Written by: Meg Angier, Membership and Community Partnerships Manager
When I first started at the Chamber, one of the first members I had the pleasure of meeting was Laura Shepherd, owner of Momentum BK. Not only is Laura a dedicated Chamber member, she is also an incredibly talented educator and public speaker. She used the Chamber’s community meeting space to film her educational series on QuickBooks Online, a topic I admittedly knew very little about at the time.
I had the opportunity to sit in on one of her classes and quickly saw why so many business owners value her expertise. Laura has a unique ability to make technical information approachable, weaving complex concepts into clear, practical takeaways. Her creative teaching style and ability to adapt to questions in real time left a lasting impression on me. After the filming of her course was completed, Laura shared one of her professional dreams: to host a Lunch and Learn that would equip local business owners with some of the most valuable QuickBooks insights she has gathered over the years. That conversation planted a seed.
In the weeks that followed, I began researching Lunch and Learn programs offered by Chambers across the country. I connected with the Redmond Chamber after reading about their successful monthly series and spoke with their marketing coordinator, Conner Cubic, about how they structure and sustain the program. I was inspired by the way they partner with Chamber members to deliver consistent, high-quality educational opportunities. Thank you, Redmond Chamber!
During our annual Board Retreat, the Lunch and Learn idea gained momentum. The Board agreed that offering recurring educational sessions would provide tremendous value to our members. I wrote “Lunch and Learns” on my whiteboard as a goal, and from there, the vision started to take shape.
As the months went on, however, the Chamber’s calendar quickly filled with other priorities and initiatives. While the excitement around Lunch and Learns remained strong, we made the intentional decision to plan for a 2026 launch to ensure we could give the program the focus and energy it deserved. A few months later, Chamber Board President Lisa Greiner, owner of Oregon Coast Dance Center, and I met for coffee to revisit the idea and discuss logistics. Lisa shared that she, too, had long envisioned offering a Lunch and Learn series through the Chamber. Her enthusiasm and insight were instrumental in moving the idea forward.
After meeting with Nelia at the Pacific Restaurant, we confirmed the location. Beginning this March, Lunch and Learns will take place on the second Wednesday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. These monthly meetings are an opportunity to discover something new, dive into something that will help your team, and provide opportunities to network with other local business owners and managers. The space Nelia has created allows attendees the flexibility to order lunch if they wish, while also welcoming those who prefer to simply attend the presentation.
Coordinating presenters has been one of the most rewarding parts of this process. I’ve had the opportunity to connect with Chamber members who are highly skilled in their fields, including Ken Henson with Refettorio Consulting, and Mariah Surrat from Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, who are eager to share practical tools and insights with our local business community. I am excited to share that our very first presenter is the person who helped spark this entire initiative: Laura Shepherd of Momentum BK. Our inaugural Lunch and Learn will take place on March 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Pacific Restaurant and is free for Chamber members. RSVP will be available on Eventbrite, where Chamber Members can register anyone in their organization to attend.
This new series represents exactly what the Chamber strives to do: create opportunities for connection, collaboration, and growth. We can’t wait to see you there.