About the Helvetia Community Association

We owe our formation to the vigilance of the many community groups who came before us: The Helvetia-Mountaindale Preservation Coalition, The Tualatin Plains Land Coalition, the Bendemeer neighborhood committee, the Valley Vista neighborhood committee, Keep Helvetia Safe and Livable, and Save Helvetia.  The commitment of these residents over the past 30 years, along with support and donations from people from all over Oregon, help us keep the Greater Helvetia area a place that residents from all over the region can treasure.

Board of Directors

Role and Function

As a non-profit organization, HCA is governed by a board of directors, one third of whom are elected each year at our annual meeting.  The HCA board meets 4 times per year to set budget, policy, and program plans and to review and approve specific funding applications.  The board also maintains a number of standing committees that conduct the business of the board and provide advice and oversight for projects.  The composition of the board is carefully monitored by the board Governance Committee.  While the HCA board does not actively attempt to follow a consensus model of decision making, support of decisions once reached is encouraged.

Board Members

Cherry Amabisca, President

Cherry is an active volunteer for community causes in the Helvetia area, focusing on efforts to protect the cultural heritage and historic farmland of the area.  Her previous volunteer experience includes: Washington County 4H leader; member, Board of Directors for Oregon Gymnastic Academy, a non-profit athletic school for youth; president of the non-profit West Union Community Club, and chair of Save Helvetia.  Cherry was a substitute teacher for the Hillsboro School District, teaching bilingual and special education youth.  Prior to that, Cherry worked for twenty years as a program manager for various high-tech firms.  Her educational background includes a B.A. in Education/Spanish and an M.B.A.  In 2012, Cherry was awarded the Washington County Harold Haynes Award for outstanding citizen service and leadership.  She has lived in Helvetia for over 25 years with her husband, daughters, and cows.

Faun Hosey, Vice President

Faun is descended from farmers and activists who came to the fertile Willamette and Tualatin Valleys in the 1840s.  Faun has contributed her time to numerous community projects in Washington County: co-founder of The Friends of Imbrie Farmstead, the Friends of Jackson Bottom, and the Heart of Hillsboro Neighborhood Association; co-chair of Art Literacy at West Union Elementary School; member of Metro Greenspaces Policy Advisory Committee and Save Helvetia steering committee; campaign treasurer for Greg Mecklem for County Commission, and founding member of the Washington County Citizens Action Network.  She currently represents CPO 8 on the Washington County Transportation Plan Update committee.  After completing her B.S. in Art at Portland State University, Faun illustrated the book "Oregon Indians" and created desserts at Papa Haydn.  Currently, Faun is the pastry chef at Reedville Cafe in Hillsboro, grows edible flowers for desserts and restores native habitat on her small farm in Helvetia.

Robert Bailey, Secretary

Robert is a former Facility Administrator for ColumbiaCare Services, administering psychiatric residential care and treatment to residential treatment homes under contract from the State of Oregon and Multnomah County.  Prior to holding this position, Robert worked since 1972 in increasingly responsible positions in the mental health field.  Robert's educational background includes a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Master of Social Work from Portland State University in Portland, OR.  He has extensive experience as a community volunteer in Washington County, Oregon: Chair of the Washington County Noise Control Task Force; Commissioner of the Children and Youth Services Commission; Member, Great Start Task Force; President of the Board, Oregon Chapter, National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse; Chair, Washington County Family Violence Coalition; Co-Chair, Helvetia-Mountaindale Preservation Coalition; Save Helvetia Steering Committee.  Robert is a past recipient of the Washington County Harold Haynes Award for outstanding citizen service and leadership.  Robert and his wife Patti reside on Helvetia Road, the gateway to historic Helvetia.

Allen Amabisca, Treasurer

Throughout his 20-year career as a financial analyst at Intel Corporation, Allen enjoyed building electronic commerce, implementing new systems and enhancing global accounting programs.  In addition, Allen has volunteered his accounting and organizational expertise to several community organizations.  He was on the School Board for West Union Elementary School, serving as the last Chair prior to unification.  As treasurer of West Union Community Club, he completed the successful application for non-profit status and later served as treasurer of Oregon Gymnastics Academy, a non-profit athletic school.  At present, Allen is the treasurer for two non-profit organizations: Save Helvetia and Helvetia Community Association as well as the HCA board representative to the Land Trust Committee.  His educational background includes a B.S. in Financial Accounting and a B.A. in Botany.  When not working or volunteering, Allen enjoys growing things in his gardens and gold prospecting.  Raised on a farm in Oregon, Allen has lived in Helvetia for over 25 years with his wife and daughters.

Ginny Mapes, Board Member

Ginny Mapes, our local Helvetia historian, has written three books on various aspects of local Helvetia history: "The Tualatins", "The Cheesemakers", and "The Cash Family".