The Faces of Oregon: Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge & Astoria

John Jarvie is a history teacher at several colleges in the area with Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. as his main campus. He has been working for the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center for over a decade, giving information to visitors about state and regional points of interest, local history and the Oregon Trail.

Vince Patton loved exploring the northwest as a reporter for a public television show called Oregon Field Guide. Experiencing nature and wildlife made for the best job of his 37-year career in television. During that time, he won 10 Emmy awards and three dozen other national and regional honors. After retiring, he got deep into genealogy, discovering roots back to the earliest settlers of the U.S. He has lived and worked in Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas, but has spent over two decades in Portland.

Despite growing up in sunny South Florida, Ryan felt a calling to explore the unique landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Ryan’s family emigrated from Zambia in 1979, bringing a sixth-generation jewelry business with them. After studying economics at Florida State University, Ryan worked for Road Scholar for five years before becoming a full-time group leader and professional rugby referee. He is an enthused outdoorsman and enjoys skiing, hiking, and kayaking through Oregon’s natural bounty. These experiences have given him insightful perspectives into American middle-class life.

David Schargel, a New York City native but an Oregonian for nearly three decades, is so immersed in his adopted city of Portland that he has become a go-to for interesting local facts, architecture, destinations, and more. KPAM 860 AM Radio calls David “Mr. Portland History.” When the Hilton Portland was seeking a new concierge, they turned to David. In 2021, he started Portland Walking Tours and hired over 65 resident experts. Today, David is often called on as a resource for stories about the city, its history, and local happenings.