Creative Support for Organizations-Round 2

Susan Audette: Audette worked for 30 years as an environmental public policy professional with three state legislatures (Wisconsin, Texas, and Minnesota), ending her career evaluating businesses for an international forestry nonprofit. Audette has a degree in art and design (UW-Madison) and a MA from Hamline University for which she received an award on her research related to Wisconsin's Indian history and culture curriculum. Her volunteer history includes organizing medical and congressional delegations to El Salvador; serving as vice chair of the Minnesota Women's Environmental Network; and representing nonprofits as a gubernatorial appointee to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council.; Asher Estrin-Haire: Estrin-Haire is the artist/owner of Full Frontal Quilt and Dyeworks, where they create original and thought-provoking artworks in fabric, as well as finish the works of other quilt artisans around the world. They also formed The Duluth Charity Share-ity SewCiety which collects donated fabrics, notions, yarn, craft, and art supplies and distributes them to local charity makers. Estrin-Haire also repairs and restores donated sewing machines and gives them to those who would otherwise not have access to them.; Julie Finelli: Finelli is the director of operations for Spinning Babies, an organization providing maternity health education for professionals and parents. Finelli has previously managed art exhibits and operations at Eagan Art House with the City of Eagan, consulted and managed the volunteer program with Minnesota Fringe, and was a teaching and exhibiting artist locally and overseas. After graduating with a master of arts and cultural management from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Finelli has continued to support Minnesota's arts and culture as a volunteer, audience member, donor, and student.; Mary Ann Laxen: Now retired, Laxen was chair and member of the board of the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council. Laxen presently chairs the board of the East Grand Forks, Friends of the Campbell Library. As director of the physician assistant program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, they wrote and received many grants. Laxen has a master's in health care administration from the University of Wisconsin, is a physician assistant, and family nurse practitioner.; Jennifer Lorge: Lorge has been the recipient of two McKnight Foundation visual arts grants through the East Central Regional Arts Council, and a Jerome Foundation grant to St. Johns Pottery as a visiting artist in residence. She is on the board of directors for the Forest Lake Lions serving on the budget committee and the community grant selection committee. Lorge is a board member of Roxie's Hope, which provides funding for women coming out of domestic violence shelters. Since losing her studio space, she has concentrated on writing a memoir and has taken courses at the Loft since the 1990s. She currently is a realtor.; Denisia Parker: Parker is a part-time performance artist and writer and coordinates youth engagement at Youthprise full-time. This includes providing support to the young people partnering with Youthprise and facilitating programmatic initiatives such as YouthBank and the YPAR network. Parker previously served a term with the Minnesota Youth Council and is trained in design thinking facilitation.; Richard Schara: Schara is the community engagement specialist for West Central Initiative. Schara previously worked for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) as a business services representative. Prior to DEED, he was executive director of the 544 Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to helping support the mission of the Fergus Falls Area School District. He has a master's degree in business communications from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Iowa State University. He was the catalyst behind the creation of a highly successful melodrama dinner theater held each summer in Otter Tail County lakes country. He has acted on stages throughout the Midwest and enjoys choir singing.