Our Team

Our team is smart, experienced, and engaged with current technologies. There is a great diversity here – we have avid cyclists, runners, tennis players and climbers, and several musicians. We’re not just technical geeks – there’s more than one M.A. in English Literature in this crowd!

We’re old enough to look at new challenges realistically, but young enough to retain the optimism that we can solve any problem in new and unexpected ways. The traits that are common among our team are the ability to manage one’s own time, good communication and collaborative skills, and a quick and natural ability to learn new ideas and concepts.

John Schmitt

President

John Schmitt founded OakTree in 1992 with his first project: the Multimedia PC Marketing Catalog. Eighteen years and hundreds of projects later, John is still having fun leading one of Oregon’s oldest interactive agencies. Helping clients improve their businesses through the use of technology is as exciting today as the PC revolution was during his Intel days. Outside of work, John enjoys playing competitive tennis, biking and spending time at the coast.
Dan Eckis

Senior Web Developer

Dan is one of OakTree’s multi-subject matter experts. Some days he’s busy creating project schedules, while others find him deep in CMS implementation work. In his spare time, he plays some hockey and a lot of drums (and sometimes piano).
Ben Wright

Software Engineer

Ben is one of OakTree’s veteran software engineers—supporting client projects in .NET and, yes, even ColdFusion! Ben is one of OakTree’s resident mountaineers, having climbed most of the peaks in Oregon Washington (including Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Ranier).
Brian Wald

Web Developer

Brian is an open source aficionado, leading many of our Drupal CMS development projects. Brian is also an expert home brewer, which means that he is pretty much everyone’s BFF around the office.
Dave Chao

Multimedia Designer

Dave is OakTree’s resident Multimedia Designer. But more importantly, in 1992, David fought against the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in TMNT III as a masked foot soldier. The acting bug bit him again in 2003 when he went to Thailand to film Around the World in 80 Days with Jackie Chan—also as a fighter. He was credited in the Jackie Chan film but not in TMNT III. A Japanese TV show and movie are also listed in David’s acting resume.
Krissy Justice

Accountant

Krissy is the employee that we all like the best at OakTree, because she ensures that we all get paid. As Accountant, Krissy also manages invoicing, vendor payments and helps ensure that the proverbial book is balanced at OakTree. In her personal time, Krissy is currently training and eagerly awaiting the fist yoga Olympic tournament. Some day all those up dogs/down dogs will pay off—she knows it! She is also working towards a degree in social work at Portland State University.
David Martin

Interactive Design Manager

David is OakTree’s Interactive Design Manager who acts as Project Manager for many of OakTree’s projects. David is in his second tour of duty at OakTree. Tour one began in 1995, in the yonder days of website design, when a white background for a web page was considered cutting-edge. David is an ex-mountaineer and a current father of four, with a dog, three cats and too many chickens out in the yard.
James Fellman

Account Executive

James works closely with OakTree’s clients in developing strong partnerships and making sure project expectations are continually exceeded. When he is not working, you might find him out on the slopes or trying to unsnag his fly in a tree along the Deschutes River. He enjoys a good story and a good laugh and although none of us have been fishing with him, it surely takes some waders to work with him.
Jenny Yamada

Account Coordinator

Jenny consistently and quietly gets it done. As Account Coordinator for one of OakTree’s key accounts, Jenny completes a variety of challenging tasks each day, from managing client communications, to maintaining systems. It also happens that National Pizza Month coincides with Jenny’s birthday month, so she feels obliged to eat as much pizza as possible.
John Jessee

Software Engineer

John brings a range of talents to our software engineering team, from .NET to PHP programming, database design and third party system integration. Something of a renaissance man, JJ has worked as a butcher, has won a blue ribbon in a pie-baking contest, is a trained cellist, pianist, guitarist and trombone player, and is an avid gardener. Like several OakTree employees, JJ keeps chickens out in his yard.
Kent Van Ness

Software Engineer

Kent is a veteran developer in Microsoft technologies (desktop and web), including ASP.Net, and has more recently expanded into open source development. Kent is also something of celebrity in the local urban farming scene, with his chicken coop design featured in the Growing Gardens Chicken Coop Tour 2009. Kent is a gardener, a gourmet cook, a snowboarder and is picking up Spanish for an upcoming scuba trip to Honduras.
Rajita Kaundin

Account Executive

Rajita has been an important part of the OakTree team for nearly six years, contributing value as both an account manager for key accounts and a new business developer. Rajita has a real knack for taking a project that appears transactional, and growing it into a client relationship that is both strategic and long term. Outside of work, Rajita enjoys yoga and gardening…though not at the same time.
Lawrence Gallick

Senior Project Manager

Lawrence is OakTree’s elder statesman, having worked at OakTree for thirteen years. In web years, that’s something like 90 years! Outside of work, Lawrence is happiest when frolicking, musickifying, and circumambulating. He is working on a law degree in his spare time, and is raising a family in Buffalo, NY.

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Our Team

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Considering the ROI of social media

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