Our Boards
We gratefully acknowledge our Trustees, Maada’oookiing Advisory Board, Youth In Philanthropy Advisory Board, and Emeritus Trustee Group for their dedication this past fiscal year. Their guidance helps move the foundation, and region, in a forward-looking, mission-focused direction.
2023-24 Board of Trustees
Our Trustees help lead the foundation’s strategic direction and provide governance and financial oversight.
- Peter McDermott, Chair
Retired
Grand Rapids - Mary Harrelson, Vice Chair
Licensed Psychologist (retired)
Mary Rademacher Psychological Services
Grand Portage Reservation - Roy Smith, Treasurer
Director of Education & Talent Development
Iron Range Resources/Minnesota State Colleges & Universities
Hibbing - Cindy Anderson Bina, Secretary
Counselor (retired)
Vermilion Community College
Ely - Angie Miller, Immediate Past Chair
Executive Director (retired)
Community Action Duluth
Duluth - Jamie Adams
Economic Development Planner
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Cloquet/Solon Springs - Ben Benoit
Deer River District Ranger
Chippewa National Forest
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Citizen
Cohasset - Baabiitaw Boyd
(stepped down Nov. 2023)
Sr. Advisor on Ojibwe Language
Revitalization Initiatives
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
Garrison - Elena Foshay
Director of Workforce Development
City of Duluth
Duluth - Ashley Hall
Director of Partnerships & Programs,
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, and Owner, Evolve U Fitness & Wellness
International Falls - Tia Marie
Owner
Unwined Up North and Smoke on the Water
Grand Rapids - Kenneth A. Reid
(stepped down June 2024)
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs
Lake Superior College
Duluth/Superior - Darren Sheldon
Principal
Lakewood Elementary School
Cloquet - Kristen Vake
Executive Director
Iron Mining Association of Minnesota
Chisholm
Maada’ookiing Advisory Board
A board of Tribal nation representatives and other Native American leaders from this region advises the Maada’ookiing program and approves its grant funding.
- Baabiitaw Boyd
Misizaaga’iganiing Anishinaabe
Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe - Shane Drift
District I Representative
Bois Forte Tribal Council
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa - Crystal Greensky, MSHA
Great Lakes Hub Deputy Director
Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health
Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (citizen) & Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (1st gen descendent) - Mary Harrelson
Gichionigaming Akiing Gichigami Anishinabeg
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - Alexandera Houchin
Fellow/Citizen
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - April McCormick
Secretary/Treasurer
Gichionigaming
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - Jaylen Strong
Bois Forte Heritage Center and Cultural Museum Director
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Youth in Philanthropy Advisory Board
Student members and adult representatives of the Youth In Philanthropy Board help approve grants to children-and-youth led projects throughout our region.
Youth Members
- Olivia Allen, Chair
Two Harbors - Seth Parkin, Vice Chair
Aitkin - Rizal Howes, Secretary/Treasurer
Cloquet - Emily Class, Photographer
Barnum - Alaena Happ Furo
Two Harbors - Rosemary Huddleston
Two Harbors - Neela Piri, Photographer
Barnum - Jackson Strand, Photographer
Superior - Lila Sakuray
Superior - Joey Wallace
Hermantown - Adam Weisgerber
Hermantown - Owen Weyer
Aitkin
Adult Representatives
- Jamie Adams
Economic Development Planner, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - Brad Flynn
Programmer Analyst, ALLETE - Lara Parkin
Community Education Coordinator, Aitkin - Tim Stratioti
Branch Director, Superior, Boys & Girls Club of the Northland - Dan Thewis
Teacher, Two Harbors High School
Emeritus Trustee Group
A group of past Trustees as well as our former President stay connected to the foundation and champion its mission. Two Emeritus Trustees and dear friends, Mark Phillips and Steve Downing, died this past year. They are greatly missed, but their lasting contributions to northeast Minnesota will live on.
- Lisa Bodine
- Dave Clusiau
- Jeff Corey
- Eddie Crawford
- Lynn Goerdt
- Bill Hansen
- Cindy Hansen
- Edwina Hertzberg
- Jason Hollinday
- Mary Ives
- Trent Janezich
- Ken Johnson
- Lisa Kruse
- Nevada Littlewolf
- Scott Martin
- Antoinette Monster
- Shaye Moris
- Nancy Aaronson Norr
- Allen Rasmussen
- Diane Rauschenfels
- Tom Renier, President Emeritus
- Tom Rider
- Joe Sertich
- Chuck Walt
- Ed Zabinski