Matthew Havniear, Executive Director
Matthew Havniear, MBA, serves as Executive Director of the Jackson County Community Long-Term Recovery Group (JCC LTRG) and the Rogue Valley Community Organizations Active in Disaster (RV COAD), where he leads long-term disaster recovery and coordinates cross-sector disaster activation efforts across Southern Oregon.
A former Non-Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, he brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning emergency response, disaster recovery, housing stabilization, and veteran services. Prior to his current role, he developed and managed housing stabilization and case management programs for wildfire survivors, led residential and outpatient transition housing programs, and served as a Regional Field Operations Manager, managing disaster deployment operations across the Pacific Northwest while supporting national disaster responses.
Matthew holds a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Information Analysis and Decision-Making, and a Bachelor of Science in Innovation and Leadership with a minor in Communication, from Southern Oregon University, and is certified in Project Management through the University of Oregon.
Tessa Elbettar, Director of Operations & Engagement
Tessa is a woman of many hats who brings a rich multi-disciplinary approach to her work in community recovery and resiliency.
Born and raised in the vibrant city of Los Angeles, Tessa earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She’s worn her ‘explorer hat’ (think Indiana Jones) to 28 countries, giving her a global perspective that enriches her work.
Tessa earned her ‘thinking cap’ as the Co-Founder and Program Director at Shift Happens Volunteers, a festival and live event volunteer coordination company. She supported the company’s growth into an expanded team that executes 10 volunteer programs annually. Through this work, she developed a knack for solving complex operational challenges.
Tessa is passionate about serving the Rogue Valley through cross-organization collaboration and long-term planning across the disaster services cycle.
Krista Palmer, Administrative & Program Support Specialist
Krista brings a strong background in leadership, coordination, and community-centered collaboration to her role with the Jackson County Long Term Recovery Group. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Sunstone Housing Collaborative, where she supported mission-driven housing initiatives through thoughtful organization, clear communication, and multi-sector partnership building.
Krista’s work is grounded in the principle of occupational justice, the belief that people need stable conditions, including housing and community support, to fully participate in daily life. This perspective aligns closely with long-term recovery efforts, which depend on trust, coordination, and sustained administrative support long after immediate response efforts have ended.
Known for her calm and steady approach, Krista values reliability, follow-through, personal connection and collaborative problem-solving. She is committed to strengthening systems that help individuals and families regain stability and resilience, and she is honored to support the ongoing recovery work serving Jackson County.