Staff & Board
Catalysts for Positive Social Change
Our ServeMinnesota team provides the building blocks that help AmeriCorps programs run across the state of Minnesota. ServeMinnesota moves research to practice and meets critical needs in Minnesota with the people power of AmeriCorps.
We foster an inclusive workplace environment made up of individuals all strongly committed to mission-driven work and service to our communities.
ServeMinnesota is a proud Employer of National Service. Currently nearly half of our staff are AmeriCorps alumni.
Senior Leadership
Julia Quanrud
Chief Executive Officer
Julia Quanrud joined the ServeMinnesota team as Chief Executive Officer in April of 2023. Before joining ServeMinnesota, Julia led, built, and launched evidence-based AmeriCorps programs as Chief of Staff at Ampact, including Math Corps and Reading Corps during key years of growth in Minnesota and multiple other states. She also led Ampact as interim Chief Program Officer for the first eighteen months of the COVID-19 pandemic, launching Contact Tracing Corps and the Emergency Response Initiative to help Minnesota respond to the crisis. Julia is a proud AmeriCorps alum, having served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member for two years, first with Minnesota Campus Compact and then with Minneapolis Public Schools. In her second year, she was elected President of the InterCorps Council (ICC), where she led a banner year for the organization, managing service days, events, and projects, while collaborating with fellow AmeriCorps members on the ICC’s vision, procedures, and reporting. Julia holds a Bachelor of the Arts from Macalester College as well as a Master in Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Lindsay Dolce, J.D.
Chief Policy and Growth Officer
Lindsay Dolce is the Chief Policy and Growth Officer for ServeMinnesota. She has an extensive background in national and state-level advocacy and outreach, and provides executive leadership to securing federal, state, and philanthropic resources for continuous program improvement and scaling proven strategic initiatives. She also provides critical direction to all Executive Directors for development, growth, and replication efforts nationally.
She previously served as the Executive Director of Serve Colorado, the state’s service commission, and also worked with Colorado Reads, Colorado’s Early Literacy Initiative. In these roles, she provided statewide leadership in AmeriCorps programs, working on strategic planning, program development, community outreach, organizational and financial operations, and administration.
Before her time at Serve Colorado, Dolce worked as the Senior Program Manager for the David and Laura Merage Foundation, where she supported the implementation of a shared services approach for early care and education providers. Her career started in law, where she worked as a domestic relations attorney, a judicial law clerk, and a domestic violence prosecutor. Prior to law school, she served as a staff member for United States Senator J. Robert Kerrey and President Bill Clinton in Washington, D.C.
Dolce holds a B.A. in English, Political Science, and International Relations from William Jewell College. She also studied at St. Peter’s College at Oxford University and earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Her educational background, coupled with her comprehensive expertise, positions her well in her current role at Ampact, where she is instrumental in sourcing growth capital, forming site partnerships, and launching the replication of various AmeriCorps programs across the country.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Sandy Pulles, Ph.D.
Chief Impact Officer
Sandy Pulles is the Chief Impact Officer at ServeMinnesota. Dedicated to enhancing the impact of AmeriCorps programs in Minnesota, Sandy focuses on strengthening program management and demonstrating measurable outcomes in key areas such as literacy, math, and school engagement for students. Her work addresses critical public health challenges, including substance use disorder and housing instability, while also promoting environmental resilience and climate action in collaboration with the State of Minnesota and Native nations. Additionally, she expands strategies within ServeMinnesota’s AmeriCorps portfolio to address critical needs in Minnesota’s workforce, all while working to grow the number of individuals serving in Minnesota and enhancing ServeMinnesota’s capacity to attract a diverse range of people passionate about making a positive difference in their communities. She is a member of the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Board and remains committed to advancing workforce development opportunities through AmeriCorps experiences.
Sandy brings extensive experience to ServeMinnesota, previously working in schools as a school psychologist. She also previously led the design of AmeriCorps programs and trained AmeriCorps members in education programs. She holds a master’s and doctoral degree in educational psychology.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Janet Johnson
Vice President of Operations
Janet Johnson serves as Vice President of Operations at ServeMinnesota. She has more than 30 years experience as a human services professional and demonstrated success in multiple functions of nonprofit management and service delivery. Johnson has served in several different positions at ServeMinnesota and contributed to the growth and success of the organization for nearly 20 years. As a member of the senior leadership team, she oversees the work of the program staff, daily operations, including risk management, staffing, human resources, administrative functions and compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Lynn Lewis
Vice President of Finance
Lynn Lewis serves as the Vice President of Finance at ServeMinnesota. She is responsible for all aspects of the financial management of the organization. This includes managing the finances of the organization as well as providing fiscal support and monitoring to programs that ServeMinnesota supports.
Lynn has more than 20 years of non-profit accounting experience. Lynn joined the ServeMinnesota team in 2007, prior to working for ServeMinnesota she worked for Rise, Inc., a non-profit organization that had an AmeriCorps program at the time. Lynn has a B.S. in Accounting from St. Cloud State University.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Peter Nelson, Ph.D.
Principal Research Scientist
Peter Nelson is the Principal Research Scientist at ServeMinnesota where he engages with ServeMinnesota pilot programs and existing programs to ensure key principles of effective implementation and evidence-building occur. Peter has more than 10 years of experience in research and evaluation methodology with a particular focus on the educational context. Before joining ServeMinnesota, Peter was an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at Penn State University. In addition to his direct work with AmeriCorps programs, Peter has published over 35 peer-reviewed articles in academic journals and helped secure over 2 million dollars in funding to facilitate new program development and research related to data-based decision making and academic intervention in the school setting. Peter holds a B.A. in Psychology from St. Olaf College, an M.A. in Education from the University of Mississippi, and an M.Ed and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in School Psychology. Peter serves on the editorial board for School Psychology Review, School Psychology Forum and Assessment for Effective Intervention.
Pronouns: He/him/his
David Parker, Ph.D.
Vice President of Research & Development
David Parker leads the National Science and Service Collaborative at ServeMinnesota, which includes research and development efforts, including new program design, program evaluation and innovation, and the development of robust data management systems. He has been part of the ServeMinnesota mission for more than 10 years. David has a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota, where he nurtured a passion for researching ways to help students develop strong reading and math skills. He and his team remain actively committed to demonstrating the unique contribution of AmeriCorps in advancing research to practice across various issue areas. He publishes frequently in top-tiered research journals, presents at national, state and local conferences, and has helped secure over $2 million for grant-funded research projects.
Pronouns: He/him/his
Stacey Scherschligt
Vice President of Programs and Grantmaking
Stacey Scherschligt has been with ServeMinnesota since 2006 and currently serves as the Vice President of Programs and Grantmaking. She is responsible for providing guidance to new applicants, managing the Request for Proposal process, providing training and technical assistance to AmeriCorps grantees and ensuring compliance with federal regulations. Prior to ServeMinnesota, she served as the Program Coordinator for the National Service Training Project where she provided training and technical assistance to AmeriCorps programs across the country. Stacey received a B.S. in Business Management from the University of South Dakota and is an AmeriCorps alum who served two years with the USVets program in Washington, DC. In 2019, she was awarded Outstanding Commission Staff Member of the Year by America’s Service Commissions.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Jessica Ayers-Bean
Vice President of Development
Jessica Ayers-Bean joined ServeMinnesota as Vice President of Development in 2024. She is responsible for leading the organization’s fundraising efforts and growing philanthropic resources to support ServeMinnesota and our strategic initiatives.
Jessica is a proud AmeriCorps alum who brings over 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership. Prior to ServeMinnesota, she held development leadership roles at Montessori Center of Minnesota and Camp Fire Minnesota. Before Camp Fire, she served as an Education Policy Aide for Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and co-coordinated Early Literacy Corps at Literacy Minnesota.
She received her Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Iowa. In 2024, she completed the CARE early childhood advocacy fellowship. Jessica serves on the board of directors for Conservation Minnesota.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Lisa Winkler
Vice President of External Relations
Lisa leads marketing communications, public affairs and government relations for ServeMinnesota, working with organizations, constituents and community leaders from all sectors of the state. She also oversees college student recruitment at the University of Minnesota and other campuses, driving the groundbreaking work to attract GenZ and millennials to national service. Her expertise reflects her passion to deliver results through strategic solutions and teamwork.
She brings the wisdom from more than 25 years of professional experience in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and has served in leadership roles at The Saint Paul Foundation, St. Paul Companies (now Travelers), Girl Scouts and United Way. She joined ServeMinnesota in 2009.
Committed to collaboration and building the capacity of the field, Lisa chairs the national Communications Learning Community for America’s Service Commissions that represents commissions from 52 states and territories. She also serves on University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts Employer Advisory Council and the Board of Advocates for Backpack, a student-led marketing communications agency. She graduated with honors and has a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Staff
Sadie Botine
Program Officer
Sadie Botine is a Program Officer at ServeMinnesota where she supports AmeriCorps programs across the state with program management and grants monitoring. Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Sadie was a Lead Program Manager at Ampact supporting AmeriCorps members during their service with Reading Corps, Math Corps, and Early Learning Corps. Originally from Iowa, Sadie also completed her own AmeriCorps VISTA service at a refugee resettlement agency in Des Moines followed by two years of service as a Youth Development Specialist with the Peace Corps in Eswatini. In her role as a Program Officer, Sadie hopes to utilize and build off her past experience with AmeriCorps to better serve programs in Minnesota.
Sadie holds a B.A. in International Studies and Sociology from Luther College. In her spare time she enjoys reading, baking, completing home renovation projects, and playing with her rescue pup, Cassius.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Ellie Bullard
Content Marketing Manager
As ServeMinnesota’s Content Marketing Manager, Ellie Bullard manages content and audience engagement strategy across all communications channels. In her role, she enjoys thinking about messaging and storytelling for ServeMinnesota’s many audiences. Ellie has worked at the intersection of communications, content development, and constituent relations for nearly a decade, with previous employers in higher education and public relations. She is thrilled to work on ServeMinnesota’s team!
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Kristin Burger
Director of Literacy
Kristin began her career in education as a VISTA with the Minnesota Literacy Council, where she started and coordinated English learning programs for adult refugees from Laos, Thailand, Russia, and Cambodia. This initial experience inspired Kristin to get her elementary teacher license through an alternative certification program. Her work as a classroom teacher, reading intervention teacher, and literacy coach cultivated a deep and persistent interest in how children learn to read, especially students historically marginalized by traditional practices. She pursued a doctorate at the University of Minnesota to bring research knowledge from multiple domains, including instructional research, cognitive research, and implementation research, to teachers and school leaders to improve student reading outcomes. Her dissertation focused on using informational science texts in the primary grades for knowledge and language acquisition. Kristin also loves to cross-country ski, bike, and swim.
Anthony Coetzer-Liversage, PhD
Director of Healthy Futures Impact
Dr. Anthony Coetzer-Liversage is an accomplished academic-practitioner specializing in implementation science, with a focus on closing the research-to-practice gap in mental and behavioral health. His extensive background in public health integrates both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to navigate the complexities of implementation science. Dr. Anthony Coetzer-Liversage has collaborated on projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where he has developed and tested implementation theories, assessed factors influencing implementation, and evaluated measures for monitoring intervention processes. His role also includes exploring the experiences of professionals in the field.
In addition to his research, Dr. Anthony Coetzer-Liversage’s expertise in project administration—spanning staffing, research ethics, and budget management—equips him to effectively lead research, teaching, and service initiatives. His scholarly contributions include several peer-reviewed publications, reflecting his commitment to advancing academic discourse. Dr. Anthony Coetzer-Liversage values clear communication and strategic planning in both research and practical applications.
Pronouns: He/him
Janice Collova
Special Projects Associate
Janice supports the Research and Development team with data analysis, research projects, program evaluation, and project management. She also works alongside her colleague Susan to continually improve and implement our Bridge2Read program.
Before she joined ServeMinnesota, she served as a Minnesota Reading Corps tutor for four years. She’s also worked in recreation, Montessori education, journalism, and food service. Her goals are to always strengthen communities and show love and kindness to our world.
Janice graduated from Bethel University in 2017 with a bachelor’s in Literature and a theater minor. For fun, she enjoys painting, drawing, singing and playing handbells at church, and playing games like Bananagrams and Sushi Go with friends and family.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Sharon Delcambre, PhD
Impact and Improvement Evaluator
Sharon serves as an Improvement and Impact Evaluator. She works with ServeMinnesota’s environmental programs, with a focus on program design and improvement in the climate change mitigation and resiliency space. Before coming to ServeMinnesota, Sharon worked as an earth and environmental science educator in the Portland, OR metro area. She earned a BA in physics at Gustavus Adolphus College and a MS and Ph.D. in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with a Certificate in Research, Teaching, and Learning from the Delta Institute. In her free time, she can be found walking her extra-large dog and exploring local parks and bike trails with her family.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Lindsay Fondow
Special Initiatives Project Manager
Lindsay Fondow is the Special Initiatives Project Manager at ServeMinnesota. In this role, Lindsay manages and supports evaluation projects related to the 4-8 Math Corps program and Infant and Toddler Initiative.
Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Lindsay managed quality improvement initiatives for a national early childhood home visiting model. Lindsay received her B.A. in Psychology from Knox College and MSW with a concentration in social and economic development from Washington University in St. Louis. She is a proud AmeriCorps alum having done two years of service with College Possible in the Twin Cities, supporting students’ access to colleges outside of Minnesota.
Lindsay lives in Shoreview with her husband and two young daughters.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Mayank Gupta
Information Systems Analyst
From app development and support, to building out Power BI reports for stakeholders, I enjoy anything and everything technology related. I served as a Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) AmeriCorps member from 2013 to 2015 and enjoyed teaching vital technology skills to underserved populations in St. Paul and Minneapolis. My favorite moments as an AmeriCorps member were whenever a participant had an “ah-ha!” moment, and I could see the light switch flip in their head. The “I will get things done” AmeriCorps mentality has stuck with me ever since I served.
In my free time I enjoy producing music, hanging out with my cat and learning everything I can related to cryptocurrency. I enjoy all types of music such as electronic, alternative, jazz and classical — anything but country!
Pronouns: He/him/his
Allie Handberg
Senior Development Manager
Allie Handberg is a Development Manager at ServeMinnesota where she supports the development team to secure grant funds for strategic initiatives. She supports the team to develop and maintain a diverse portfolio of institutional and individual funders. Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Allie was the Grants Manager at The Arc Minnesota where she worked with funders across Minnesota.
Allie holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Sam Hartzell
Program Associate
I completed multiple years as an AmeriCorps member, including as a VISTA Leader, and I always relished the opportunity to serve alongside so many brilliant, community-minded people. After joining the ServeMinnesota team, I now provide administrative and program support to our program staff. To me, service means being part of something bigger than yourself and helping others. I’m thrilled to be among so many like-minded and talented folks here at ServeMinnesota.
When not voyaging the many realms of our databases, I typically either have my nose in a book or my swing dancing shoes laced tight.
Pronouns: He/his/him
Alicia Jackson-Thole
Staff Accountant
Hailing from Ithaca, NY, Alicia is a Northern lady with Southern Belle charm and Midwestern grace. Obtaining a BBA in Accounting from Georgia Southern University, Alicia brings over 10 years of experience in the accounting industry to ServeMinnesota, most recently having worked for the largest liquor distributor in the United States, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. In her spare time, Alicia enjoys traveling and spending time with family, friends, and her furbabies. She has recently taken up the hobby of hiking.
Maggie Jacoby
Development Manager
Maggie is a Development Manager at ServeMinnesota, helping to raise grant funds for strategic initiatives. Before joining the team in 2022, she was a Program Pilots Manager at Ampact supporting key partnerships. She is an AmeriCorps Alum, having served as a VISTA at the Saint Paul Public Schools Foundation for two terms of service. She received her BA in History at Macalester College. Maggie is originally from Los Angeles and now makes Minneapolis her home. In her spare time she loves traveling, eating, and spending time with her dog, Tillie.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Patrick Kaiser
Director of Educational Evaluation
Patrick Kaiser serves as the Director of Educational Evaluation at ServeMinnesota where he manages evaluation and reporting for ServeMinnesota’s programs with a focus on the strategic initiatives of Reading Corps, Math Corps, and Early Learning Corps. He also supports the evaluation needs of partner organizations replicating these programs across the country. Patrick previously taught fifth grade in Savannah, GA as an AmeriCorps member and worked in education policy advocacy in Atlanta, GA. Patrick attended the University of Notre Dame where he received a B.A. in Political Science and Economics and a M.Ed. in Elementary Education.
Pronouns: He/him/his
Isa Kibira
Community Engagement Evaluator
Isa Kibira is the Community Engagement Evaluator at ServeMinnesota where he leads support initiatives and workforce development opportunities for BIPOC AmeriCorps Members. He also works closely with the research teams at ServeMinnesota to engage community members in the evaluation of AmeriCorps programs.
Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Isa served as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, and later a Program Coordinator, in the Office of Black Student Achievement (OBSA) in Minneapolis Public Schools. In OBSA, Isa led a class called B.L.A.C.K (Building Lives and Acquiring Cultural Knowledge) at NE Middle School, Fair High School, and Patrick Henry High School. Isa received a BA in Politics from Occidental College.
Pronouns: He/him/his
Kristin Klaustermeier
Grants Management Associate
As ServeMinnesota’s Grants Management Associate, Kristin provides support to the Development, Impact and Innovation, and External Relations teams. Responsibilities include database management and reporting as well as project support. Before she joined the organization, she worked in volunteer management and as an executive assistant.
Dmitry Konopatski
Principal Software Engineer
Dmitry Konopatski has served as the Principal Software Engineer for ServeMinnesota since 2016. He was initially hired as a part-time IT contractor to build from scratch a cost-effective Data Warehouse system. Later, he switched to a full-time position and is now responsible for the systems design, development and maintenance of our state-of-art data management systems running behind Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps programs. He also oversees the quality and efficiency of the technical solutions delivered by the remote development team.
Dmitry has more than 20 years of experience in computer programming and software development, with expertise in database design and performance tuning, data mining and web development. Before joining ServeMinnesota, he worked as a software developer for the Office of Information Technology at the University of Minnesota, where he was involved in multiple enterprise-level projects, including the Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS) and large-scale Enterprise Systems Upgrade Program (ESUP).
Pronouns: He/him/his
Lisa Lambert
Program Officer
Lisa Lambert serves as a Program Officer for ServeMinnesota and is part of the team responsible for program management, monitoring, and support. Through her role, Lisa hopes to help programs maximize the impact of AmeriCorps service – both on the communities being served and on the members serving. A self-proclaimed “AmeriCorps Lifer,” Lisa has been connected to AmeriCorps since 2002, when she served in the City of Lakes AmeriCorps program. Following that, she became an AmeriCorps site supervisor (and after-school program coordinator) for Minneapolis Public Schools before becoming AmeriCorps program staff in 2008. In her various program staff roles over 14+ years, Lisa gained experience with member training and support, grant writing and reporting, financial management, and AmeriCorps grant compliance. Her direct involvement with members and program outcomes, combined with her experience in the Education and Youth Development fields, fuel Lisa’s belief in the people power of AmeriCorps – that people are our nation’s best resource, and AmeriCorps is an ideal way to utilize that resource in addressing our nation’s challenges.
Lisa holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a minor concentration in Journalism. True to form, she enjoys any activity involving stories.
Sarah McKee
Community Outreach and Engagement Specialist
Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Sarah spent time as an AmeriCorps member for the COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative at Humboldt High School in St. Paul. She helped coordinate summer learning programs for youth grades kindergarten through twelfth grade. This experience solidified her desire to establish a career in nonprofit and to do work that is impactful to the greater community.
Sarah holds a B.A. in History and Professional & Technical Writing from University of Wisconsin- La Crosse.
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Julie McLeod
Senior Innovation Manager
Julie McLeod serves as the Innovation Program Manager on ServeMinnesota’s Research & Development Team. Julie is responsible for managing the development and implementation of new education initiatives and programs. She approaches all projects with a strong strategic focus, passion for achieving equitable outcomes for all students, and overseeing multidisciplinary teams while maintaining a clear path towards achieving project goals. Currently, Julie oversees the K-3 Math Pilot project, which launched in the 2020-21 school year to provide math intervention support to students in early elementary grades.
Julie brings 10+ years of expertise in education and project management to ServeMinnesota. Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, she worked at Minneapolis Public Schools in a variety of roles, including volunteer management, community partnerships, and building pathways to teaching. Most recently, she designed and launched a paraprofessional to special education teacher residency program with the goal of recruiting and retaining diverse candidates in the teaching profession.
Julie received her B.A. in Secondary Education and History from Boston College and a M.A. in Evaluation Studies at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities. Julie is a proud AmeriCorps alum, having served as a VISTA at Edison High School in Minneapolis.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Becky Newgren
Impact and Improvement Evaluator
Becky is an Impact and Improvement Evaluator specializing in providing thorough assessments and collaborative solutions for program improvement with a strong background in program management, social work, and community health. Prior to joining ServeMN, Becky was a Lead Program Manager for Heading Home Corps with Ampact, a social worker in Baltimore, and completed a service term as a Community Health Volunteer with Peace Corps in Mozambique.
Becky holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Gender Studies from the University of Minnesota and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Maryland – Baltimore with a focus on community organizing and qualitative studies in the Baltimore City Public Schools.
In her free time Becky enjoys exploring the great outdoors, visiting state and national parks, paddle-boarding the lakes during the summers, and traveling to new places.
Pronouns: she/her
Brenda Squiers
Administrative and Human Resource Associate
My position supports ServeMinnesota, its staff and visitors with a variety of administrative duties including human resources, programing, policy & contracts as well as office administration. I enjoy the opportunity to work closely with a diverse group of people on a variety of projects. For me, service just means helping others! My favorite moment of this job is fielding calls from people who share how they are positively impacted by ServeMinnesota’s programming.
Ben Suker
Impact and Improvement Evaluator
Ben is an Impact and Improvement Evaluator, primarily working on projects related to the Recovery Corps and Minnesota Public Health Corps. He has experience in data design and systems development for capturing program activities and their impact, and actively engages in ongoing program evaluation efforts. Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Ben worked for a program evaluation consultancy, specifically focusing on collecting and analyzing data pertaining to the Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) program for Dakota County and developing technical assistance toolkits and culturally valid evaluation practices for the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board. He holds a Masters of Public Policy from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and is an AmeriCorps alumni who served as a Promise Fellow, doing drop-out prevention work in the South Metro area.
Donna Svendsen
Strategic Outreach Director
As Strategic Outreach Director, Donna Svendsen forges relationships and builds partnerships between ServeMinnesota and stakeholders in the communities we serve. She also co-leads ServeMinnesota’s strategic process for recruiting and retaining AmeriCorps members of color. Donna’s expertise in Minnesota’s non-profit landscape spans 20+ years and uniquely positions her for these efforts. Before her current role, Donna was the Associate Director for the General Mills Foundation, where she led the company’s global employee engagement program, grants programs, and its multi-million dollar United Way campaign in the U.S. and Canada. Donna’s experience also includes working as the Media Relations Manager for Macalester College and as a Reporter & Producer for Minnesota Public Radio. Donna has a B.A. in Journalism from Drake University.
Pronouns: She/her/hers
Susan Thomson
Senior Strategic Analyst
Susan helps lead research, program innovation and strategic initiatives. She plays a critical role in developing the programs, partnerships and resources needed to grow and expand Reading Corps. Susan leads ServeMinnesota’s role in HELP (Higher Education Literacy Partnership) a statewide network of reading professionals committed to improve reading skills for struggling readers including students with dyslexia. Prior to joining ServeMinnesota, Susan worked as a reading tutor and organized a parent advocacy group that engaged in successful passage of reading legislation and related funding for schools. She also worked as a member of the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board Special Education work group and its Reading task force to redesign reading standards for newly-licensed teachers. In 2009, she received the STAR Literacy Award from the National Association for Reading First for her efforts on the Minnesota Literacy Bill. Susan holds a BA in Economics from Carleton College.
David Williams
Development Manager
David serves as one of the development managers. He’s passionate in doing the best work he can within strong teams driven to solve hard problems which demonstrably improve real life outcomes. David is excited to join the ServeMN team as of fall 2021.
David is also working towards his PhD in Philosophy with an emphasis on ethics and questions of personhood.
Board of Directors
Nomin Angarag
William Arendt
Jennifer Bartels
Essence Blakemore
Sarah Clyne
Lois Duffy
John Ellenberger
Elizabeth Emerson
Linda Gilligan
Representative Emma Greenman
Willie Jett, Education Commissioner
Curtis Johnson
Kate Kelly
Representative Erin Koegel
Karen Larson
Mauricio Leon
Jane Leonard
Daniel McConnell
Stephanie Moncada
Amy Meuers
Shelly Muñoz
Joseph Nayquonabe
Nathan Prouty
Mary Quirk
Deborah Richardson
Philip Rutherford, Board Chair
Amy Walstien
