Chapter Officers

Meet the current Portland Chapter #54 Board of Directors

Lauren Holmes

President

Lease Crutcher Lewis

Lauren Holmes, is a Project Executive at Lease Cruther Lewis. Lauren graduated from OSU with a CEM degree and has been working for general contractors in Portland for 20 years. She has been in NAWIC since 2005 and has served on the Board in various positions and lead various committees, most notably the fundraising committee coordinating our Brewfest event for 10 years and Night with NAWIC for 2 years and NFSF, coordinating scholarships for students seeking degrees in construction related fields. Lauren is excited to continue to support our chapter as we continue

Stephanie carklin

Vice President

Karisa Caracol

Treasurer

Lease Crutcher Lewis

Karisa Caracol is a Project Manager at Lease Crutcher Lewis with more than 23 years of experience in the construction industry, including over 14 years with general contractors in the Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii markets. She currently serves as Treasurer and Fundraising Committee Chair and planned the past two Night with NAWIC fundraising events. Karisa is passionate about engaging more women in construction and is committed to fostering a fun and educational Portland Chapter experience. She looks forward to meeting fellow members and building new relationships. In her free time, she loves to travel, camp in the summers, and spend time with her two Cockapoos, family, and friends.

Aubrey Wehrly Blackburn

Thompson Metal Fab, Inc. (TMF)

Aubrey has over ten years’ experience in the steel fabrication sector of the construction industry. A Senior Project Manager, she joined Thompson Metal Fab in 2015 as a Document Control Specialist and quickly moved into project management roles. She has been in her current role since 2025.

Having joined the NAWIC in 2023, Aubrey has continued to be actively involved in Portland Chapter 54. She served as Corresponding Secretary in 2025/2026 and is excited to continue to serve on the Board as the Portland Chapter President in 2026/2027. Aubrey is committed to building connections within and outside the chapter to help the chapter continue to grow and expand. She looks forward to engaging Portland 54 members in the coming year and continuing to strengthen the chapter.

Corresponding Secretary

Erin Holmes

Corresponding Secretary

Cochran

I have worked at Cochran for 20 years. My current role is Senior Project Manager. I have been in NAWIC since 2005, and have held several positions on our board, including President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director. I love helping guide our chapter and newer members to all that NAWIC has to offer. I look forward to serving on the board again this upcoming year.

megan martin

USI Insurance Services

Megan is a Vice President and Property Casualty consultant with USI’s Portland office. She joined USI in 2017 and quickly moved up from account management to a production role where she focuses on clients in the Real Estate, development and construction space. She joined NAWIC in 2024 and is excited about the opportunities for growth as well as networking with her peers in the industry. Megan is a born and raised Oregonian from Oregon City where she grew up with her identical twin sister Carlie. We played a lot of soccer and eventually made it to play D1 at Portland State. She loves hanging out with her pets, going camping and occasionally, still running around on the pitch.

Director

audra PETIRE

Turner Surtey and Insurance

Director

liz cowen

Liz Cowen has been an active NAWIC member since 2013, serving in leadership roles including Director, Recording Secretary, and Chapter President (2018–2020). She is excited to serve as Recording Secretary for the 2026–2027 term and to continue supporting the organization’s mission and growth. Outside of NAWIC, Liz is a Paralegal and Contracts Manager/Negotiator at Swinerton with nearly 20 years of experience in the construction industry, where she oversees contract strategy, negotiation, and compliance, leveraging both project and legal expertise to support business operations.

Swinerton

Director

Evie clark

EPiC Writing

Director

upcoming 2026-2027 board

  • President – Aubrey Wehrly

  • Vice President – Misty Little

  • Recording Secretary – Liz Cowen

  • Corresponding Secretary – Erin Holmes

  • Treasurer – Karisa Caracol

  • Past President – Lauren Holmes

  • Directors (4) –

    Megan Martin

    Jude Collins

    Staci Pfau

    Shelia Gobel