Macalester-Groveland Community Council

The sense of family is of the utmost importance to me, and that feeling of community, warmth and genuine neighbourly care that I’ve experienced since moving into this neighbourhood, I relish and embrace fully. It is comforting to be part of something that embodies oneness, and passion. And it would mean a great deal to me to be more involved in making the wheels turn and in so doing, perhaps make others who move into this nook, feel as welcomed as I have been made to feel.

I possess excellent communication skills and also the ability to make others feel heard, understood and welcomed. Not to mention that I can also cater for events if need be. I thoroughly enjoy cooking and it would be an honour to serve the community that way as well.

I am seeking a board seat because this community has transformed the Twin Cities from a temporary living situation into the place that I now call home. Throughout my experiences, I’ve always found that a sense of community and belonging is vital to the wellbeing of its members, and I want to work to ensure that everyone in this community feels that they belong.

My partner and I are set on planting our roots here and I want to support and invest in the community to continue making it a great place to live for people from all walks of life. With my professional experience and my passion for sustainability, equity, and community I am certain that I can further contribute to the success of this thriving community.

Professionally I have experience in technology, finance, logistics, and supply chain management which has allowed me to meet many new and different people while adapting to new industries and environments. This has motivated me to be a proponent of having a growth mindset. I strongly believe in life-long learning and that everyone you meet knows something that you do not. I am excited to see what I can continue to learn from this community and to see what knowledge and experiences that I can share in turn.

Outside of my professional experience, I volunteer with Urban Roots in Saint Paul where I have gained experience in connecting with local youth and helping restore and maintain natural areas in Saint Paul. I would love to translate this experience into contributing with the Environmental Sub-Committee to help preserve our natural areas and create a community that is sustainable and environmentally friendly.

I have been known to take lead and challenge myself no matter how hard it is. I know it will be hard to make everyone happy but if the happy out weight the unhappy that means we are making changes. I want to see a place where the youth can get that inspiration in their eyes again. Go out and do something that they will remember as I did when I was in high school. I would like this community to do that and more people out side of the community would see what it is we are doing that work.

I was always volunteering when I was in high school from county fair to taking care of kids. Working at a restaurant help develop a better social skills. Meeting them and Kurt trying to have a wholesome moment with them and connecting with them. I will admit I am not the richest but there is more than one way to make a name for yourself out there. Volunteering and connecting with your community was a big way from the different places I visited. It is better if we come together as one.

A fellow parent at Cretin-Derham Hall is actively involved with West Summit Neighborhood Advisory Council (WSNAC), and she encouraged me to become more aware and involved in voicing concerns and participating in the vision for my surrounding community.

I bring substantial professional experience as a banker of 15 years. I bring considerable personal commitment/pride and buy-in to the neighborhood as a 6 year resident of Grid 1, 14 year parishioner at Nativity, MBA alumni of UST, and a work office at 202 Snelling Avenue. I bring a diverse experience/voice as a person of colour and a 27 year naturalized citizen.

I am running for re-election and seeking your support and vote. I have served as a Grid 2 representative since 2020, and have been a member of the Transportation committee since 2018 (Chair of the committee since 2020). As a Board member I strive to facilitate the communication between you, the residents of MGCC, and the people at our City and County. I strongly believe that inclusive actions and consensus building are central to ensure a bright future for our City and our neighborhood. I will also seek your support to act on the pressing topics of our time, such as racism, climate disruption and equity. So please join me to think globally and act locally.

Over the next couple years, the Macalester-Groveland Community Council will develop its 10-year Community Plan. This is a big task and important work. My professional experience includes information gathering, human-centered design and consensus building. So, with your support, I plan to leverage this experience to help develop a strong Community Plan.

Politics in St Paul is local. Our family has long been involved with Mac-Groveland Community Council with my husband serving on the Council 20+ years ago and I have been encouraged by other Board members and neighbors to seek a Board position over the ensuing years. With family caretaking and work responsibilities decreasing, this was a good time to offer my advocacy, policy, organizational and financial skills to our neighborhood council. I am most concerned about three things in our neighborhood:

• Safety for the children, students, adults and seniors;

• Welcoming diverse neighbors; and

• Supporting local small businesses.

This is a great place to live and I want to help, with other neighbors, to make it better

I have masters degrees in public health (MPH) and business (MBA) and forty years of experience working in health care, local public health, managed care and for national/state clients focusing on health policy, advocacy, pediatric and adult medicine. My non-profit board experience has ranged from serving on boards of League of Women Voters, statewide professional organizations, and community health centers. My “momsense” comes from raising 3 children and helping to raise a grandchild. I’ve been a caretaker for family members with permanent and temporary disabilities. Our neighborhood can be a supportive environment or it can cause more stress and harm to residents. Working together with all of our skills and abilities, I am hoping will make our neighborhood supportive to all people for the next generations

I am primarily interested in joining the MGCC board to contribute to community discussions on housing, safety, transportation, and inclusion/diversity/equity efforts. I’ve actively served on the board for one 3-year term, I am currently the board chair, and I would like to serve one additional term as the Grid 4 representative. In the next term, I am interested in participating in the development of the next long-range area plan for Mac-Grove and the related zoning, transportation, and city infrastructure discussions.

As a professional, I developed leadership skills in active listening, setting the aim, facilitating inclusive discussions and coaching/development. These are skills that help our community discuss issues in a respectful, constructive manner.

In the 1990’s, I served in the administration of St. Paul Mayor Jim Scheibel. During those years, I saw firsthand the importance of and critical need filled by our 17 district councils. Since then I have continued to be impressed by the work of the district councils, and in particular the Macalester Groveland Community Council (MGCC). MGCC’s role will continue to increase as Saint Paul’s economy and population grows and flourishes, and we work to make our community a more welcoming and accepting place to live, work and enjoy. If I can in any small way, help make a difference by being elected and serving on the board of the MGCC, that would be a great privilege and honor.

I have years of experience working in local and state government and serving on and providing leadership to boards and councils, early on with Saint Paul city government to my current role in state government. I understand the role and importance that MGCC plays in our neighborhood and city on a wide range of critical issues. I believe that with my background and experience in all sectors of the economy and community, I can assist in helping MGCC continue to thrive and in turn, the entire Macalester Groveland neighborhood.

I am seeking a board seat because I know firsthand how helpful our neighborhood offerings are in turning our streets into a community, and the importance of ensuring their success. I was happy to be able to fill the last few months of a previous member’s term, and I’m hopeful for the opportunity to expand my involvement.

My professional experience in non-profit operations, state government, and event management has developed my skills in facilitating public-private partnership, event and volunteer management, and inclusion initiatives. These skills can support the MGCC’s priorities and initiatives.

As Mac-Grove and neighbors have seen me through my significant life changes, I want to support and serve the community as our neighborhood experiences its own transitions. I want all residents to feel this is a vibrant, warm, and stable home for them and their families, the way I do. A friend of mine said the real and impactful work gets done at the local level, and I would like to be a part of that social change. With the council’s focus on infusing inclusivity in their engagement efforts, now is the perfect time to listen to community, create connections, and develop strategies in partnership with all who bring diverse perspectives to make our neighborhood a more vibrant place. Grid 4 is my home and I am deeply invested in the people, places, and potential of the community.

A consultant by profession, I bring strong relationship-building and strategic-thinking competencies to creating connections and achieving measurable outcomes. I can offer skills and experience in community engagement, change management, strategic planning, research, project management, evaluation, and grantmaking. I can also provide advocacy and policy knowledge, particularly for early childhood education and child care efforts. Perhaps most importantly, I can contribute thoughtful questions, an empathetic ear, passion and energy, and my authentic self.