years, they have married, Jess earned her doctorate and started her Chiropractic practice, and Mark started Green Light Cooperative with SVPP Partner Noel Johnson. Their biggest news is the upcoming arrival of a baby boy in December.

The Desbrows met while working as instructors with Outward Bound in 2000. Jess grew up in Illinois and earned her B.S. at Miami University of Ohio. She has worked as a teacher for children with learning disabilities, as a kayak and climbing instructor, and she spent two seasons in Antarctica as a field coordinator for science research teams. Mark was born in Malaysia, grew up in New Jersey and attended Lewis & Clark College, which brought him to the Northwest. He has worked in real estate development, most recently with Opus Northwest. Currently, as a partner with Green Light Cooperative, Mark is preparing plans for the Sheldon, an upscale age 55+ housing cooperative slated to break ground in close-in NW Portland.

The Desbrows are very active, enjoying mountain biking, rock climbing, kite boarding, telemark skiing, yet they also like gardening and quieter evenings on their porch with friends and neighbors.