The Narwhal Team

OWNER & ATTORNEY

Michael Jonas is a dedicated advocate for community engagement and social justice, with a career marked by innovative solutions and a commitment to helping others thrive. In 2017, he founded Rational Unicorn Legal Services, a pioneering community-based business law firm offering pay-as-you-go legal services to small businesses, nonprofits, and creatives. Over the years, he built the firm into an award-winning organization, recognized for its approachable and inclusive approach to business and nonprofit law. In 2024, Michael sold the firm to pursue a Congressional campaign in Oregon’s 3rd District. While the campaign didn’t result in a primary win, it further solidified Michael’s belief in the power of collaboration, creativity, and community-driven progress.

Michael’s dedication and impact have earned him prestigious accolades, including being named Oregon’s Small Business Champion of the Year by the Small Business Administration in 2023. That same year, he was honored by the Portland Business Journal as one of their 40 Under 40, recognizing his leadership and contributions to the community.

His expertise in business and nonprofit law and strategy spans formation, compliance, governance, and sustainability. Through his business, Narwhal Law and Business Strategy, Michael combines legal and business knowledge with strategic insights to help mission-driven organizations achieve sustainable growth and long-term impact.

Beyond his professional work, Michael has completed numerous public service and leadership training programs and is an active volunteer, serving in both board and non-board roles to advance causes close to his heart.

When he’s not helping community organizations, Michael enjoys spending time with his husband, Andy, and their two goofy and adorable dogs, Edison and Ginsburg. A budding gardener, he’s learning to cultivate his green thumb—one happy plant at a time.

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OPERATIONS AND PROJECT MANAGER

Throughout her varied career, Heather Harteis has always held a passion for problem solving and process improvement. She has a chemistry degree and taught high school science, and improved curriculum every year. She has produced unusual events and retreats for more than 15 years, developing structures for repeat success.

With 6 years of experience in the business and nonprofit law industry, she believes strongly in a law firm service model that is relationship-oriented and focuses on creative, collaborative problem solving. It brings her joy to educate clients so they understand their options.

Project management has always been a major theme in her life. From producing the World’s Largest Blanket Fort in Portland in December 2018 to innovating and launching novel organizational processes, to tracking dozens of trademark applications to registration, she’s done it all.

Heather’s favorite sea creatures are garden eels and rainbow mantis shrimp. But, after a trip to the aquarium, she may say all of them are her favorite.

Heather spends her time joyfully with her partner Rob, and their Pomeranian dog Moshi.

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NARWHALPOD COORDINATOR

Brandon’s began his career not at a keyboard but behind the wheel of an ambulance, developing a knack for unconventional problem solving, collaboration, and customer care, which he brought with him when he left the field to develop the training programs for new EMTs and Paramedics, and then when he moved into the tech industry.

Over the last 10 years, he’s built training programs for audiences and topics ranging from EMTs and Paramedics, to app developers integrating communications software into their apps, and even to brewers learning how to use financial planning software to manage their brewing. He’s built or rebuilt Customer Success and CS Ops programs, Support programs, and entire Technical Training programs from scratch. And he’s built technical programs—he built NarwhalPod!—and often a small army of automations to support the day-to-day operations of those programs.

Brandon thrives at the intersection of “Fix it,” “Build it,” and “Tell it.”

Outside of his work, he is most likely to be found squarely in “tell it;” as an eternal theatre kid, he’s done stand-up comedy, podcasting, and writing.

More recently, he trades naps with his wife, Sarah, and attempts to corral their toddler, Gabriel, and their dog and cat, Marleau and Obie.

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