BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dawn Mitchell – Board President
Hello Everyone! My name is Dawn Mitchell and my husband of 36 years , Mike, and I have lived in Foster (Cascadia) since 1998. We have lived in the Willamette Valley our whole lives. We raised our 2 children, CJ and Samantha, here and they still live in the Sweet Home area.
This Spring, (of 2024) I will have been on the Board of Directors for the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District for 18 years. It has been an honor and pleasure to serve these hardworking, caring, and giving people. It truly is a family, and I am glad to be a part of it.
When not serving the District, I work full time as the Executive Director of the Sweet Home Senior Center, which also operates the Linn Shuttle, Sweet Home Shopper and the Dial a Bus, the local public transportation out of the Jim Riggs Community Center.
When I am not working, I have a little house with a few acres to take care of that is home to 2 dogs and 3 cats in addition to the humans. Haha! For fun I belong to a couple of car clubs that do various events (some charitable, some to raise awareness for a cause, and some just to get car people together to talk about cars). Sometimes we pick a destination that we all get together and drive to and have a day being out and about and exploring all that this beautiful state has to offer.
Larry Johnson – Board Member
Larry came to Sweet Home in 1971 with his wife Candy. They have two adult sons and five grandchildren.
A former volunteer firefighter, Larry was on the original rescue squad for over 20 years in Sweet Home. Until his retirement, he had been a teacher, coach, Athletic Director, and School Administrator for over 30 thirty years. As a community member, Johnson has been Junior First Citizen, and First Citizen, and received the Keith Gabriel Memorial Award. He was very honored when he was also selected into the Oregon Athletic Directors Hall of Fame.
Currently, Johnson is a Jamboree Supervisor and also participates in projects for the High School and the Alumni Association.
Rob Younger – Board Member
Rob has lived in Sweet Home since 1980. He grew up in Corvallis and graduated from Oregon State University with a master’s degree in science education. He has served the last twelve years as the Director of the Oregon Athletic Coaches Association which serves all sports, all classifications in Oregon. He began his high school coaching career at Crescent Valley HS in 1975 while a student at OSU. During his 47-year coaching career, he spent 30 years at Sweet Home High School teaching Biology and coaching Football, Softball, Basketball and Baseball.
Rob volunteered with the Sweet Home Fire & Ambulance District (23 years) and presently serves on the SHFAD Board of Directors. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) selected Younger as the 2008 Power of Influence Award winner. He was the recipient of the NFHS Coaches Citation Award in 2020.
He has served on the Board of Directors for the National Federation High School Coaches Association (2000-2012), Oregon Schools Athletic Association Executive Board (2005-2012), Oregon Athletic Coaches Association Executive Board (1997- present), and the National High School Football Coaches Alliance (2017-present as Board President).
Rob presently serves as the National Organization of Coaches Association Directors (NOCAD) Assistant Executive Director. He umpired baseball at both the collegiate and high school levels for over 40 years. He and his wife, Karen have five children and 22 grandchildren.
Julie Harvey - Board Secretary
Julie Harvey is not a Sweet Home native, but her family has come to consider Sweet Home as the only place they can imagine calling home. She moved to Sweet Home from Sheridan County, Wyoming, in the fall of 1998 to teach English and coach freshman volleyball at Sweet Home High School. Julie has worked for the school district in various capacities ever since, mostly as a school counselor. She has really loved working in this community, getting to know many individuals and families, many of whom she also now enjoys interacting with through her role with the Sweet Home Fire & Ambulance District.
Charlene Adams - Board Member
Charlene grew up in Sweet Home and where she met her husband Rich in Junior High. They have been married 64 years and have 4 children, 13 grandchildren, and 8+ great grandchildren. Rich was a former firefighter in Crawfordsville in the 1970’s. After owning and operating their own business in Crawfordsville for 13 years they moved back to Sweet Home. Charlene had a career in banking and finished up working for the Community Development Department in the City of Sweet Home. There have been many members of Charlene’s family that have been volunteers at the SHFD as well as one family member that is currently a Firefighter/Paramedic.
In the past Charlene has served on the Sweet Home School District #55 Board of Directors for 12 years and on the Budget committee for 8 years. In addition to being a member of the SHFAD Board of Directors, Charlene is also a member of the Sweet Home Library Board.
Jim Yon - Board Member
I’m a lifelong Linn County resident and have lived in Sweet Home for around 20 years. I retired from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office after a 28 year career. My wife, Angie, is a Special Education teacher at Sweet Home Junior High. I have two grown children and one grandchild.
