Medicine Bear
About Us
ABOUT US
“ Restoring Hope through Art and Culture.”
At Medicine Bear, we believe in creative healing for the next generation. Through murals, mentorship, and traditional practices, we help youth reconnect with their identity, their culture, and their purpose.
Rodolfo “RedStone” Serna
Executive Director
Rodolfo “RedStone” Serna is a cultural artist, muralist, and educator rooted in Indigenous and Latinx traditions. Based in Portland, Oregon, he is the Founder and Executive Director of Medicine Bear, a nonprofit that empowers system-impacted youth through creative expression, cultural mentorship, and rites of passage grounded in ancestral wisdom. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Portland State University and over 20 years of experience in public art, RedStone has led large-scale mural projects, healing workshops, and traditional ceremonies in detention centers, schools, and community spaces across the Pacific Northwest.
His murals—featured in collaborations with Multnomah County, Providence Health, and Pacific University—are known for weaving together symbols, textures, and stories that honor the land, the people, and their shared histories. A former youth worker and gang intervention specialist, RedStone integrates trauma-informed care, traditional healing practices, and visual storytelling to foster resilience and belonging. His mission is to guide the next generation of artists and leaders in reclaiming their roots, their voice, and their sacred purpose.
Yolanda Gonzalez LCSW
President
Yolanda González is a first-generation Latina born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. With over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker dedicated to advancing equitable and accessible care for youth and families.
Yolanda currently serves as the Senior Manager for Children, Youth, Young Adult, and Family Mental Health Services at Multnomah County, where she leads programs that strengthen community wellness and promote culturally responsive support systems. Her work bridges clinical expertise with a deep understanding of the lived experiences of the communities she serves. Guided by her family’s values and the resilience she has witnessed throughout her career, Yolanda continues to find inspiration in the power of collective healing. Her commitment to service and advocacy reflects a lifelong belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive, heal, and be seen.
Kristen Bell
Vice President
Kristen Bell is a Native American social worker, educator, and cultural practitioner from the Northern Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. Born in Cheyenne and now based in Portland, she holds a diploma from Portland Community College (2012) and is a parent leader in the David Douglas School District, where she helped launch cultural arts and after-school programs that bring Native traditions into the classroom. A member of Medicine Bear since 2014, Kristen shares traditional teachings through the Inípi ceremony, offering songs, smudging, drumming, and ancestral knowledge that support generational healing.
She currently helps coordinate programs and community events that center Indigenous culture, family wellness, and parent engagement. Raised by a Lakota father who instilled in her the importance of ceremony and tribal history, Kristen continues to carry those teachings forward. Her work focuses on indigenizing spaces, uplifting families, and reminding others that culture is our medicine for healing.
Pamella Guzman
Treasurer
Pamella Guzman is a Portland-based muralist and teaching artist whose work centers on community storytelling, cultural identity, and social justice. As a young Chicana artist, her creative journey began at the intersection of lived experience and public expression, using graffiti and street art as tools for survival and voice.
Raised in Portland and a graduate of Rosemary Anderson High School, Pamella brings her lived experience into classrooms, youth programs, and public art projects. She was mentored by artist RedStone Rudy Serna, and her leadership blossomed through community murals and cultural workshops across the city.
Her murals often blend traditional iconography with contemporary struggles, honoring Indigenous roots, feminine power, and the resilience of BIPOC communities. Pamella is especially passionate about uplifting youth voices through collaborative art, encouraging the next generation to see themselves as creators and changemakers.
She has recently exhibited at Open Signal as part of the Fresh Paint mural program and continues to work with youth inside and outside of detention through programs like the RedStone Collective.
Ambrose Meanus
Secretary
Ambrose Meanus is a Native American artist and cultural practitioner from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Born in Redmond, he graduated from Flandreau Indian School in 2010 and has continued to serve as a community leader, educator, and artist dedicated to preserving and sharing Indigenous traditions. Ambrose is actively involved with the Marysville Elementary Native American Affinity Club, where he helps lead art and cultural education programs for youth.
He is also a member of the Red Road to Wellbriety Drum Singers, a group dedicated to Native wellness and recovery through the power of drumming, song, and ceremony. His cultural journey began with the Seven Feathers, where he first learned the Seven Drums Prayer songs. Mentored by respected elders, Ambrose now carries these teachings forward—sharing longhouse-style songs, drumming, and ceremonial practices that strengthen healing and connection within the community. His work reflects a deep commitment to cultural preservation, spiritual wellness, and the next generation of Native youth.
Jose Valentin Ruiz
Board Officer
Jose Valentin Ruiz, is a Portland-based Chicano artist whose work bridges graffiti, Indigenous symbolism, and contemporary muralism. His art reflects his Mexika (Aztec) heritage and his commitment to healing and community transformation through creative expression. At 16, while navigating gang involvement, Jose was mentored by RedStone Rodolfo Serna through art and cultural programs that became pivotal in his personal transformation. Through these relationships, he discovered purpose and a new path—using art as a way to seek restorative justice and inspire others.
Today, Jose serves as a youth detention officer at the very center where he once found guidance, working alongside his mentor to bring cultural healing to system-impacted youth. A member of The RedStone Collective and participant in RACC’s Fresh Paint program, Jose continues to create work that uplifts Chicano culture and honors his journey from struggle to leadership.
Alberto Jiménez
Board Officer
As a first-generation Oregonian who journeyed with his family from Mexico City (CDMX), Alberto Jiménez grew up learning to navigate life between cultures and identities. The eldest in his family and the first to pursue higher education, he never imagined becoming a social worker—yet his path led to a deep calling in mental health and community care.
After earning a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Concordia University Portland, Alberto continued through Portland State University’s Master of Social Work program, completing both during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience reinforced his belief in the power of supportive communities and inspired his work bridging access to care through bilingual and culturally responsive services.
Currently working toward his LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) credential, Alberto brings a hands-on, heart-centered approach to healing—whether through counseling, community advocacy, or creative projects like gardening and art. He hopes to reshape how mental health is understood in Latinx communities, uplifting culture, language, and lived experience as tools for healing and connection.
Rashan Williams
Board Officer
Rashan Williams Jr. was born in Los Angeles to teenage parents—one of whom became deeply involved in gang culture and is now serving a life sentence. Growing up as the child of an incarcerated parent, Rashan learned early to navigate life’s challenges from a unique perspective, teaching himself resilience and empathy. These experiences shaped his lifelong commitment to mentorship, restorative justice, and youth empowerment.
Today, Rashan is a dedicated mentor, community activist, father, and coach to at-risk youth. With a strong background in youth advocacy, he has partnered with educational institutions including Evergreen Public Schools and Portland Public Schools, where he provides mentoring, restorative justice facilitation, and leadership development. Rashan also collaborates with Washington County and Clark County Juvenile Departments, leading programs focused on student engagement, goal setting, and skill building to reduce recidivism. His mission is to inspire individuals to recognize their potential, break cycles of harm, and give back to the next generation that follows them.
Andres Mendoza
Board Officer
Andres Mendoza is a poet, writer, and community advocate whose work explores identity, resilience, and belonging. He is the co-author of AMERICAN, US (Morpheus Youth Project, 2022), a collaborative chapbook that blends poetry, prose, and illustration to examine boundaries, migration, and transformation. Co-written with Emilly Prado, the collection invites readers into a conversation about navigating correctional and psychiatric institutions, family history, and shifting definitions of home—accompanied by artwork from Marco Acosta, Jesus Torralba, and Manuel Villagran.
Rooted in Portland’s creative and social justice community, Andres first connected with Morpheus Youth Project as a participant and later as an artist contributor. He now works with Latino Network, where he supports youth and families through culturally responsive mentorship and empowerment programs, while also pursuing higher education at Portland State University. Through his art and advocacy, Andres continues to elevate stories of healing and transformation within communities often left unheard.
Kolby Madison Ross
Board Officer
KB Ross is a survivor with a purpose. A 24-year-old Black man who has endured the foster care system and survived neo-Nazi gun violence, KB brings lived experience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to creating change. Shaped by systemic failures and personal hardship, he channels his experiences into advocacy, leadership, and healing work for youth and communities of color.
He is the co-founder-in-progress of The Village Project, an emerging initiative focused on supporting young people of color as they navigate complex systems, develop social-emotional skills, and build strong, supportive networks. Through his work, KB aims to create spaces rooted in trust, authenticity, and hope—especially for those who have been most impacted by violence and neglect. A natural leader and motivator, KB’s approach blends mentorship, creative expression, and restorative practices. His mission is to remind others that survival is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of transformation and collective healing.
Gary Westley
Board Officer
Gary Westley is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and a descendant of the Siletz and Assiniboine tribes, respectively. He carries 10 years of experience as a youth advocate and program coordinator in the fields of education and prevention. Gary received his undergraduate degree from Portland State University in Business Management & Leadership in 2021.
Gary remains connected with his culture by attending traditional ceremonies and cultural gatherings. Often sacrificing personal time to volunteer with planning said events. He integrates traditional teachings to invoke self-growth among the youth he connects with in his professional work.
In his spare time, he coaches martial arts and other recreational sports. He also enjoys spending time with his three children; Alita (12), Moises and Zaire (16), and lifelong companion, Magdalena. He currently lives in southeast Portland with his family.