Creative Individuals-Round 2

Bob Bierscheid: I am the retired Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Saint Paul.. Previously, I was Director of Parks and Recreation for the cities of Roseville and Marshall MN. I served on the MRAC Board and have done multiple MRAC committee assignments both in person and virtually. I currently serve on the board of Public Art Saint Paul I am a strong supporter of the arts as an essential element of every community. I have a B.S. from the University of Iowa and an M.Ed from Temple University.; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Gaalswyk-Pomerenke is currently a Web editor for University of Minnesota Extension. Prior to this, she served as the 4-H extension educator in Martin County for eight years, where she developed and facilitated arts programming for youth both locally and statewide. While in this role, she received the Minnesota Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals' excellence in communication and expressive arts award in 2018 and in 2021. She has a BA degree in theater arts and journalism from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She worked in the education department at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts for four years. While there, Gaalswyk-Pomerenke coordinated in school artist residencies, assisted in the management of school performances, and codeveloped a musical theater camp. She currently serves as a volunteer board member for the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council and Martin County Area Foundation. She also previously served as a board member for the Fairmont Opera House.; Paige Guggemos: Guggemos is a product designer for a local creative agency specializing in UX/UI design, product strategy, UX research, and design system creation and governance. Guggemos graduated with a bachelor of science from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where she studied creative business, design, and printmaking. She has served twice as a grant reviewer with the Minnesota State Arts Board, worked as a freelance graphic and Web designer for ten years, as a print shop owner for five years, and as an in-house graphic designer. She's also worked as an assistant and educator for nonprofit print shops and owned and operated an art gallery for two years. In her own art practice, she is a painter, illustrator, and printmaker.; Natalie Madgy: Madgy is retired, following a professional career in both health care and arts administration. She is a confident early adopter of 20th and 21st century technology. She has been a volunteer in various roles including the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, Minneapolis Public Library, and Bridging. She currently works part-time helping senior citizens move.; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: McReynolds is retired and lives in Virginia. She holds a BS degree in psychology and a MA in environmental studies from Bemidji State University. Her past work as a planner includes a city planner at Bloomington, IN, and an environmental planner at St. Louis County Environmental Services in Virginia. She worked as a volunteer and board member with Laurentian Arts and Culture Alliance, as gallery coordinator at The First Stage Gallery, then after retirement as executive director for the Lyric Center for the Arts. McReynolds is a past Minnesota State Arts Board member and currently serves on the board of Sod House Theater and on its finance committee. She is also a founding board member and vice president/ treasurer of Stages of the Range Players theater company where she obtained the organization?s 501(c)(3) status and helps seek funding through grant writing and crowd sourced fund raising. From 2016 to 2019, she facilitated the creative communities focus group as a part of Recharge the Range, an initiative of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation. Other initiatives McReynolds initiated or lead include: ReVive Virginia, a downtown business group; Virginia Market Square farmer?s market; developing an interactive map of artists, arts organizations and galleries with Iron Range Tourism Bureau; and First Thursdays QC Art Walk with ReVive Virginia. McReynolds is the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's 2017 Maddie Simons Arts Advocate Award recipient. She is also a weaver, painter, and writer.; Adedotun Salami: Salami is a doula, policy lover, and artist that has cofounded ABIYE Collective with her sister, where they work to support birthing people and their support systems as they bring their babies earthside. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a BA in theater arts focusing on performance, education, and arts management. Salami currently serves on several boards and commissions including serving as cochair of the board of directors for In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre.