Power Couple: Alisha Moreland-Capuia | Daniel Capuia


The leaders of a medical center and foundation think globally — and act globally. 

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Alisha Moreland-Capuia | Daniel Capuia

A.M-C.: Assistant professor of psychiatry, OHSU School of Medicine; executive director, Avel Gordly Center for Healing; commissioner, Prosper Portland; B.S., Stanford; M.D., George Washington University; Portland native

D.C.: Co-founder, president, Capuia Foundation; B.A. political science, PSU; M.A., Warner Pacific; born, Meheba refugee camp, Zambia; Angolan heritage

How We Met
Jefferson High School | 1996
Reconnected, Christmas 2000 | Love Jones young professionals poetry slam/dance

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A.M-C.: “By the end of that night I had given him every number I had: the number to my college dorm, my cell phone, my personal email, my college email. I said: ‘Contact me.’”

D.C.: “I hadn’t seen her for three years. Had I known of all her accomplishments, I would have been intimidated.”

Nuptials
Engaged | McCormick and Schmick’s Valentine’s Day, 2002 
Married | July 2004, Maranatha Church, Portland

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D.C.: “There was this feeling you cannot explain when you meet someone. You just know.”

A.M-C.: “We have shared goals around purpose and service. We are always thinking about the world around us and how we fit … in a world that doesn’t feel as open as it should be.”

Work
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A.M-C.: “80% of what I do is direct patient care. The other 20% is being a subject-matter expert around issues of trauma and brain development.”

D.C.: “At the end of the Angolan civil war, every major infrastructure was decimated. We decided to start a health clinic: We are going to make this country healthy again.”

Books
D.C.:
“I’m reading The Black Presidency by Eric Dyson. He does a great job objectively critiquing the failures and successes of the Obama Administration.”

Children
Julieta, 6 | Daniel, 11
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D.C.: “I co-run the foundation. I serve as Alisha’s publicist and security guard. I am a stay-at-home father. It is work I hold near and dear to my heart, especially in a state that is not as diverse as you would like.”

A.M-C.: “We had the privilege of taking our children to the clinic in January. We debunked a myth; Africa is beautiful, but we also showed them life can be hard.”

Marital communications
A.M-C.: “After 16 years of marriage, we still can’t wait to see each 
other at the end of the day.”

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Career Ambitions

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D.C.“I was expected to be a farmer, to have 10 children, so when I came here, it took a lot of work to stay in school. I want to leave a legacy for my children. I want them to continue my journey.”

A.M-C.: “At this point, there have to be multiple gears to keep me active and inspired.”

Global Outlook
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A.M-C.: “I want our children to be global, international leaders and give back. Instead of saying that to our children, we show it to them.”

D.C.: “February of next year we’ll have our first fundraising event. We will be in Angola in August to witness the presidential elections.”

 

A version of this article appears in the July/August issue of Oregon Business.