Team

Tobias Read understands that financial empowerment, wise investments, and sound management are foundational to the quality of life and economic opportunities for Oregonians, and key for the long-term vitality of our state.

Elected Oregon’s 29th State Treasurer in 2016, Tobias is a collaborative problem solver who draws upon his management, political and finance policy experience to serve Oregonians as Treasurer.

He worked in the U.S. Treasury and as a liaison between designers, engineers and manufacturing units for Nike Inc. In 2006, he was elected to the Oregon House of Representatives, where he served a decade and championed legislation to invest in public education, improve state financial management, finance critical infrastructure improvements, and to help Oregonians save for a more secure future. 

He was elected Speaker Pro Tempore and earned the chairmanship of the House Committee on Transportation and Economic Development, and the House Committee on Higher Education, Innovation, and Workforce Development.  He also served on the House Revenue Committee in multiple legislative sessions.  He was a member of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means, the primary budget writing body for the Legislature.

He pushed to strengthen the state’s rainy day fund, which was a key factor that helped the state to earn a credit rating upgrade in 2011. He also helped lead the coalition that ultimately approved full-day kindergarten, underscoring that one of Oregon’s best possible investments is in our kids. He led efforts to promote infrastructure projects using innovative public-private partnerships, and was a chief sponsor of the Oregon Investment Act, which streamlined Lottery investments in promising Oregon startups. 

In 2015, he was a chief sponsor of the Oregon Retirement Savings Plan, which became the first operating state-sponsored retirement program in 2017. Known as OregonSaves, the program enrolls Oregon workers who lack access to a retirement savings option through their employers, and will allow hundreds of thousands more Oregonians to retire with dignity after a lifetime of work.

As State Treasurer, Tobias knows that financial confidence helps Oregonians get ahead, no matter where they live. He supports efforts to connect Oregonians with their unclaimed property, to improve financial education, to encourage Oregonians to invest in themselves, and to promote smart and accountable government reforms that improve transparency and stretch dollars for taxpayers and beneficiaries of public trust funds.

The State Treasurer is a constitutional officer and the state’s navigator for sound and responsible financial policy. The Treasurer protects the state’s credit ratings, sits on the Oregon Investment Council and State Land Board, and oversees public investing, banking, bonding and financial empowerment programs. Those include the Oregon 529 Savings Network, which allow families to save for higher education, job training and disability-related expenses,  and the Oregon Retirement Savings Plan. Treasury manages an investment portfolio worth roughly $106 billion.

Tobias earned his bachelor’s degree from Willamette University and his MBA from the Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. He has been a volunteer for Start Making a Reader Today (SMART), a youth sports coach, a member of the Willamette University Athletic Director's Advisory Board, and a founding board member of Hoopla, Oregon's largest three-on-three charity basketball tournament. 

He lives in Beaverton with his wife, Heidi Eggert, and their two children.

Mr. Alvarez serves as the Director of Debt Management at Oregon State Treasury. He joined Oregon State Treasury as Deputy Director and Senior Debt Program Manager of the Debt Management Division in December 2021. Mr. Alvarez manages the debt management staff, functions and operations of Oregon State Treasury.  He serves as the State of Oregon Treasurer’s designee with regards to the issuance of debt for Oregon state agencies and oversee the issuance of all debt statewide.  His activities also include serving as Chair the Private Activity Bond Committee, staff the Municipal Debt Advisory Commission and the Oregon Facilities Authority and serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Infrastructure Finance Authority for Oregon Business Development. Mr. Alvarez works with the various agencies to manage the state’s credit strategy and bond underwriting engagements to provide the most cost-effective financing for the State.

Mr. Alvarez previously served as Division Manager of the Capital Management and Debt Management Division of the Finance Department for the City of Houston, Texas. He earned his MBA from Texas Southern University and his BBA in Finance from the University of Houston.

Mr. Vasanth is the Deputy Director of Debt Management at Oregon State Treasury after joining as a Senior Financial Analyst in July 2022. Mr. Vasanth assists the Director in carrying out the functions and operations of Debt Management and helps manage some of the staff responsible for maintaining the bond database and produce the Annual State Debt Policy Advisory Commission Report. He helps with the issuance of all debt statewide. Mr. Vasanth works with the various Agencies along with the Director of Debt Management to help maintain the State’s credit profile and manage the issuance process to obtain cost-effective financing for the governmental and quasi-governmental issuers in Oregon. He is also one of Treasury’s liaisons with the Oregon Facilities Authority that helps 501(c)(3) non-profit borrowers access the tax-exempt market place.

Mr. Vasanth has served as Managing Director of Debt Capital Markets at Barclays, Director of Debt Capital Markets at Deutsche Bank Securities and as a Manager at General Motors Treasurer’s Office. He also has extensive experience with commodities futures trading. He graduated with an MBA from the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree from Loyola College.

After Graduating from Wharton Undergrad, Collin was hired at The Williams Capital Group where he worked as a municipal investment banking associate. His day to day duties included structuring and restructuring debt for municipalities, recording the Firm's municipal financings, researching refinancing opportunities for potential clients, analyzing the debt portfolio of a municipal issuer, and assisting lead bankers.

He is proficient in the use of Microsoft Office (especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), DBC Finance, internet research, and can quickly master new software or programs as necessary.

Collin holds the Series 7, 52, & 63 licenses.

Mrs. Nelson became the Department of Administrative Service Capital Finance Manager in March 2023, after serving as the Capital Finance Analyst since 2016. The Capital Finance unit has direct responsibility for managing several independent financing programs and coordinating statewide budgeting for bonds and capital construction. The section is responsible for the issuance and administration of several state constitutional bonding programs, including Article XI-Q, XI-F(1), XI-G, XI-L, XI-M, XI-N, XI-O and XI-P bonds and other financing agreements. The unit also coordinates issuance and administers the State Lottery Bonds, Tax Anticipation Notes (TANs) and the Pension Obligation Bond Program.

Prior to being part of the Capital Finance unit, Mrs. Nelson served in several accounting, budgeting and policy roles in Oregon state government since 1998. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Western Oregon University in 2002.

Matthew Harris serves as the Assistant Director of Capital Markets for the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department. Prior to joining the Department in July 2021, Mr. Harris served as a Debt Program Manager for the Oregon State Treasury. From July 2013 to May 2020, Mr. Harris served as the Senior Debt Analyst for nearly 6 years, and then as the Debt Manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation. Mr. Harris also served as a Debt Analyst for the Oregon State Treasury from April 2008 through July 2013. Mr. Harris holds a Master of Business Administration from the Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette University as well as a Bachelor of the Arts from Willamette University, majoring in Computer Science.

Siora Arce serves as the Department’s Debt Manager. Prior to joining the Debt Management Division at the Department, she served as a Finance Coordinator and Payroll Accountant for Oregon State University for 8 years and as a Senior Financial Accountant for Sunwest Management Inc. for 7 years. Ms. Arce holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics from Western Oregon University with a minor in Accounting.

Lindsay Lott serves as the Department’s Senior Debt Management Analyst. Prior to joining the Debt Management Division at the Department, she served as the Senior Financial Analyst for the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA) Financial Services Division for 12 years and the Financial Analyst for 5 years. Prior to that she served as the Accounting Systems Accountant in the General Accounting section of the Financial Services Division of ODVA for 3 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with an Accounting focus from Western Oregon University, majoring in Business with a minor in Social Sciences. Part of her coursework was completed at Chemeketa Community College where she obtained an Associate of Arts Oregon transfer degree.

Mr. Herrera joined the Oregon’s Department of Transportation (ODOT) as Debt and Financial Analysis Program Manager in November 2021. He is responsible for managing and overseeing the structuring and sale of ODOT’s Highway User Tax Revenue Bond programs, in coordination of the Oregon State Treasury. Mr. Herrera oversees the Agency’s post-issuance compliance processes, and advises agency leadership across a wide range of financing matters.

Mr. Herrera previously served as a member of ODOT’s Government Relations team, and has served in project management and budgeting roles at the Oregon State Legislature. He earned his MBA from Concordia University, and his BS in Public Policy and Administration from Western Oregon University.

Donna Haole-Valenzuela, has held various fiscal positions with the State of Oregon for the last 22 years, most recently as the Chief Financial Officer at the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

She holds degrees from Willamette University and Chaminade University of Honolulu.  Donna enjoys time with her family, her furbabies, and hiking the Pacific NW.