Board Chair
Rinal RayVice Chair
Nathan MagelNathan Magel is Program Director at The BrandLab. Additionally, Nathan participated in the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ 2010 Nonprofit Leadership Institute, serves as President of Minnesota’s InterCorps Council, volunteers and advocates around a few causes, and busies himself with half-baked, rarely seen-through domestic projects.
Secretary-Treasurer
Alison Griffin
Alison Griffin worked most recently as an AmeriCorps Program Coordinator with Rise, Inc., managing 27 Benefits and Employment Coaches placed at five area nonprofit agencies who work to break down the employment and self-sufficiency barriers of their participants. Currently she serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Women Voters Minneapolis. Prior to her work at Rise, Alison spent three years in the political arena, first in campaigns and then in issue advocacy and program startup roles. Having spent the past 5 years as a nomad, Alison committed to Minneapolis in May 2010 for its robust nonprofit and volunteer culture. Hailing from Illinois, Alison studied Public Relations and Marketing at Drake University.
National Liaison
Leah LundquistLeah Lundquist is currently pursuing a Masters in Public Policy at the University of Minnesota's Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. Her prior experience includes work in both foundations and nonprofits including positions as an Associate Program Officer at the Northwest Area Foundation, a Program Associate for the Kellogg Action Lab (a program that built the capacity of grantees of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation) and a Member Programs Fellow at the Women’s Funding Network. She holds a B.A. in biology and English from Luther College. She joined the YNPN-TC board in April 2010.
Governance Chair
Virginia Brown
Virginia Brown has been involved with YNPN since 2005, when she was a founding member of YNPN Orlando. She also started a similar program in Vancouver, British Columbia, where YNPN has not expanded yet, called the Next Leaders’ Network. She is currently Director of Volunteer Services at the Animal Humane Society. Prior to that time, she was a Program Director at Vantage Point and worked as an expert in organizational development and community engagement in delivering mission. Her background includes a focus on marketing and fundraising in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. She has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College and a Bachelor’s Degree from Carleton College. Virginia joined the board of YNPN Twin Cities in February 2010.
Programming Chair
Nick Cross
Nick Cross is an associate educator at Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis, wearing multiple hats but ultimately helping create a safe learning environment. Nick previously served as an Americorps*VISTA at Sanford and was the manager of communications and fund development at a Girl Scout council in Indiana. Nick has a master's degree in social work focused on international and community development from Monmouth University. Along with his wife, Nick coordinates an adult literacy site in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis.
Communications Chair
Jamie MillardHappiest when generating ideas and solving problems, Jamie Millard prides herself in bringing focus and originality to every endeavour. She is the Communications Coordinator for Charities Review Council and provides overall marketing and communication support for the Council's programs to donors and nonprofits. In addition to her "day" job, she manages and co-edits a local literary arts magazine, Paper Darts. When not working or volunteering, you’ll find her walking her dogs or drooling over the newest tech gadget or video game.
Membership Chair
Chris OienAt-Large
Aisha Eady Aisha Eady is the Marketing Communications Specialist for Osseo Area Schools. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and a minor in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature. She’s written for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Newsweek magazine and has been doing education and nonprofit communications work for five years. She’s a media maven, social scribe and aficionado of alliteration. You’ll find her tapping away on her MacBook Pro devouring blogs and learning about the next big thing.
Lucas Havens
Lucas Havens is a Program Manager with Genesys Works, where he runs communications and development programs and manages high school students in year-long internships. In addition to YNPN, he serves on the board of the Madeline Islands Music Camp, which helps develop the careers of young chamber musicians. He has no musical talent himeself, but that rarely stops him from signing loudly when the opportunity arises. He earned his BA from Carleton College and is married to his high school sweetheart.
Lisa Joyslin
Lisa Joyslin is the Volunteer Resources Director for the American Red Cross, Northern Minnesota Region. Prior to working at the Red Cross, Lisa was the Volunteer Center Program Director at Community Thread, and also held positions with HandsOn Twin Cities and Chicago Cares. She holds a Masters of Public Policy degree from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and holds a B.A. in English from Valparaiso University. Lisa joined the YNPN-TC Board in February of 2011.
Adaobi OkolueAdaobi Okolue is a brand and communications strategist who loves to help organizations identify and deliver on their promise to communities. As a pursuer of creativity and innovation, she's often the instigator for thinking of new and productive ways to solve problems. Adaobi has worked in the backyards of Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Page Education Foundation, Minnesota State Colleges & Universities, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Best Buy Inc., Corp. She is also a driven advocate for youth and community development in communities of color—especially African and African-American youth and communities. And in her delusional world where free time nose dives into a pool of possibilities, she works on creative writing, photography and graphic design projects.
Kelly Rowan Kelly Rowan is fund development consultant with the Excelsior Bay Group. Kelly volunteers with a variety of progressive causes, enjoys tennis, hiking, and camping with her husband and two children, and holds a B.A. in political science from the College of St. Benedict. Kelly is looking forward to working with others interested in fun and valuable networking and professional development opportunities to improve our sector and our communities.
Krysten Lynn Ryba Krysten Lynn Ryba is a data-driven visionary. By day, she is a Research Associate at Wilder Research, providing research support on a number of child and family service evaluations. By early evening, she’s at home caring for her two adorable dogs – Frieda and Chroma – and probably a foster puppy or two, whipping up a delicious vegetarian meal, and talking strategy with YNPN board members on how to assess member engagement, evaluate programming for effectiveness, and generally trying to raise the profile of the organization. By late evening she is asleep – dreaming in interactive infographics. Prior to her move to the Twin Cities in 2010, she spent eleven years in Chicago – first studying sociology and geography, then starting her nonprofit career in a small data consulting firm.
Lauren Van Schepen Lauren Van Schepen is the Nonprofit Services Assistant at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Prior to working at MCN, Lauren served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Volunteer Services in the Minneapolis Public Schools. She holds a B.A. from Wellesley College in American Studies and Education Policy. In her free time Lauren enjoys listening to This American Life, keeping up on local and national education issues, and exploring new Twin Cities restaurants. Lauren joined the board in January 2012 after serving as a volunteer on the Membership and Governance committees for nearly a year.
Jenna Hartwig Wade Jenna Hartwig Wade has been with Fresh Energy since early 2006. As communications specialist, her work includes media and public relations, webinars, email marketing and communications, social media and community management, web and blog content management and development, design and content development of Fresh Energy’s print and online publications, and creation and publication of other online content. Jenna is a member of Minnesota Women in Marketing and Communications and a proud alto in the Prospect Park Community Choir (but will always regret giving up the bagpipes in 1999). In 2002, Jenna graduated Magna Cum Laude, was named Sociology Student of the Year, and earned her BA in sociology from Concordia University in St. Paul. Jenna lives in Longfellow with her husband and a cat named Kip, and enjoys live music, gardening, and altering her clothes.
Cary Walski Cary Walski is owner of Social Good, a web development and online marketing firm that specializes in mission driven organizations. She also works part-time for MAP for Nonprofits as technology education and outreach coordinator managing the MAP TechWorks program. Cary has a B.A. in Pscyhology from Macalester College, and continues to apply her skills and insight into our often quirky human behavior to her work in marketing and design. A serial project starter, Cary enjoys penning plotlines to as-yet-to-be-written novels and purchasing domain names for each new idea of the month in her free time. You can find her online at carywalski.com and on Twitter.