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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Meghan Paul-Cook

National Service Director

651-251-9069

Email Meghan

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Staff

Ebyan Abdulle

Early Literacy and Families Manager

651-251-9058

Email Ebyan

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Hiba Al Hasnawi

VISTA Leader 2020-21

651-251-9107

Email Hiba

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Therese Badenoch

Distance Learning Coordinator

651-251-9089

Email Therese

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Charles Borom

Donor Relations Associate

651-251-9084

Email Charles

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Meghan Boyle

ESL Teacher and Volunteer Coordinator

651-793-4423

Email Meghan

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Jason Brazier

Technology Administrator and Trainer

651-251-9072

Email Jason

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Dani Brown

Learning Center and Digital Literacy Coordinator

651-266-7421

Email Dani

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Lloyd Brown

Senior Learning Center Coordinator

612-377-5399

Email Lloyd

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Sarah Caflisch

Gift Officer

651-251-9087

Email Sarah

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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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Morganne DeGroot

Open Door Navigation VISTA

651-251-9174

Email Morganne

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Annelisa Donlan

Lead Learning Center Coordinator

612-483-1763

Email Annelisa

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Andrea Echelberger

ESL Training Coordinator

651-251-9062

Email Andrea

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Marian Eichinger

ESL Teacher

Email Marian

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Kiana Erickson

GED Coordinator and Blended Learning ESL Teacher

651-251-9154

Email Kiana

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Andy Francis

Literacy Minnesota Access Coordinator VISTA

651-251-9060

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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Linda Vinz Hummel

Donor Relations Manager

651-251-9075

Email Linda

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Erianna Jiles

Project Coordinator - Black Literacy Matters

651-251-9109

Email Erianna

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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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Steph Lewis

National Service Coordinator

651-251-9088

Email Steph

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Rachel Lyness

Lead Preschool ESL Teacher

651-793-4423

Email Rachel

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Rose Maney

Children's Tutor Training 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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Hodan Mohamed

CTEP

651-251-9155

Email Hodan

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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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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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Kasey Payette

Marketing and Public Relations Manager

651-251-9080

Email Kasey

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Carmen Peota

Learning Center Coordinator

612-789-9024

Email Carmen

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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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Lindsey Pust

ABE Instructor

612-377-5399

Email Lindsey

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Kelly Rynda

Hotline and Salesforce Specialist

651-251-9074

Email Kelly

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Mya Shaftel

ESL Teacher

612-483-1763

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

Senior Learning Center Coordinator

612-483-1763

Email Patrick

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Julianne Stewart

Distance Learning VISTA

651-251-9098

Email Julianne

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Charlotte Tjaden

Digital Navigator

651-251-9175

Email Charlotte

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Grant Two Bulls

VISTA Leader 2020-21

651-251-9108

Email Grant

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Kimmy Vo

Student Voice and Outreach VISTA

651-251-9099

Email Kimmy

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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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Burgen Young

Instructional Manager

651-251-9065

Email Burgen

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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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Abby Sunde

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 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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Andrew Peterson

MEMBER

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John Sanyamahwe

MEMBER

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Katie Schoeneck

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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