No Halo News · Sourced development
Former workers and local leaders alleged dysfunction and weak oversight at Comunidades, local reporting said
Columbia Gorge News reported that more than a dozen former employees, collaborators and regional Latino leaders described hostility, dysfunction and poor oversight at Comunidades. The immediate dispute involved executive director Ubaldo Hernández’s handling of a pay issue. By May, two employees and a board member had resigned, another employee had been fired and lead organizer Zyanya Cruz had stepped down. The organization had also expanded by opening a new White Salmon office in May 2026.
Status matters. This page records a sourced development, not a completed No Halo investigation. An allegation is not a finding. Dismissals, settlements, judgments, corrections and final outcomes remain distinct.
Donor relevance
Why this matters
Multiple departures and allegations of weak oversight raise questions about board supervision, staff retention and the organization’s ability to manage growth while maintaining community trust.
Attribution
Who reported or established this
The claims were made by former employees, former board participants, collaborators and local nonprofit leaders interviewed by Columbia Gorge News.
Evidence limits
What remains unverified
No Halo has not established that Hernández violated employment law, misused charitable assets or breached fiduciary duties. The full circumstances of the pay dispute and each departure remain unverified.
Right of reply
Organization response
No sufficiently detailed response from Comunidades or Hernández was located in the consulted material.
Classification
How No Halo records this event
Event type: Allegation. Current state: Reported. No Halo preserves the current procedural state rather than treating every mention as a finding.
Published October 7, 2026 · Last verified October 10, 2026. See an error or a later outcome? Submit a correction or right of reply.