Leadership Council Members

Jackie Statum Allen
Grantmaking Director

Bush Foundation 

Heather Britt
Executive Director

Wilder Research 

Melvin Carter
Mayor

City of St. Paul 

Paul Cerkvenik
President

Minnesota Private College Council 

Rose Chu

Plum Blossom Strategy LLC 

Rebecca Fabunmi
Director of Economic Development & Policy Inclusion - Mayor's Office

City of Minneapolis

Mercedes Ramírez Fernández
Vice President Equity and Diversity

University of Minnesota 

Frank Forsberg
Independent Consultant

F.P. Forsberg Consulting LLC 

Nicole Frethem
Commissioner

Ramsey County 

Jacob Frey
Mayor

City of Minneapolis 

Danielle Grant
President & CEO

Achieve Twin Cities

Rabya Hassen
Community Relationship Officer

Mortenson Family Foundation 

Cisa Keller
President & CEO

Think Small 

Tiffany Scott Knox
Director

Saint Paul Promise

Trumanue Lindsey Jr.
Vice President of Equity & Inclusion

Minneapolis College 

Jazmine Logan
Corporate Responsibility Specialist

The Cargill Foundation and Corporate Responsibility

Joel Luedtke
Program Director

Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation 

Jesse Mason
Interim Associate Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs

Minnesota State 

Ryan O'Connor
County Manager

Ramsey County 

Deidra Peaslee
Interim President

Saint Paul College 

Sharon Pierce
President

Minneapolis College 

Ea Porter
Asst. Director of Community Partnerships and Recruitment

University of St. Thomas

Paul Pribbenow
President

Augsburg University 

Greg Rathert
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Saint Paul College

Carlos Mariani Rosa
Executive Director

Minnesota Education Equity Partnership 

Sondra Samuels
President & CEO

Northside Achievement Zone 

Lisa Sayles-Adams
Superintendent

Minneapolis Public Schools

Marquita Stephens
Interim CEO & President

Urban League Twin Cities

Jennifer Stern
CEO

Great MN Schools

John Thein
Interim Superintendent

Saint Paul Public Schools

Sofia Terzic
Assistant Vice President - Community Affairs Manager

US Bank

Amy Walstien
Education Policy and Workforce Development Director

Minnesota Business Partnership 

John Wilgers
President & CEO

Greater Twin Cities United Way