Tatiana Eckhart

Organization: Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD)
Serves: Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickitat and Skamania Counties

Meet Tatiana Eckhart:

Tatiana has BA’s in Sociology and Planning, Public Policy, and Management from the University of Oregon. She is originally from a tight-knit community in Hawaii and enjoys the sense of communal support that living in a small town provides. She loves exploring the great outdoors, especially hiking and camping, and has traveled to over a dozen countries! Tatiana looks forward to being back in Oregon and serving in a rural region, learning new skills, and helping build strong sustainable communities.

Community and Organization:

The Mid-Columbia Economic Development District provides economic development services benefiting healthy and sustainable communities and businesses in a five county region. One of 11 Economic Development Districts in Oregon, MCEDD operates regionally to forge strategies, solutions, and partnerships that achieve results, that would not have been feasible for a single local jurisdiction to implement. This position is based out of The Dalles, a city that has played an economic and cultural role in the Pacific Northwest for millennia. It’s now the second largest city on the Oregon side of the Columbia River (behind only Portland).

Project:

The RARE, Tatiana Eckhart, worked with communities and economic development partners in the region to enhance understanding of the local economy and improve strategies that support economic resilience. She coordinated an Economic Symposium to highlight past, current and future economic and demographic trends in the region with a special focus on MCEDD’s 50th anniversary. Tatiana identified opportunities and developed tools/strategies to enhance the region’s responsiveness in supporting businesses during disaster and recovery efforts. She also worked with the Wasco County Economic Development Commission and cities within the County to increase opportunities for networking, information sharing, and developed approaches to shared challenges.

Lastly, Tatiana worked with the Wasco County Fair Board to implement a Strategic Plan for the County Fairgrounds/Hunt Park facility that she developed during her first service term. The Plan is set to enhance overall use and management of the facility in order to serve as a cultural and economic asset to the community.