Jose Gamero
Executive Director and President
José started swing dancing in 2001, as a freshman at the University of Florida (Go Gators!), and danced on and off until about 2005. After a long hiatus from dancing, he was persuaded by a friend to try Blues Dancing in 2010. Immediately hooked by both the dance and the community, he quickly became an active part of Portland’s blues scene. He joined the Board of the Portland Blues and Jazz Dance Society in the spring of 2011 and couldn’t be happier with the people that he serves with. He is also the Director of Rose City Blues, one of the organizers of the Fusion Exchange, and helps with Recess events, too.
You can often see him rockin’ a bow tie, top hat, or suspenders and generally happy just to be surrounded by good company. He’s an avid movie watcher, frequent traveler, and you can always count on him to point you to some delicious eateries. Also, he’s terrible at asking people to dance with him, but he’d love to dance with you – so please ask. He’s trying working to improve his follow, too!
Sam Russel
Treasurer & CFO
A product of Portland, Sam was born and raised in the city. He graduated from Portland State University, which is where he started dance classes. After assistant teaching Argentine Tango, East Coast and West Coast Swing for the school he went to his first Blues dance and hasn’t looked back. Sam is currently serving Portland Blues and Jazz Dance Society as Chief Financial Officer.
Bridgette Todd
Education Director
She discovered her love for dancing nearly a decade ago while attending community college and is fond of her roots in ballroom and lindy hop (hugs and a shout out to the WVC HepCats and the CWU SwingCats). She helped organize the Central Washington University dance scene in 2008 while finishing her bachelor’s in education, and brings expertise in non-profit leadership to the PB&J board with her work experience for the YMCA, American Red Cross, and Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon.
Erik Larsen
Managing Director and Secretary
Erik has been a dancer since 2009, when he was introduced to Ballroom. Shortly after , he discovered his home with Blues and began setting the foundations for Corvallis Blues Dance community while working on his BS in Environmental Science at Oregon State University. After graduating in 2011, he immediately became involved with PB&J, and has been on the board ever since.
He currently works at The Standard in retirement planning, but also volunteers as an organic farmer, and teacher, and pursues his passions: baking bread, brewing, and network security.
Ryan Limbaugh
Operations Director and Vice President
Ryan was born and raised in Portland. He performed a three year term of service in the US Army where he served as a mechanized infantryman during the opening stages of the Iraq war.
Dancing has always been a part of Ryan’s life, however partner dancing is new facet to his love of dance. In his younger years, you would find him in the club solo dancing to just about anything. It was only a few years ago that he was introduced to partner dancing, specifically Blues dancing. The coupling of several of Ryan’s favorite things -people, dance, community, and friendship- opened a new avenue that grew his passion for dance. This is where he realized he was meant to serve his community.
When Ryan is not dancing you would likely find him shreading up the slopes on skis, riding long distances on his bike, and napping.
Daniel Sprinkle
Co-Operations Director
Daniel first became a fan of blues while playing trombone for Jimmy Cannon. Daniel’s love of music led him to PB&J where he discovered how much he enjoyed blues dancing and the blues community. Daniel has worked professionally as a trombonist, a Scottish highland bagpiper and helped create the Western Oregon University Ceili Club 2005-2007. He is currently pursuing a master’s in non-profit organization. Daniel can be seen every week at Tuesday blues and would love to see you there too!
Cory McFly
Co-Operations Director
Cory had no idea what he was in for when he was invited out to go blues dancing on a Tuesday night in late 2011. He discovered his love for dance all over Portland at various venues, but social and partnered dance was a whole new experience that has held his interest ever since.
While always happy to be dancing, Cory’s true passion lies with the community that has opened countless doors to him and he is always ready and willing to help newcomers develop their own unique experience in the dance community.
Outside of PB&J, Cory is a Network Engineer who also enjoys such things as riding and repairing motorcycles, any and everything to do with Firefly, and he can generally be found at the nearest Comic Convention masquerading as one superhero or another.
Denis Lemeshenko
Marketing Director
Denis was born in the Soviet Union shortly before the fall of Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Iron Curtain. As a kid, he dabbled in partner dancing because it was a requirement in Russian elementary schools and a great way to stay warm during harsh winters.
In 2001, Denis was brought to America by his mother and made Portland his home two years later. His first introduction to Blues took place in 2010 during his undergraduate studies in Business at Oregon State University. After countless weekend dance trips, numerous exchanges and competitions, Denis could not feel more at home in this wonderful dance scene. He is a recent addition to PB&J, handling promotions for our events, workshops and other amazing happenings.
When not Blues dancing, Denis works on film projects with various artists in town. You can find him wiggling around on the dance floor at Tuesday blues, but do not fear the wiggles, for he would love to dance with you!
Jen Moss
Co-Development Director
Jen may be small in size, but the craziness and charm that she can exude is that of a whirlwind tornado that only doubles in velocity, the more excitable she gets. Think energizer bunny meets 5 foot tall, dark haired, curly Jewish blues mamma. Jen’s chaos is as of yet undefined but she is lovable and chatty, and you can connect with her any night at Tuesday Blues on or off the dance floor.
In 2010, Jennifer brought the Blues to Maui and began a weekly class, modeled after Friday Night Blues in San Francisco. Jen Moss has been organizing dance related events, workshops and teaching and Dj-ing for the last four years in Hawaii as well as guest teaching when she travels. Jennifer’s dance interest started in college; where she attended every style of dance camp she could find from contact improve to contra dancing. After dabbling in Ballroom and Latin dance, she eventually found an outlet for her energy with Swing dancing. Insatiable, she craved a more a more connected dance and quickly found salvation with the Blues! Jen’s passion for dance has led her to study this love of movement, partnership and connection at a deeper level.
Although Jen’s day jobs include super mom extraordinaire and camp crusader for the insane and marvelous, Jen is currently in a doctoral program to obtain her PHD in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Expressive Arts and Dance Movement therapy. After ten years on the island of Maui, Jennifer decided to move to Portland Oregon where she now serves as Co-Development Director for the Portland Blues and Jazz Dance Society.
Tess Meyers
Co-Development Director
Tess is a friendly mammal currently studying Biology and other squishy things at Reed college. Originally hailing from Washington DC, she fell hard for Portland and still manages to like the rain after three years of residency. Tess is a fan of sweaters, tea, artsy stuff, Excel documents, and how old books smell; not necessarily in that order. Although she can’t keep her fingers (toes?) out of West Coast, Lindy Hop, and Tango, her main dance squeeze is still the Blues. When not busting it out on the social floor, Tess can sometimes be found having a rollicking good time with the Rose City Sweets, Brenda Russell’s vintage jazz dance performance troupe. She is thrilled to be part of PB&J, and would love to hear from you!
