Operating Support

David Banjavic: Banjavic is from Colorado and is now a proud Minnesotan. He is a practicing artist with a wealth of art and nonprofit administration knowledge and experience. He holds a degree from Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO) in art history and a degree from the University of Colorado Denver in public administration. A keen supporter of public institutions, Banjavic worked as an administrator for nonprofit health systems before transitioning to the private sector.; Susan Berdahl: Berdahl is a nonprofit marketing strategist and grant writing consultant. She recently served as marketing director for Park Square Theatre. Previously, she was the associate director of community relations for St. David's Center in Minnetonka, the director of external relations at Park Square Theatre, the grants manager at Detroit Institute of Arts, a development officer for Covenant House Texas, and the marketing director for the Minnesota Orchestra. She also served as the deputy director for health and human services for Pitkin County, CO, acting as contract manager for the human services grant program. Berdahl holds a BA in international relations from the University of Minnesota.; Debra Collum: Collum is an ordained clergy member in the United Methodist Church. She is involved with costume design, advises theaters, and volunteers to support arts organizations. Collum also has extensive experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion work in urban and rural settings, and more than 30 years of experience managing nonprofits.; Emily Harring: Harring is the development manager at Advance Native Political Leadership, where they support the organization's mission to build a complete ecosystem approach to political power building in Native communities. They have a MA in English literature from the University of Texas at Austin and have been an arts advocate for over a decade.; Scott Hebert: Hebert has been part of the arts community in greater Minnesota since 2008. He began offstage, taking an interest in technical elements while working with Renegade Theater Company. He joined Renegade Improv in 2009, working with the group for nine years and 750 shows. In 2011, his desire to be a storyteller led him on stage. Hebert has participated in over 35 productions with Renegade, the Duluth Playhouse, and Wise Fool Shakespeare. Hebert has collaborated with artists from the Duluth theater community to help him create, produce, and perform in Twin Portals, an original Dungeons and Dragons podcast.; Krista Hoitomt: Hoitomt is the patron experience supervisor for Northeast Library, a branch of the Hennepin County Library system. Before working in libraries, she gained nearly a decade of experience in theater and museum management, including Minnesota Public Radio's Fitzgerald Theater and the Minnesota Historical Society's Mill City Museum. Hoitomt earned her MLIS from St. Catherine University, her MA in arts and cultural management from Saint Mary's University, and her BA in arts, entertainment, and media management from Columbia College Chicago. She has volunteered for Planned Parenthood, Community Squad, and other civic organizations.; Deborah Jensen: Jensen is a retired grant administrator for the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council and a current contractor serving as a project analyst for the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. She works with grants from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and has served on the boards of various nonprofits.; Zoe Malinchoc DeVoe: Malinchoc DeVoe is an independent bookseller in Red Wing. She 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 regularly hosts artists, poets, authors, and musicians. She previously worked at the Mayo Clinic and as a stage manager and lighting designer in southeast Minnesota. She has supported area organizations as a grant writer and administrator.; Ola Oluwatomini: Ola is a program manager at Restoration for All. She oversees multiple initiatives, including community vaccination, mental health, and suicide prevention programs. Ola has a master's in global health from St. Catherine University. She excels at translating complex data into actionable insights. With a history of leadership roles, including cabinet appointee at the Young Women's Initiative and a community reviewer at Youthprise, Ola has contributed to policy development and grant evaluations.; Micah Ruelle, Ruelle is a queer poet, educator, and editor, working full time as a professional youth advocate and office manager at Jennings Community School. They hold a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing. They were the scholarship recipient for the 2023 North Woods Conference for a Minnesota poet with promise. Their manuscript, Clean Getaway, was a semifinalist for the YesYes Books vinyl chapbook competition. They were included in the Best New Poets of 2022 anthology. Their first chapbook, Failure to Merge, was published by Finishing Line Press (2019).; Karen Scott, Scott is a seasoned healthcare innovator, musician, and art lover. Her career has spanned prominent organizations, including Google and UnitedHealth Group. At Google, she participated in the review and selection process for clinical research grants, contributing to the advancement of medical research. Scott's passion for community engagement is evident in her volunteer work with the Minneapolis Foundation and Minnesota Cup, grant review service, and participation in concert bands.; Amy Wyant, Wyant serves as the executive director of Aitkin County CARE: Coordinating Area Resources Effectively. CARE provides services to older adults to promote the independence, dignity, and well-being of adults and those who care for them. She was instrumental in the design and funding acquisition for an outdoor music venue in Aitkin. She commissioned artist Arnie Weimer for the Song of the Seasons mural located in a public space in the city of Aitkin. Wyant earned her degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth, her MEd degree from the College of St. Scholastica, and an executive director leadership graduate certificate from the University of St. Thomas. Throughout her professional career, Wyant has worked in the fields of business, education, and nonprofit management.