Staff & Board

About Us

Staff & Board

Bios and contact information for our staff members and board of directors. 

• Staff
• Board

Leadership

Eric Nesheim

Executive Director

651-251-9070

Email Eric

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Deborah Cushman

Associate Director

651-251-9095

Email Deborah

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Susan Godon

Development Director

651-251-9092

Email Susan

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Rob Podlasek

Training Director

651-251-9073

Email Rob

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Kirsten Collins

Literacy Services Director

651-251-9068

Email Kirsten

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Staff

Ebyan Abdulle

Early Literacy and Families Manager

651-251-9058

Email Ebyan

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Hiba Al Hasnawi

Open Door Learning Centers (Literacy Minnesota)

651-251-9087

Email Hiba

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Meghan Boyle

Tutor Training Coordinator

651-251-9062

Email Meghan

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Jason Brazier

Technology Administrator and Trainer

651-251-9072

Email Jason

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Dani Brown

Digital Literacy Coordinator

612-564-2713

Email Dani

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Lloyd Brown

Senior Learning Center Coordinator

612-377-5399

Email Lloyd

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Nikki Carson

Lead ESL Teacher

612-483-1763

Email Nikki

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Yixiu Chen

Learning Centers Manager

651-251-9091

Email Yixiu

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Heather Cook

Foundation Relations & Communications Coordinator

651-251-9085

Email Heather

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Annelisa Donlan

Lead Learning Center Coordinator

612-483-1763

Email Annelisa

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Mena Duarte

Open Door Collective VISTA

651-251-9075

Email Mena

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Marian Eichinger

Volunteer Coordinator

Email Marian

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Kiana Erickson

GED Coordinator and Blended Learning ESL Teacher

651-251-9154

Email Kiana

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Emily Fox-Penner

Access Coordinator VISTA

651-251-9060

Email Emily

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Andy Francis

Learning Center Coordinator

651-793-4423

Email Andy

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Leah Hauge

Northstar Digital Literacy Curriculum Coordinator

651-251-9091

Email Leah

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Jessica Horning

Citizenship Teacher

612-483-1763

Email Jessica

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Nick Houlson

Digital Navigator

651-251-9171

Email Nick

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Jessica Jones

Lead ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Jessica

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Sheri Lear

ESL Teacher

612-483-1763

Email Sheri

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Stevie Lewis

National Service Coordinator

651-251-9088

Email Stevie

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Rachel Lyness

Lead Preschool ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Rachel

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Rose Maney

Youth Virtual Tutoring Initiative Literacy Leader

651-251-9156

Email Rose

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Christian McCleary

Program Assistant - SPCLC and Open Door Learning Centers

651-251-9067

Email Christian

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Joseph Janik Miller

Digital Access Project Manager

651-251-9097

Email Joseph Janik

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Mohamed Mohamed

CTEP

651-251-9169

Email Mohamed

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Barbara Murphy

ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Barbara

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Isaac Muscanto

Northstar Curriculum Writer

651-251-9094

Email Isaac

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Vishnu Namboodiripad

VISTA Leader

651-251-9107

Email Vishnu

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Tu Nguyen

LEARNING CENTER COORDINATOR

651-251-9145

Email Tu

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Laurie Patton

ESL Teacher

612-483-1763

Email Laurie

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Carmen Peota

Learning Center Coordinator

612-789-9024

Email Carmen

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Khalaun Phillips

TEQuity Services Program Coordinator

651-251-9137

Email Khalaun

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Jess Ponthan

ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Jess

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Christian Preston

Learning Center Coordinator and Data Specialist

612-789-9024

Email Christian

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Ellie Purdy

Operations Coordinator

651-251-9081

Email Ellie

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Kelly Rynda

Salesforce and Training Support Specialist

651-251-9074

Email Kelly

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Mya Shaftel

ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Mya

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Theresa Sladek

National Partnerships and Northstar Business Development Specialist

651-251-9071

Email Theresa

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Patrick Smith

Learning Centers Manager

651-251-9065

Email Patrick

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Michelle Vidovic

Learning Center Coordinator

612-377-5399

Email Michelle

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Morgyn Wade

Classroom Assistant

612-377-5399

Email Morgyn

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Susan Wetenkamp-Brandt

Senior Manager - Educational Technology and Digital Literacy

651-251-9090

Email Susan

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Mariah Wika

Volunteer Outreach Coordinator

651-251-9063

Email Mariah

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Courtney Zaato

National Service Coordinator

651-251-9151

Email Courtney

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Jim Afdahl

BOARD Chair

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Karine Watne

Executive COMMITTEE CHAIR

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Ravi Krishnan

Finance and Audit Committee Chair

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Bruce Singer

DEVELOPMENT and Marketing COMMITTEE Co-CHAIR

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Jackie Prince

HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE CHAIR

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Jose Arrieta

Member

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Caroline Casey

Member

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Nicole Flaherty Cropper

MEMBER

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Karin Goettsch

MEMBER

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Harold Hegg

Member

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Jenny Holte

MEMBER

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Mohamed Mohamed

Member

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Michael Opperman

Member

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Andrew Peterson

MEMBER

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Katie Schoeneck

Member

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Rita Shibko

Member

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Abdullahi Siyad

MEMBER

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Theresa Weimerskirch

Member

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Tim Wendt

Member

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