Community Partners & Ambassadors

Community Partners (CPs) are individuals representing external stakeholder organizations. Although Community Partners are welcome to become involved in all CHAI activities, we envision Community Partners will largely liaison with the Equity and Community Engagement Core by generating collaborative ideas, opportunities, and needs that Members may be interested in/could address. Community Ambassadors are individual community members external to the University of Minnesota that will have otherwise a similar role as CPs in CHAI. 

Community Partners

AARP Minnesota

  • Erin Parrish, ASD for Advocacy and Outreach

ACER – African Career, Education, and Resource

Adapt Design Works

  • Rob Wudlick, Clinical Trial Project Manager, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Minnesota; CEO, Adapt Design Works, LLC.

Age Well at Home

Allina Health

  • Vivian Anugwom, Manager, Health Equity Program
  • Ellie Henderscheid, Senior Program Coordinator

Alzheimer’s Association Minnesota-North Dakota Chapter

  • Susan Spalding, Chief Executive Officer
  • Heidi Haley-Franklin, Vice President, Programs
  • Paula Hernandez, Community Programs Manager

AmeriCorps Serve Minnesota

  • Frank Forsberg
  • Naomi Zuk-Fisher

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

  • Paige Priolo, Senior Program Developer
  • Christin L. Lindberg, Research Associate

Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging

  • Kristi Kane, Director
  • Georgia Lane, Principal Planner, Community Developer
  • Brenda Shafer-Pellinen, Eldercare Development Partnership Program Coordinator

Augustana Care

  • Carol Ashwood, Social Worker

Care Providers of Minnesota

  • Nicole Mattson, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives
  • Shauna Kapsner, LALD, Director of Education and Events 

Central MN Council on Aging

  • Lori Vrolson, Executive Director
  • Steve Hoover

Centro Tyrone Guzman

  • Durlay Yanet Davila, Adult and Aging Programs Director

Crest View Care Senior Center

  • Shirley Barnes, Chief Executive Officer

Ebenezer

  • Brett Anderson, Chief Executive Officer

Ecumen

  • Shelley Kendrick, President and CEO
  • Dawn Cash, Service Coordinator

Edina Senior Center

  • Nicole Gorman, Recreation Supervisor

Episcopal Homes

  • Mary Healy Jonas, Director of Wellbeing
  • Jenna Kilawee, Licensed Assisted Living Director

Essentia Health

  • Steve Waring, Principal Research Scientist

Faith Community Nurse Network

  • Jessica Drecktrah, MHA, MN, RN, Faith Community Nurse, Chief Nursing Officer

Family Means

  • Beth Wiggins, Director of Caregiving and Aging

Friends & Co

  • James Falvey, Executive Director

Giving Voice Initiative

  • Eyleen Braaten, Executive Director

The Goodman Group

  • Craig Edinger, Chief Executive Officer

Guardian Angels Senior Community-Riverview Landing

  • Andrea Erickson, Administrator

Hallie Q. Brown

  • Jonathan Palmer, Executive Director

Health Partners Institute

  • Leah Hanson, Senior Director, Neuroscience Research

HealthCare Interactive

  • John Hobday, CEO, and Founder

Hennepin Healthcare

  • Mariam Anwar, MBBS, Geriatrics/Senior Care

International Academia of Biomedical Innovation Technology 

  • Wen J. Smith, Chief of Staff/Executive Director

Jewish Family Service of St. Paul

  • Jill Grover, Case Management Contracts Director

Jewish Federations of North America Center on Holocaust Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and Trauma

  • Carly M. Bruski, LMSW, Assistant Director, Strategic Partnerships

Leading Age Minnesota

  • Kari Thurlow, President and CEO
  • Roni Flack, Manager of Adult Day Services

Lifespark

  • Katie Uphus, MA, Hospice Integration & Volunteer Manager

Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota

  • Jeri Schoonover, Chief Service Officer

Mayo Clinic – Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

  • Ronald Peterson, Director, Administrative Core; Professor of Neurology
  • Angela Lunde, Co-Director, Outreach, Recruitment, and Education Core

Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)

  • Virajita Singh, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
  • Julie Bourman ,Vitality Arts Coordinator
  • Shelia McGuire, Head of Student and Teacher Learning

Minnesota Department of Health, Human Services

  • Mary Manning, Division Director, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Division
  • Khatidja Dawood, Section Manager, Center for Health Promotion Section
  • Valerie Cooke, Continuing Care for Older Adults
  • Michelle Brasure, Minnesota Department of Health
  • Patricia Takawira, Minnesota Department of Health
  • Maiyia Kasouaher, Planner Senior Community, Center for Health Promotion
  • Ann Zukoski, Minnesota Department of Health
  • Koua Her, Planner Senior State, Center for Health Promotion

Minnesota Gerontological Society

  • Roberta Meyers, Board President

Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging

  • Jason Swanson, Executive Director

Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths (TZD)

  • Kristine Hernandez, Statewide TZD Coordinator
  • Annette Larson, Reginal Coordinator for South Central MN
  • Stephanie Malinoff, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota
  • Joan Somes, Co-Chair, Dakota County TZD Coalition

Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging

  • Adam Suomala, Executive Director
  • Chao Yang, MNLCOA Director of Equity and Diverse Elders Coalition Convener

The Moments

  • Tami Moyer, Community Relationship Director

MPS Community Education Lifelong Learning 55+ Programs

  • Andrew Gramm, Program Specialist

The National Aging in Place Council

  • Renee Johnson, Realtor, CSA, CAPS

Olmstead Implementation Office

  • Aisha Elmquist, Director

Oppidan

  • Michelle Riedel, Senior Housing Associate

Pathway Health

  • Peter B. Schuna, President and CEO
  • Lisa Thomson, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer

Pillars of Prospect Park

  • Griffin Myslivecek, Executive Director
  • Erin Erdahl, Activities Director

Presbyterian Homes and Services

  • Dan Lindh, President and CEO
  • Mike Bingham, Senior Vice President Optage & Health Care Initiatives

Radius Living

  • Brian Wenger, Founder, and CEO
  • Kirk Ogren, Senior Advisor

Southeast Seniors

  • Diana Schleisman, Executive Director

Spectrum Health

  • Katie Vreeland, Director of Sales and Marketing

START Senior Solutions

  • Tracy Keibler, Founding Director

Stevens Square Foundation

  • Alice Hill, Executive Director
  • Carol Ashwood, MSW, LICSW (Clinical Social Worker, Open Circle Adult Day Services)

Stratis Health

  • Jane Pederson, MD, Chief Medical Quality Officer

Trellis

  • Dawn Simonson, President and CEO
  • Sarah Adams, MSW, LISW, Older Americans Act Grant Manager
  • Jetta Wiedemeier Bower, Volunteer and Outreach Manager

University of Minnesota Retirees Association

  • Lynn Anderson, UofM Retirees Association, Age-Friendly University Council

Vista Prairie Communities

  • Jim Bettendorf, President & Chief Executive Officer

Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin

  • Tuesday Elaine Glover, BSW, Director of VOA Culturally Responsive Caregiver Support and Dementia Services

Walker|West Music Academy & Amazing Grace Chorus

  • Tonya Gregory, Program Director
  • Braxton Haulcy, Executive Director
  • Shana Moses, Amazing Grace Chorus, Program Director
  • Libby Turner, Walker West Music Academy, Program Director, Adults & Voice Faculty
  • Gale Cannon, Amazing Grace Chorus, AGC Program Coordinator

Westminster Presbyterian Church – The Magnet Senior Program

  • Angelique Kingsbury, Program Coordinator

Wilderness Inquiry 

  • Lisa Edstrom, Director of Development and Sales

Community Ambassadors

  • Heather Brooks
  • Jennifer Caruso- Wenner
  • Lois Cutler, Ph.D.
  • Ellen De La Torre
  • Tom Hyder
  • Pam Johnson
  • Susan Klett
  • Roberta Meyers
  • Wynfred Russell
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