Arts Experiences

Jennifer Bratvold: Bratvold is an inclusion specialist for Wayzata Public Schools, where her role is to support community education teams by providing a space where children continue to grow in their strengths and friendships outside of the school day. She has had similar roles within Minneapolis Public Schools and District 622. She is a training facilitator on several topics, including equity, inclusion, art, and literature. Bratvold has a degree in studio art from the University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) and a degree in apparel construction from St. Catherine University. She is an artist and sits on the board of the Uptown Art Fair.; Christina Cotruvo: Cotruvo is a performer, composer, arranger, teacher, and certified therapeutic musician. She teaches musicians with disabilities and provides therapeutic music programs. She provides therapeutic harp music for hospitals and leads Duluth Ukulele Community Strum. Cotruvo has received grants from Harping for Harmony, American Harp Society, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Arrowhead Regional Library System, and the Minnesota State Arts Board. ; Elizabeth Kelly: Kelly is the resource development and events director for United Way of Northeastern Minnesota, which serves the Iron Range, Koochiching County, and Lake of the Woods County. Kelly is an Iron Range native who grew up in Chisholm. She spent 13 years in the Twin Cities, earning a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas, a master's degree in nonprofit management from Hamline University, and working as a development and event director for an educational nonprofit. Kelly has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and served on the booster clubs for both the Hibbing football team and the alpine ski racing team. ; Jeffrey Larson: Larson is a partner at Arts Progress, a nonprofit management consultancy specializing in leadership search and organizational culture. A graduate of the Carlson School of Management and the University of Minnesota Theater Department, Larson has more than 20 years of nonprofit management experience, including serving as executive director of the Minnesota Fringe Festival and executive and artistic director of the Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing.; Zoe Malinchoc DeVoe: Malinchoc DeVoe is an independent bookseller in Red Wing. She also serves her community as a Red Wing League of Women Voters leadership team member and on the board of Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue County. She passionately advocates for all art mediums and can host artists, poets, authors, and musicians regularly. She previously worked as a stage manager and lighting designer in southeast Minnesota.; Marianne Manzler: Manzler is a writer, educator, and editor. Her work has appeared in Best American Essays 2022, Fourth Genre, The Seventh Wave, 5280, and elsewhere. She has received support from the Sewanee Writers' Conference, Sundress Publications, Anderson Center, and Vermont Studio Center. Manzler is the program manager of education at the Loft Literary Center, where she collaborates with thousands of writers and readers nationwide. Manzler was previously the director of community engagement and youth programs at Lighthouse Writers Workshop and an educator at Prodigy Ventures in Denver, CO. Manzler graduated from The Ohio State University (Columbus, OH) with a BA in English literature and from the University of Washington (Seattle, WA) with a MFA in creative writing. ; Emmanuel Walyaula: Walyaula has a bachelor's degree in marketing and communications. A determined and energetic marketing professional with a vision to change the world, Walyaula is experienced in leadership, networking, problem solving, organization building, public speaking, event planning, crowdfunding, youth teaching, marketing campaigns, sales, public relations, investing, executive coaching, and more. He is the founder of the trending local crew, Twin Cities Dance Crew (TCDC). This organization has served the Minnesota community for eleven years, performed for charities, and collaborated with many Minnesota artists.