Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Jess Braverman is the legal director at Gender Justice Jess came to Gender Justice from the Hennepin County Public Defender’s office. After representing hundreds of clients in felony matters in the Fourth District, she spearheaded the office’s Special Litigation Unit, where she focused on racial profiling in policing. Jess attended NYU Law School, where she was an Arthur Garfield Hays Civil Liberties fellow. She has worked with organizations dedicated to LGBTQ and gender civil rights advocacy, access to health care, immigration advocacy, and workers rights. After graduating, Jess worked at the Legal Aid Society’s Juvenile Rights Project, representing young people in delinquency and child protection cases in Brooklyn, New York. Jess earned the 2020 Equality & Justice award from the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association.

Aleana Kruger (fae/she) is a queer, disabled, young activist, public speaker, and interim board chair for Trans Northland. Fae is studying social work at the University of Minnesota - Duluth. She has created an educational platform that encourages open and honest conversations, mistakes, and radical acceptance and love.

Cameron Kruger (he/him) is a passionate advocate for the nonprofit sector. He currently serves as institutional giving manager for Gender Justice and founder of That Nonprofit Guy, a consultancy focused on nonprofit capacity building. Cam is also the recently outgoing board chair of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and adjunct professor of Organizational Leadership for Southern New Hampshire University.

Melissa Walls (memengwaa) is Eagle Clan and a first-generation descendant of the Couchiching First Nation and Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe (maternal) and of Swedish/German descent (paternal). She grew up in northern Minnesota and now lives in Duluth, where she serves as director of the Center for Indigenous Health’s Great Lakes Hub and an associate professor of American Health in the Department of International Health at Johns Hopkins University. Melissa is trained as a social scientist and is committed to collaborative, community-driven research. She has been working on health equity research projects with Tribal Nations in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. and Canada since 2002. The Great Lakes Hub focuses on topics including mental health epidemiology, family-based substance use prevention, and mental health promotion programming and evaluation.

Breakout Session Speakers

Terri Allred is a dynamic and experienced consultant, leadership development expert, and catalyst for team transformation. With a passion for helping nonprofit leaders unlock their full potential, Terri brings a blend of skills and expertise to drive change. Terri worked as a trauma therapist for a decade before she moved into nonprofit management and systems change. She served as executive director of six nonprofits in three states, as she concurrently ran a consulting and coaching business. For more than 25 years, she has helped nonprofits meet their missions through leadership development, team building, and organizational culture transformation. Terri is a certified Success Coach, Enneagram facilitator, Restorative Justice facilitator, hypnotherapist and neuro-linguistic programming practitioner. She is the owner of Allred Coaching & Consulting and the founder of the Holistic Leadership Academy.

Joy Altmann brings 25+ years of experience to HandsOn Twin Cities (HOTC) spanning multiple sectors - from global retail corporations to scaling small businesses nationwide to supporting multiple stakeholders within the nonprofit sector. She leads a team in creating pro bono engagements with nonprofits and minority-owned businesses to leverage the expertise and skills of corporate employee partners and community volunteers. Prior to HOTC, Joy was the projects & events director at MATTER where she led all fundraising events, including relationships with staff, donors, and community partners, and supported stakeholders in their efforts within impact giving. Before bringing her leadership to the nonprofit sector, Joy spent over a decade owning the implementation and supporting the operational success of EVEREVE, in which she led opening of store locations across the country.

Brooke Bailey is the founder of Just The Pill, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving abortion access, especially in underserved communities, and in the face of increasing abortion restrictions. The organization is built by clinic workers and draws upon lessons learned through our collective experience in abortion care to help patients overcome obstacles to care and improve their overall experience. Brooke got her start in abortion care by working at a clinic where she learned the skills needed to manage an abortion clinic and establish financial viability. After two decades with the clinic, Brooke moved to Minnesota.

Jennifer Baker is the marketing manager for Bridging. In her decade of work in nonprofits, Jennifer has pursued new resources and tools to make it easier for organizations to clearly share their messages. Jennifer specializes in creating memorable, attention-grabbing content that can be used across multiple platforms - all through affordable software and user-friendly techniques. Jennifer holds an MBA from Capella University.

Emily Barker (she/her) joined Reuse Minnesota as executive director in 2021. She believes reuse needs to be an integral part of our public discourse, a focus in strategic planning for businesses, and a larger piece of policy making. Previously, Emily was a solid waste specialist for the City of St. Louis Park where she established several swap events, championed the deconstruction of city-owned properties, and created a directory of reuse businesses. Emily also spent time at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency where she worked on recycling and composting and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy where she focused on rural communities and local foods. Emily has a B.S. in biology from Pacific Lutheran University. She is also a board member for Old School thrift shop in Minneapolis.

Barb Bickford serves leaders who are frustrated with how unproductive meetings keep them from reaching their organization’s goals – and who are ready to do something about it. Through her teaching, she helps people learn to lead collaborative meetings with greater confidence. Through her consulting, she designs and facilitates engaging meetings, planning sessions and retreats. Barb is the owner and principal of Bickford Collaboration, LLC, in the east metro area of Minnesota.

Ted Bilich lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where he serves as founder and CEO of Risk Alternatives, which works with nonprofits around the United States to improve resilience and sustainability. Before founding Risk Alternatives, Ted was a distinguished visiting professor from practice at Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to that, Ted spent more than 20 years in the Washington D.C. office of an international law firm. Ted speaks regularly around the United States about resilience, risk management, strategic planning, process improvement, and other topics. He’s also the author of the new book, Managing Your Nonprofit for Resilience, published by John Wiley & Sons in early 2023.

Steve Boland is a nonprofit veteran with over 25 years of experience helping charities grow with new ideas in fundraising and communications. Steve has presented over 100 learning sessions on topics such as crowdfunding, fundraising infrastructure, and social media strategy for nonprofits. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, Steve holds a master of nonprofit management from Hamline University and is an alumnus of the Shannon Leadership Institute. Steve is the managing consultant of Next in Nonprofits, a consulting and services firm focused on building engagement for charities.

Monica Bryand started her career as an accountant but was fortunate to spend over 22 years in the philanthropic community, including 16 years at Headwaters Foundation for Justice. In 2015 Monica made a major career shift and has taken on many consulting opportunities and followed her passion for birding and bird photography. Monica is currently a co-executive director at Voices for Racial Justice, as well as leading the Urban Bird Collective that provides safe and welcoming spaces for BIPOC and the LGBT community to bird in the Twin Cities. Monica believes in community service and has served on many boards and committees for over 25 years and currently serves on the board of Saint Paul Audubon, Hawk Ridge, based in Duluth and The Great River Passage.

Beverly Bushyhead, an enrolled citizen of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, is a restorative practitioner. Beverly works with nonprofits, government, and academic professionals in the Twin Cities metropolitan region and across the country. Beverly is in demand as a culturally specific consultant. She inspires equitable systems transformation through the development of foundational readiness and concrete action strategies. Beverly is actively engaged in restorative practice, system humanization, culturally specific trauma informed, resilience oriented, and restorative-focused facilitation and equity training, building community, and belonging. Beverly serves as co-chair of the Family Tree Clinic. She is past chair of the Urban Indian advisory board appointed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. She has been an instrumental leader on the Cultural and Ethnic Community Leadership Council appointed by Minnesota DHS commissioner until 2019.

Brittany Clausen (she/her) is the founder and visionary strategist of Envision Greatness. For almost 10 years, she has helped purpose-driven leaders achieve goals through the practice of mindfulness and strategic planning. She holds a B.A. in psychology and a master of social work degree from St. Catherine University. She currently serves as the vice president and Racial Justice chair of the National Association of Social Workers Minnesota Chapter. Brittany believes in developing radical solutions through a social justice lens to help individuals acknowledge and understand their level of influence in their communities and use it for good.

Khadijah Cooper, director of education at the Annex Teen Clinic, brings over 10 years' experience implementing community-driven and inclusive education programming for young people, parents/caregivers, and professionals. She excels at creating brave spaces where participants are empowered to have open dialogue around complex issues. Grounded in the understanding that our intersectional lived experiences shape our worldviews, she provides training participants with a toolkit for self-discovery that helps people honestly examine their growth edges with self-compassion. As a leader in the health and education fields, she is committed to pushing the values of public health forward while cultivating an environment where everyone feels seen and heard. Khadijah was recognized as a Local Public Health Hero by the Minneapolis Health Department in 2022.

Ann Crews Melton is a facilitative leader, nonprofit strategist, and consensus builder. In 2020 Ann became executive director of Consensus Council, a Bismarck-based nonprofit bringing people together across differences. Her career has prioritized ecumenical and interfaith relations, including roles at the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Temple Israel Boston. Ann previously served as an editor at the State Historical Society of North Dakota and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, and as a reporter and columnist at the Bismarck Tribune. A Texas native, Ann holds a bachelor’s degree from Austin College and a master’s degree from Emerson College in Boston.

Holly Daniels is the training director at Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA). She leads the planning and execution of MAVA's trainings and conferences. Holly is an AmeriCorps NCCC alum and she received her M.F.A. in nonfiction creative writing. She loves training, as well as facilitating groups of volunteer engagement leaders from the Twin Cities, Greater Minneosta, and beyond. Collaboration and idea-sharing is powerful! Before MAVA, Holly coordinated volunteers at Every Meal (formerly The Sheridan Story), where she led hundreds of volunteer groups and launched Every Meal’s Service Enterprise Initiative. Holly's passionate about learner-centered training and she also does personal development coaching.

Sarah Driever is director of development at Minnesota Autism Center (MAC). Ms. Sarah supervises the philanthropy plan and oversees multi-platform fundraising, grant management, donor, and partner communication. She brings 12 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and a passion for the role philanthropy can play in making systems more accessible and equitable. Before joining MAC, she served as Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services’ director of philanthropy. Sara attended Drake University where she was recognized with the Drake University Achievement award, the Beth W. Peterson award for Outstanding Journalism), the Outstanding Senior award, and the Drake Service award. She received her juris doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law. Sarah has been published in St. Thomas School of Law’s Journal of Law and Public Policy, Volume 3, Issue 1.

Cree Rose Dueker is passionate about data, storytelling, and engagement as tools to support and sustain sovereignty. She believes that by reconnecting and rebuilding our sovereign ways of being, systems, and first foods, we can create Indigenized futures that will benefit all. With a background working in higher education, with Native nations and urban Native communities, she brings her unique experience and drive to take care of others into her work as program coordinator. Cree has lived in many different states, including New Jersey, New Mexico, California, Illinois, and Oregon; she now calls Arizona home.

As a vice president within the Human Resources Consulting and Compensation practice of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc., Heather Eastman helps clients navigate large scale organizational change and optimize the human element of their operations. With more than 25 years of leadership roles in HR, strategy, and operations, Heather’s expertise lies in growth strategy, optimization and turnaround, and organizational development. Throughout her career, Heather has led both cross-functional teams as well as large-scale initiatives including global change management, post-acquisition integration, HR process re-design, and organizational restructuring. Prior to joining Gallagher, Heather served in executive leadership roles at Kroll Ontrack / Kroll (MMC), Code42, Thomson Reuters, and Amplifon, and founded a management consulting firm. Heather holds a B.A. from The College of Wooster and has been trained in outcome-driven innovation by Strategyn.

Marie Ellis serves the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits as public policy director. Marie has been working in public policy since her first job, lobbying in Washington, D.C. with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Since then, she has worked at the Minnesota Senate as leadership assistant, Catholic Charities as public policy manager, and the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce as director of public policy and legal counsel. Marie has a B.A. in religion from Concordia College and a law degree from the University of Saint Thomas School of Law. With volunteer, intern, and work experience at dozens of Minnesota nonprofits, Marie brings an understanding of the challenges nonprofits face in advocacy work and loves helping MCN’s members discover and harness their advocacy power.

Darin Faber (he/him) is the project manager and at Saint Paul Media, keeping projects on time and on budget. Darin is always seeking to ask the right questions and offers his team necessary support by taking lead on user research, live usability tests, and data analysis for web-based projects. He holds an M.A. in cultural anthropology as well as an expert level of proficiency in Google's suite of data collection and visualization tools, making him instrumental in helping nonprofits focus on what matters most to the communities they serve. Darin is always on the lookout for improved methods of understanding trends in human interaction and behavior, seeking to expand his awareness and fuel his drive to help Saint Paul Media's clients further their mission.

Carrie Foster is a commissioner (mediator) with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Duluth. Carrie has designed and taught conflict management, negotiations, labor relations, communication skills, and engaging constructively in difficult conversations. She has dedicated her career to dispute resolution through her work with creating and facilitating restorative justice programs and participating with Conflict Resolution Center and Carlton County Restorative Justice Project. Furthermore, Carrie has continued her studies in dispute resolution to include a Prosci certification as a change practitioner and crucial learning certifications in crucial conversations, accountability, and influencer. She has coordinated several large project workplace conflict resolution systems assessments and recommendations for programs and staff. She continues her strong focus on problem solving and promoting fair and prompt dispute resolution.

Jerry Frick is a finance professional with experience in financial reporting, analysis, forecasting, budgeting, cash management, grant administration, auditing, and internal controls. He provides leadership and clarity to organizations, assessing risks and identifying opportunities for growth and improvement. Jerry is known as a calm, thoughtful, and collaborative problem solver with a passion for sharing the stories an organization’s financials tell. Jerry has worked in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, exclusively serving nonprofits for the last 20 years. He is a life-long learner, always searching out opportunities to enhance his skills and knowledge and applying these, along with experience to lead, advise with integrity, and partner in mission success with his clients. Additionally, he enjoys teaching on nonprofit topics and helping nonprofit leaders discover the treasure of insights their financials hold.

Iggy Gehlen (he/him) is the marketing, communications, and development coordinator at the Annex Teen Clinic. A University of Minnesota alumnus with a masters degree in public policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Iggy has a decade of experience in the nonprofit, private, and public sectors with an expertise in strategic planning, marketing and communications, and data and evaluation. Iggy provides presentations on advocacy, equity, inclusion, and care in professional environments.

Megan Genest Tarnow has worked in the intersection of QuickBooks and nonprofits since the late ‘90s and is currently principal at DaisyBee Consulting. She is a certified nonprofit accounting professional, an advanced certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor, a member of the elite Intuit Trainer Writer Network, an Intuitive accountant Top 100 ProAdvisor since 2020, and top niche ProAdvisor in 2023. Megan has been voted “Most Likely to Show Up” for accounting social events. And yes, there are accounting social events! Her passion as a well-respected community leader led to the launch of her Facebook group QuickBooks for Nonprofits in 2018, which has grown to over 8,500 members, both consultants and nonprofit professionals. She is excited that the robots may finally be coming for the tedious parts of our jobs!

Ashley Goetzke holds a strong commitment to education and community. Beginning as a database specialist at Mounds Park Academy, she quickly changed roles into the campaign manager for Together, We Dream, the school's first capital campaign in a decade. She effectively merged her organizational prowess with her innate talent for forging connections. Progressing in her career, Ashley now serves as the assistant director of development. Her expertise lies in cultivating authentic relationships through stewardship and community engagement, spanning all constituencies. As Ashley continues her impactful journey in educational advocacy, community enrichment, and stewardship, she eagerly anticipates sharing insights and experiences with fellow participants. Complementing her professional journey, Ashley holds a B.A. in psychology from The College of St. Benedict and an M.A. in special education from Bemidji State University.

Karen Graham is a speaker, trainer, writer, and consultant with expertise in technology leadership and innovation, nonprofit software, and digital strategy. Her consulting work includes strategic technology roadmaps, development of knowledge resources, and leadership coaching. Karen was the executive director of the national nonprofit Idealware, and has held leadership roles in capacity building, arts, and human service organizations as well as a software startup. She holds an MBA in nonprofit management from the University of St. Thomas.

Eric Hagemann is an award-winning communications strategist whose career has included stops in the private and public sectors and PR agency world. For more than a decade, he led expansive public relations, digital, and crisis communications efforts in both the manufacturing and K-12 education spaces. In 2022, he took a leap of faith and founded Leif Media & PR. Guided by his core values of kindness, inclusion, empathy, and joy, Eric is proud to provide mission-driven communication with heart to nonprofits, school districts, and education organizations throughout Minnesota and across the country. Named a "35 Under 35" honoree by the National School Public Relations Association in 2020, Eric has a passion for writing content that inspires, creating solutions that resonate, and helping others achieve their dreams.

Ashley Hall is the interim program director at Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. With a background as the former executive director of Koochiching County Food Access for the past three and a half years, Ashley has developed a deep passion for advocating for individuals residing in rural Minnesota. She has lived in various parts of the world, but now calls International Falls home. This unique experience of transitioning from urban areas to an isolated rural setting has provided her with a distinctive perspective on the challenges faced by individuals. She is committed to promoting equity, inclusion, advocating for those facing challenges along their journeys and is dedicated to helping northern Minnesota thrive. Ashley serves on the board of trustees for Northland Foundation and owns Evolve U Fitness.

Blair Halperin is the senior relationship manager with the Pro Bono Advisory Team at HandsOn Twin Cities. In this role, Blair designs and implements impactful pro bono volunteer engagements for nonprofits and small businesses. Blair has worked with nonprofits her whole career, from a three-person grassroots organization in Virginia to larger organizations with national reach. From these varied experiences, Blair is a self-proclaimed nonprofit geek! She enjoys the passion, the meaningful work, and the creative ideas inherit in nonprofit work. Blair is honored to partner with so many great organizations through HandsOn Twin Cities; to help them think through their unique challenges and big goals, and to connect them to resources and volunteers to support their continued success.

Elissa Hansen, Northspan president & CEO, leads the organization with more than 20 years of experience in business, community, organizational, and economic development across Minnesota and Wisconsin. She invests her time creatively advancing others' capabilities. In Elissa’s role at Northspan, she engages with and elevates every client by facilitating tough conversations and moving organizations forward with action-oriented strategic planning models. She works to create a setting for meaningful communications that respects diverse perspectives, creates joint resolve, and inspires individual and group action. She currently serves on the Duluth Airport Authority board, Kitchi Gammi Club board and is an APEX board member. She is a certified exit planning advisor, an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) qualified administrator, and a certified economic development finance professional. Elissa's passion is turning ideas into accomplishments!

Jonathan Hatch (he/him) is the executive director of Saint Paul Media focusing primarily on the practice of user experience, information architecture, and developing long-term partnerships with nonprofit organizations. He holds a B.F.A. in creative & professional writing and an M.A. in literature with an emphasis on digital rhetoric. As the founding partner and chief strategist of Saint Paul Media, he spends a great deal of his time at the nexus of organizational vision and digital brand strategy, often exploring emerging technologies and how they can make websites more accessible, improve web development best practices, and strengthen operational efficiency. His spare time is spent in the data center, building and hosting enterprise-grade HPC infrastructure for companies that use artificial intelligence and machine learning in their product development.

Ed Heisler has nearly 20 years of experience working for safe, equitable communities where everyone can thrive. Over the course of 11 years as executive director of Men As Peacemakers, he specialized in developing and implementing innovative community-driven strategies to promote equality and prevent gender-based violence. Additionally, Ed has 10 years' experience as a core trainer for A CALL TO MEN, co-facilitated batterer’s intervention classes for 10 years, is a founding member of the Restore Forward Cooperative, and is a core collaborator and creator with Spiritual Alchemy. Ed believes practices supporting healing, storytelling, and reconnection to spirit are essential elements of community peacemaking and violence prevention. His work focuses on building communities of practice around these essential elements of peace to support and strengthen the leadership and impact of others.

Elizabeth Hilt is a devoted advocate for restorative justice and values-based crucial conversations. For 16 years, her academic and professional efforts have focused on creating spaces for difficult discussions. Elizabeth obtained a master’s degree from St. Cloud State University centered on using restorative practices to address criminal harms, and most of her work has served justice-involved individuals. However, in supporting people engaged in conflict, she has found that any opportunity to build empathy and engage in healthy dialogue is vital to creating stronger relationships and safer communities in the face of adversity. Elizabeth has been leading North Dakota’s statewide restorative justice program in partnership with the North Dakota Juvenile Court system and the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2018.

Dominique Holwerda is a strategic people partner who values transparency, innovation, collaboration, and integrity. With eight years of experience in human resources and operations, Dominique’s expertise lies in employee relations, organizational effectiveness, and leadership development. As a biracial female, she brings a unique perspective to utilizing DEI strategies to hire and retain staff to make an impact on community. Dominique is currently the human resource manager at Canopy Mental Health & Consulting + Canopy Roots and serves of the board of directors for Camp Fire Minnesota.

Monica Ibarra joined Mayo Clinic in 2021 after spending 15 years in higher education, K-12 classrooms, and higher education. In her role, Monica is the enterprise equity, inclusion, and diversity advisor for the Health System and its four regions, the Research Shield, and Shared Services. Monica was the 2021 ACLU-MN Volunteer of the Year awardee and a delegate for the 2022 United Nations Latino Leadership Summit. She was appointed to the Health Equity Advisory and Leadership Council in 2022, which assists the Minnesota Department of Human Service in developing performance measures for advancing health equity. She has a bachelor's degree in education from Carroll University, a master's degree focusing on curriculum and instruction from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and a diversity and inclusion certificate from the University of Minnesota.

Evan Johnson is the Minnesota Gambling Control Board’s communications specialist. He has a B.A. from St. Olaf College and an M.A. from the University of Michigan. Before joining the Gambling Control Board, he was a freelance filmmaker and photographer, and a professor teaching mass communication and media production.

Amirthini Keefe is the executive director at the Domestic Abuse Project. Amirthini is a licensed independent clinical social worker and has over 18 years of clinical experience working with trauma survivors. This includes experience working in the field of youth homelessness, foster care and adoption, veteran homelessness, torture treatment for asylum seekers, and domestic violence. Amirthini was the former director of client services, and in that role facilitated groups and provided individual psychotherapy to victim survivors and individuals who have used violence in their relationships. Amirthini has training in EMDR, somatic experiencing, relational psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, narrative exposure therapy, and child-centered play therapy. As the executive director, she leads the organization in their strategic visioning around ending domestic violence through holistic healing for every member of the family.

Brianna Kocka has 15+ years in nonprofit administrative and operations management, and a proficiency for serving as a board liaison and governance specialist. She has deep experience with event and program planning and logistics, as well as marketing and communications. Brianna was trained in 2020 as a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory and is particularly interested in how nonprofit boards share power and listen to community. She is the governance and operations manager at the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) and has been with MCF for seven years.

Suzanne Koepplinger is the founder of Catalyst North Consulting: fostering healing centered organizational cultures and leaders. Previously she served eight years as founding director for the Catalyst Initiative at the George Family Foundation and later at the Minneapolis Foundation. Suzanne was the executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center from 2003-2014, leading the first research and community response in the country to address sex trafficking of American Indian women and girls. She holds an M.A. in the art of leadership from Augsburg University and has extensive international experience as a trainer and public speaker.

Dom Korbel is a 25-year resident of Owatonna who recently accepted the role of executive director for Community Pathways of Steele County in 2021. Prior to joining Community Pathways Dom held leadership roles in organizations focused on manufacturing, general contracting, green energy, mental health, and most recently, the world of nonprofits. Dom is a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s in education from North Dakota State University and a master’s in communication from Minnesota State University – Mankato. He is passionate about the work of nonprofits and their important role in our communities. He has been a volunteer board member for numerous organizations in Owatonna including Let’s Smile, Steele County United Way, Steele County Food Shelf, and the Owatonna Basketball Association.

Lauren Kramer is passionate about building relationships and getting people excited about Native Governance Center’s mission. She enjoys connecting with organizational supporters and finding ways to make difficult concepts more accessible to a general audience. Lauren values hard work, loyalty, trust, and humor. Her experience working for a variety of small nonprofits has helped her develop creative strategies for building organizational visibility. Her work motto is, “It never hurts to ask!” Lauren loves serving on the Native Governance Center team because she appreciates the organization’s systems change approach to strengthening Indigenous communities.

Leveraging nearly two decades of project management, operations, and process and continuous improvement, Stephannie L. Lewis has developed a reputation for building and positioning teams and organizations for success. She works with teams to amplify their leadership, communication, and connection to drive impact in their organizations. Stephannie currently serves as associate vice president, Community Impact at Greater Twin Cities United Way where she leads strategy execution, measurement and evaluation, and project management initiatives. She draws her expertise from roles in public, private, and nonprofit sectors, which adds value to conversations around trust-based philanthropy, stakeholder engagement, and organizational effectiveness. Stephannie is committed to cultivating equity-centered, balanced, trust-based relationships between community and philanthropy to advance systems change. Stephannie holds board committee memberships at Minnesota Diversified Industries and the Minnesota Council of Foundations.

Valerie Lockhart has a deep love for words, technology, and photography/video production. She has been producing media content, developing websites, and strategizing communications for organizations for over a decade through her business, Ninja Media International. Valerie currently serves as executive director of Code Savvy and the Minnesota Women in Tech. She is passionate about individual rights, voluntarism, accessibility and universal design, and likes to spend her time helping people and communities learn how to leverage technology and media to become more self-sufficient and successful.

LeAnn Littlewolf (Anishinaabe Tribal Citizen, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) is executive director for the American Indian Community Housing Organization and has worked for three decades in advocacy, direct services, and community leadership. LeAnn brings an Indigenous approach to community and economic development and expertise in trauma-informed, culturally based strategies. She holds a master’s degree in advocacy and political leadership and a master’s degree in education.

Katia Lopes-Gilbert is a mission-driven individual with six years of experience in grants management, strategic thinking, advocacy, and data analysis for healthcare organizations. Katia is passionate about digital innovation, social impact, and building connections between people and communities. As a technology enthusiast, she’s on a mission to demystify digital solutions and increase collaboration, productivity, and overall day-to-day satisfaction. Throughout her career, she has led several technology-focused initiatives to optimize workflows and reduce burnout using affordable cloud-based solutions. Digital technology evolves quickly, and Katia constantly explores new tools for work and personal life. Inspiring others on this learning journey and igniting their innovative spirit is something she enjoys to her core.

Meghan Marriott (she/her), engagement manager, works to advance the Minnesota Budget Project’s policy goals by combining strategic communications with civic and partner engagement. Working closely with her team, she deploys strategies to build a network of engaged Minnesotans who have the necessary tools to advocate for progressive change for themselves and their communities. Meghan is energized by building relationships and collaborating with others who seek a better Minnesota.

Chris Mau is the manager of the new communications team at the Minnesota Gambling Control Board. He has a B.A. and M.A. from Minnesota State University – Mankato and has worked for the Gambling Control Board since 1990. In addition to his current position, he has also served the board as an educator, compliance specialist, and compliance supervisor.

Ileana Mejia, public policy advocate, has been at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for almost four years and is working to increase individual nonprofits' advocacy capacity through trainings, materials, and conversations. She also advocates on behalf of the nonprofit sector as a whole to advance MCN’s mission. Ileana has a passion for inclusion and racial equity work, particularly in lifting up voices who have been historically left out of policy decisions that directly influence them.

Kim Miller was drawn to LSS Financial Counseling in 2004 because of her passion for financial education and helping people manage their budgets. In her years as a financial counselor, Kim has worked for various nonprofit agencies in different parts of the United States. She has listened to and worked with many wonderful people of all different backgrounds as they figured out their next steps to move their financial life forward. Kim rejoined LSS Financial Counseling in 2020 after returning to Minnesota. Her goal is to provide financial wellness encouragement in a holistic manner. When she lived in other states, Kim volunteered her time at summer camps for children and worked full time for a few years as a youth coordinator.

Laura Mortenson (she/her), communications director, has been with the Minnesota Budget Project for eight years. She manages media relations and communications that promote the research and advocacy efforts of the team. Laura is energized by making policy solutions understandable to broader audiences, and engaging Minnesotans in advocating for policies that directly improve their lives.

As an area vice president at Gallagher Benefits Services, Inc., Jessica Nikunen leads client initiatives in benefit strategy development, implementation and ongoing evaluation of benefit programs, financial analysis, vendor negotiations, legislative compliance, and labor management negotiation strategy. Jessica joined Gallagher seven years ago after working 15 years in the public sector of the Twin Cities metro including 10+ years in human resources. Her experience comprises all areas of HR management. She is a collaborative leader who is successful at strategic planning to meet organizational goals while effectively working with individuals at all levels within public organizations. Jessica has a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in public administration from Hamline University. She is a graduate of Gallagher’s G3 program, an internal executive leadership program.

Liz Olson (Democratic Party) is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing District 8A. She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Liz Olson earned a B.A. in sociology and women's studies from the University of Minnesota – Duluth, and an M.A. in congregational and community care from Luther Seminary. Her career experience includes working as a program manager at Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, director of congregational outreach for the Churches United in Ministry, program officer for Generations Health Care Initiatives, Duluth organizing and policy manager for TakeAction Minnesota, and trainer at Progressive Governance Academy.

Kimberly OmniEssence serves as instructional chair for the Department of Speech Communication and is a certified relationship and corporate communication coach. Kimberly holds a master of arts degree in organizational leadership and communication and a bachelor of science in psychology. She has a wealth of experience working in higher education and is a veteran of the United States Navy. As a veteran of the United States Navy, she brings a wealth of cross-cultural experience. She currently serves as a board of director’s communication analyst for the Wisconsin Association of Nurse Practitioners. Kimberly is dedicated to making lasting changes in the field of education and within the community.

Akshaya Patrachari comes to HandsOn Twin Cities (HOTC) with over nine years of experience in new product development and marketing insight experience across diverse industries, including textile, retail, food, and utilities. This experience got her curious about sustainability and reflecting on the broader impact of her work on the community and environment. In parallel to gathering educational background in sustainability, she worked across several small and medium businesses, bringing her technical, marketing, and sustainability skills to support their growth. Her experience working across small and large private sector firms, the convergence of her skills, and her passion for sustainability have brought her to HOTC in the Pro Bono Advisory program. Here she is engaged in designing and executing skills-based community initiatives with nonprofits and BIPOC-owned small businesses.

Since joining Restorative Justice Community Action (RJCA) as executive director, Cynthia Prosek has led RJCA on a trajectory of growth, expanding services and deepening community engagement in Restorative Justice practices. As a collaborative leader, she draws on the knowledge and wisdom of the community, building an organization comprised of volunteers and leaders that reflect the diverse communities of the Twin Cities. As a leader in the restorative justice community, she has helped to implement new programming in response to the community’s need to understand and address racial justice. She is sought as a collaborator for speaking and workshop engagements locally and around the country that address community harm and well-being.

Jeanne Rasmussen is the volunteer resources coordinator at the State of Minnesota’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Department of Public Safety. Jeanne focuses on assisting local jurisdictions prepare for disaster related volunteer and donation management. She serves as a liaison with Minnesota Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster groups and others. In addition, she provides guidance to Community Emergency Response Team Programs throughout the state. Jeanne has extensive background as a volunteer manager, instructor, and served as a disaster volunteer for many years.

Saengmany Ratsabout (he/they) is currently the executive director of the East Side Freedom Library. He has over 20 years of experience as a program strategist working on community-engaged programs and projects ranging from public history, strategic planning, to civic engagement. He served as a consultant to media organizations, philanthropic institutions, and civil society on issues relating to immigrant and refugee experiences. As a scholar, Saengmany's research interests include cultural studies, Buddhism and society, migration history, U.S. refugee resettlement programs and policies, experiences of immigrants and refugees, return migration, and social remittances.

Michelle Red Day is passionate about connecting leaders to the wisdom and resources they need to better serve their Native nations. She is inspired by the strength and healing power of traditional Indigenous knowledge systems and practices. Michelle works to apply these values and ideas to policies and institutions to create positive change for future generations. She values Anishinaabe gikendaasowin (knowing), izhichigewin (doing), enawendiwin (relating), and gidakiiminaan (connecting to the land). Michelle brings experience across the educational spectrum–in positions from Head Start to the Tribal college level to her role as program coordinator. These experiences have shown her the impact that Tribal sovereignty can have on Native nations. She also leverages her experiences in social work, grantwriting, and community organizing in her work to envision an unapologetically Indigenous future.

Polly Roach is the program director at Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA). She leads MAVA’s Service Enterprise Initiative, a holistic change management process designed to help organizations deploy volunteer talent more strategically to build capacity, increase return on investment, and better achieve their missions. Polly has worked in the volunteer engagement field for over 30 years, primarily in youth development and mentoring. Before joining MAVA’s staff in 2018, she served on its board of directors, chairing the Strategic Directions committee, which developed MAVA initiatives such as the Shifting Environment trends research. Polly holds a master of social work degree from the University of Minnesota.

Jennifer Rogers-Petitt brings over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit, education, and philanthropy sectors to her presentation. With a strong passion for the transformative power of nonprofits and philanthropy, she grounds her work in the pursuit of a more just and equitable society. She has worked in various issue areas, assuming roles as a direct service provider, leader, and volunteer. She has led programs serving individuals affected by violence and poverty, worked in secondary and post-secondary education, and excelled as a grant writer and fundraiser, driving progress in workforce development, coalition-building, and access initiatives. Jennifer holds an M.A. in social responsibility and sustainable communities, with a specialization in gender and women’s studies from Western Kentucky University and a BA in political science from Troy University.

April Sanderson came to LSS Financial Counseling in 2008 with experience in helping homeless youth regain stable financial footing. While working with youth, she discovered a love for helping people achieve their financial goals. April is part of the Student Loan, Financial Choice, and Financial Education teams and possesses extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of financial counseling. April graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with bachelor of arts degrees in communications and sociology. She draws from that education when delivering financial education presentations to community groups and high school classes. April believes everyone should be taught financial management skills so they can be confident and comfortable with their personal finances and have a stable financial future.

Andrea Sanow (she/her) is the senior marketing & communications manager at Propel Nonprofits where she always aspires to place the stories of Propel’s clients at the center work. She has an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction from Augsburg University, and has worked for three intermediary nonprofit organizations over the last decade including Arts Midwest and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. At Propel she oversees all digital, print, and email marketing and communications, develops content and strategy, and works with St. Paul Media to manage the design and functionality of Propel’s WordPress website. She views relationships as the most important marketing tool in the nonprofit sector. If you see her around the conference, say hello!

Carissa Stevens, education program manager at the Annex Teen Clinic, brings six years’ experience facilitating holistic and person-centered educational programming that builds bridges between cultures and perspectives. Leading with curiosity and creativity, she holds space for training participants to reflect on the surprising and profound ways a person’s internal world affects others. Understanding that self-reflection is a powerful tool in the quest for social justice, Carissa fosters an environment of lifelong learning and growth so that people can authentically live their values and experience more connected and joyful lives. Carissa holds a Minnesota teaching license and multiple certifications in effective facilitation and cultural communication.

Ashley Storm Oolman was born and raised in Minnesota. As a Black neurodivergent woman, leveraging differences to strengthen human connection was a means to both survival and healing. To her work with Allied Folk, she brings lived experience, multiple degrees, and an unwavering belief that we all have the power to change the future. Together with organizations and community partners, she co-creates spaces for exploration and re-learning, designed to advance equity, reconciliation, and ultimately, change.  

Jenny Swanson is the new executive director for Recovery Alliance Duluth (RAD). Previously she was the RAD COSSUP grant program coordinator and the network director for the Ely Behavioral Health Network. RAD is a Recovery Community Organization providing peer recovery specialist services to Northeast Minnesota. Jenny’s broader focus is on network and coalition building for systems change to help Minnesota communities become recovery oriented systems of care. Jenny holds an MPA degree.

Jason Viana is the executive director of The Open Door, a dynamic hunger-relief organization and the largest food shelf in Dakota County. Under his leadership the Eagan-based nonprofit has more than doubled the number of clients being supported with fresh and healthy food and broadly expanded its base of community support through a clear focus on thoughtful appeals and intentional stewardship efforts. Prior to The Open Door, Jason served in multiple positions with the American Red Cross, worked to address social and mental health issues with teenagers, and learned more than he can share through a decade in the food service industry. Jason holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Hamline University.

As the new CEO of Repowered, Heather Walch (she/her) combines her experience as a business leader with her engineering education to drive a passion for people, planet, and technology. Her career has developed across many markets including automotive, consumer products, business software, industrial chemicals, and now electronics recycling and reuse. Whether she is developing new products, building a new business, or challenging norms, at her core Heather is optimistic about the future and loves solving complex problems with simple solutions. Because she has spent much of her life working on global projects, Heather knows she is in the right place at the right time in her life to refocus her energy on working together to advance our Minnesota community.

Joe Wallis helps nonprofits solve complex accounting issues so they can stay focused on their missions. Joe is a certified public accountant at Abdo and works exclusively with nonprofits. Whether keeping up to speed with the latest accounting pronouncements, digging into recent compliance changes, managing audit and attest engagements, advising clients on internal controls, or performing single audits, nonprofits are always top of mind. Joe found his passion for working with nonprofits while serving people with disabilities. Now, as a member of a public accounting firm, Joe believes that his experiences serving people with disabilities brings a unique perspective to the firm and his clients. Joe is a member of the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants and is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Shannon Watson is the founder and executive director of Majority in the Middle. Shannon has worked in policy and public affairs roles for the Medical Alley Association, St. Paul Area Chamber, U.S. Bank, the Minnesota Senate, and the National Conference of State Legislatures. She has 20+ years of experience in electoral politics, advising candidates, and working on campaigns on both sides of the aisle in Kansas, Colorado, and Minnesota. Shannon was a member of the MYALP cohort in 2022 and a Humphrey Policy fellow 2020-2021. She holds a bachelor's degree in English, theatre, and psychology from Wichita State University and a master's degree in advocacy and political leadership from the University of Minnesota – Duluth.

Daryl Yankee grew up in Blackstone Valley, cradle of the Industrial Revolution. When he wasn’t fishing in streams full of forever chemicals, he was exploring the ruins of manufacturing monoliths that ground men into grist then spit out textiles for the masses. As “a fixer”, Daryl has facilitated strategic changes for a host of Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country. During his time at the Humane Society, he earned a master’s degree in organization development from Pepperdine University. It was there he learned to initiate process improvement through dialogue and inquiry. These days Daryl serves as an MCN board member and independent consultant, using visual harvesting and facilitation to create connection through all-inclusive formats, welcoming all styles of learners into the decision-making process.

Aaron Zimmerman (he/him) is the executive director of PFund Foundation, the upper Midwest LGBTQ+ community foundation. He is a career fundraiser and nonprofit executive who has supported social justice nonprofits in the upper Midwest through comprehensive communications, strategic planning, and development. As a certified fundraising executive, he utilizes best practices to support missions important to him and the community. He has his master of arts degree in philanthropy and development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He focused his capstone on the history and practice of white supremacy in philanthropy in the U.S. Additionally, he has presented on topics for nonprofit professionals and corporations, including corporate charitable engagement, community-centered fundraising, white supremacy in fundraising and philanthropy, website best practices for fundraising, and successful online campaigns.