PLACE:
Orland High School Multipurpose Room
East of the parking lot, north of the shops

DATE:
February 28, 2025

SOCIAL HOUR:
5:30 p.m. 

DINNER:
6:30 p.m.

QUESTIONS:
Larry Donnelley — (530) 720-4222
Sylvia Raygoza Lopez — (530) 321-6061

Orland Alumni Association is pleased to announce our choice for this year's prestigious Co-Alumni of the Year Award. Please plan to attend the annual dinner to learn more about these remarkable and deserving alumni.

BEVERLY FERRIS HANSEN, Partner Emeritus - Lang, Hansen, O’ Malley and Miller. Ms. Hansen served in the State Assembly (District 8) from 1986 to 1992. During her service in the State Assembly, she earned a reputation of being a hardworking, able and effective representative who consistently ranked high in the California Journal’s survey of state elected officials. She retired from the State Assembly in 1992 to pursue business opportunities in the private sector. As the Napa Valley Register commented on her retirement, “Respect Hansen for a Job Well Done”.

A diverse background in business, education, government, public service and family obligations prepared Ms. Hansen to serve in a variety of leadership positions in the State Assembly. Some of her positions included: Republican Caucus Chair, Republican Caucus Vice-Chair, Assembly Rural Caucus Chair, Assembly Republican Liaison to both Gov. Deukmejian and Gov. Wilson, Vice-Chair Assembly Committee on Transportation, Vice-Chair Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care, Chair of the Assembly Task Force on Worker’s Compensation Reform, and member of the Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Local Government Committees. Ms. Hansen was selected as Legislator of the Year by such diverse groups as, the American Legion, the Sonoma County Manufacturing Group, the California Governor’s Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons and the California Business Properties Association.

Bev’s private sector work has included eight years’ experience in the real estate and community planning professions.

She also served as Administrative Assistant to Senator Jim Nielsen, a trustee to a local school board, Vice President and President of the state organization, ‘California Elected Women’s Association for Education and Research’.

Her education includes a political science background from the University of California at Berkeley.

TARA M. LEPP, began her career in sports medicine during her senior year at Orland High School (OHS). Her track & field coach told her about the field of athletic training, which was beginning to accept women into the profession. It was the perfect fit for the three-sport athlete who had an interest in medicine.

After graduating from OHS in 1976, Tara attended CSU, Chico where she earned her BA degree in 1980. She received an MS degree at the University of Oregon in 1982. Both degrees were in Physical Education with an emphasis in Athletic Training/Sports Medicine. Tara was board certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association in September of 1981 while attending graduate school in Oregon.

In 1982, Tara was hired by Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon as their first certified athletic trainer and instructor in the department of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics. She was responsible for the health care of the student athletes in all men’s and women’s sports. Prof. Lepp developed the clinical and educational programs in Athletic Training for Linfield, which was awarded national accreditation in 2001. She was promoted to full professor in 2005 and was given professor emeritus status when she retired in 2018.

Tara’s love of God and servant’s heart took her from the mission field of Linfield College to Africa beginning in the summer of 2005 when she traveled to Rwanda with an Open Arms International (OAI) medical mission team. Subsequently, she led medical teams for OAI and helped build the Open Arms Village (OAV) in Eldoret, Kenya. The 52-acre Village consists of a Children’s Home for orphaned and vulnerable children, an Academy for pre-school through grade 9, a church for the residents and community members; plus, a farm with cows, chickens, goats, and sheep and large vegetable gardens.

Prof. Tara lived at the Open Arms Village as a volunteer missionary from 2013-2024. When she left the Village, it became fully run by a staff of 80 Kenyans. When asked if she has any children, Tara replies, “Yes, I have more than 300 in Africa!”