At bswing, Jen helps organizations understand and engage the people they serve to create effective products, services, and solutions. Her work focuses on understanding root causes and the complexities of systems that impact human experiences, drawing on insights, product development, service design, and innovation.

Jen describes herself as curious, a quick learner, and skilled at organizing work to achieve goals. She is especially passionate about civic design—the idea of collaborative problem-solving for the common good.

She lives in Minneapolis with her partner and their daughters. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, hiking, and spending time with loved ones.

Margie Jo Eun Joo Andreason is part of the larger Korean diaspora, arriving in Mni Sota Makoce as a toddler. She is committed to using her skills and expertise to drive positive change and understands the importance of creating spaces that are welcoming and supportive for people from all backgrounds.

Her professional experience has been in philanthropy and nonprofits and leading grassroots community-organizing efforts. She is currently the Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion at Northwest Area Foundation, and she’s served on a number of volunteer boards and committees in the Twin Cities. 

Margie has also been an advocate for adoptee justice for over 15 years. In 2011, she helped co-found Network of Politicized Adoptees, an adoptee-led organization that works at the intersection of adoptee rights and social justice.

Atum Azzahir is the Founder and Executive Director for the Cultural Wellness Center. Elder Atum is a Cultural Activist and a teacher of African Thought and Spirituality. She was a member of the Hennepin County Medical Center and Community Campus Partnerships for Health Boards of Directors. Atum has received several awards for her work in Cultural Wellness & Community Health.

Carly Bad Heart Bull (Flandreau Santee Dakota) is Executive Director of Native Ways Federation. She is a dedicated leader who has worked closely with Indigenous nations and communities across the country, including in the Midwest region while at the Bush Foundation.

Carly’s background includes teaching the Dakota language and a practice in law. Some notable achievements include reclaiming the Dakota name for Minneapolis’ largest lake, Bde Maka Ska, being named a Minnesota Attorney of the Year in 2020, and selected as a Community Leadership Network Fellow with W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Carly holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Chanda Smith Baker is a visionary social entrepreneur and community leader with over 25 years of experience driving equity and opportunity through transformative initiatives. She is a force behind efforts centering racial and economic justice.

As the driving force behind the creation of North Market, she reimagined access to healthy food, healthcare, and economic stability. She revitalized North News to amplify community voices and founded Art Is My Weapon to address gun violence through art.

A co-founder of The Black Collective Foundation, Chanda shifts philanthropic resources to Black-led change efforts. Her leadership in consulting, board service, and public speaking advocates for systems change and inclusive leadership, ensuring sustainable investments in community-driven solutions.

Kirstin Burch is the Executive Director of PRG Inc. and leads their efforts to reduce racial disparities in housing and strengthen communities across the Twin Cities.

Kirstin has extensive experience in housing policy, community engagement, and systems change in both the nonprofit and local government sectors. Kirstin is passionate about driving innovative housing solutions and building equitable pathways to homeownership.

She earned her B.A. in Culturally Inclusive Approaches to Economic Advocacy and Leadership from Metropolitan State University and a Leadership in Affordable Housing Certificate from Hamline University.

Toni Carter is a dedicated public servant and community advocate who previously served as a member of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners.

As the first African American to hold this position in Minnesota, Carter demonstrated a strong commitment to efficient county services, addressing disparities, and promoting community engagement. She led significant initiatives such as the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative and advocated for the Central Corridor light-rail transit.

With her prior experience on the Saint Paul Board of Education and involvement in various community boards, Carter has made a lasting impact on her community. Currently, she serves as a Leadership Consultant for Sankofa Leadership Network.

DeAnna Cummings is a distinguished arts leader and community builder, currently serving as the Arts & Culture program director at the McKnight Foundation. She directs over $11 million annually to support Minnesota’s artists and culture bearers, championing their contributions to a vibrant society, and her overall philanthropic work contributes to over $170 million in annual investments towards creating a more just world.

Before McKnight, DeAnna co-founded and led Juxtaposition Arts (JXTA), a North Minneapolis nonprofit established in 1995. Under her leadership, JXTA became a transformative organization, training and employing underestimated youth in art and design. 

She holds a master’s from Harvard and was a DeVos Institute Fellow. DeAnna’s work consistently demonstrates the power of investing in artists, especially those from underrepresented communities, to build an equitable future.

Kelly currently serves as the Executive Director of MIGIZI, a Native youth serving organization whose programs and activities are grounded in Native culture and bring the Indigenous practices of wisdom keepers to the newest generation.

Prior to joining MIGIZI, Kelly served as founding President and CEO of the Tiwahe Foundation for seven years, Tiwahe is an American Indian community foundation which focuses on providing micro grants to American Indian communities, strengthening leadership initiatives and network building. During her 20 years of philanthropy and non-profit work, Kelly has worked with the Jewish Community Foundation, The Family Partnership, Headwaters Foundation for Justice, and New Foundations – a Project for Pride in Living program. Kelly currently serves on the Saint Paul Foundation Community Impact Grants Committee, The Family Partnership Board of Directors and other projects that benefit American Indian Woman and youth. She holds a M.A. degree in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University and a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Minnesota. Kelly currently lives in NE Minneapolis with her husband and two children.

Ambar Cristina Hanson, MPA, Executive Director at Mortenson Family Foundation, moved to Minnesota from the Dominican Republic 27 years ago. She has since dedicated her career to advocating for immigrant communities and communities of color, promoting equal opportunity in education, employment, health, housing, and safety.

Before philanthropy, Ambar served as Chief External Relations Officer at Hiawatha Academies and spent over a decade advocating for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors at Esperanza United and the National Latina Network.

She currently serves as a board trustee for the Minnesota Council of Foundations, Latino Economic Development Center, and Bigelow Foundation. Ambar lives in South Minneapolis with her partner and three children.

See Moua-Leske has been the Program Manager for Southwest Adult Basic Education-Marshall since fall of 2018. Her work has been recognized by the Department of Education – Adult Education Supplemental Services for Racial Equity in Adult Education.

Before joining SW ABE- Marshall, See was an educator in the K-12 school system as a classroom, Special Education, and English Language Learner teacher for 9 years.

Outside of her full-time role, she is an adjunct professor at Southwest Minnesota State University in the English and Education Department and serves as a Council-member for the City of Marshall. See resides in Marshall with her husband, son and two fur babies. When See does have any free time, she loves to get lost in a good book.

Pakou Hang is a community organizer and strategist with over 20 years of experience advancing racial, social, and economic justice. She currently serves as the Vice President of Programs at Northwest Area Foundation. She also consults for the Equitable Food Oriented Development collaborative and the Wallace Center, supporting grassroots food system leaders. Pakou also advises the Growing Justice Fund, strengthening food and farming systems for BIPOC farmers.

Previously, she managed funds for grassroots movements expanding voting rights and economic equity, co-founded Vote Run Lead to train women for office, and established the Hmong American Farmers Association to build intergenerational wealth. Her political work includes roles in major campaigns and policy organizations. Pakou holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and Yale University. She has received numerous honors for her impactful leadership.

Suzanne Koepplinger, a seasoned nonprofit and philanthropic professional, brings over 20 years of experience. Before starting her consulting firm, Catalyst North, she co-created the Catalyst Initiative, launched by the George Family Foundation. 

While leading Catalyst, Suzanne advocated for public investment in non-narcotic pain management and integrative healing, raising over $4 million for initiatives fostering resilience and cultural healing. She also influenced changes in philanthropy, healthcare, education, and government to adopt a whole-person approach.

Previously, Suzanne served for ten years as executive director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, where she led pioneering research and community response to the sex trafficking of American Indian women and girls. Suzanne holds an M.A. from Augsburg University and a B.A. from the University of Idaho. She lives in Minneapolis and serves on the board for Artspace.

Repa has 35+ years of experience in community-based leadership, asset and wealth building, and systems change work. He is recognized locally and nationally as a visionary leader and heads up Nexus’ work with regional and national partners.

Repa sits on a number of boards; is a co-founder of the Black Collective Foundation-MN and the Twin Cities African American Leadership Forum. He also serves as a member of the Nonprofit Quarterly’s Economic Justice Initiative Advisory Committee.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Urban Studies from the University of Wisconsin.

Vayong Moua, BA and MPA, champions racial and health equity through policy and structural changes. His work integrates racial and health equity into governance across sectors and cultural communities, employing cross-cultural power analysis for advocacy and upstream solutions.

An accomplished leader, Moua brings deep experience to the fight for equity. His extensive experience includes COVID-19 equity, tobacco control, healthy food systems, and community design. He spearheaded Blue Cross’ Health in All Policies investment, co-founded the Minnesota Complete Streets Coalition, and helped establish an agency-wide equity policy at the Department of Human Services. He now chairs Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s Health Equity & Public Policy Work Group, leading efforts on Racism as a Public Health Crisis.

A proud Hmong refugee, he and his partner raise their children with a commitment to justice, identity, and community, finding balance outdoors with loved ones.

Kathy Mouacheupao is driven by her passion at the intersection of arts, culture, and community. She is currently the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC).

Prior to MRAC, she managed the Creative Placemaking portfolio with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC TC). She started her career in the arts as Executive Director of the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) where she learned about the power of the arts in fostering social impact and cultural pride. She was recognized as a Roy Wilkins Fellow in 2016 and a Bush Leadership Fellow in 2011.

Kathy actively contributes to boards and task forces dedicated to racial equity, philanthropy, and the arts – including her service as the Chair for the Forum of Regional Arts Councils of MN.

Alexs Pate is President and CEO of Innocent Technologies and creator of the Innocent Classroom. He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written five novels, a children’s book, a book of nonfiction, and has curated numerous literary anthologies. His latest book The Innocent Classroom: Dismantling Racial Bias for Children of Color was published by ASCD (August 2020).

Anita is a dedicated leader currently serving as the Vice President of Grantmaking at the Bush Foundation. In this role, she provides guidance and support to the grantmaking team, ensuring that the foundation’s core grant programs have a meaningful and lasting impact.

With a deep commitment to equity, Anita actively advocates for liberation and justice within the Bush Foundation region and nationally. Her expertise lies in developing programs focused on leadership, equity, and racial justice.

Anita’s exceptional contributions have been recognized through prestigious awards, and she holds degrees from Valparaiso University and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Drawing from her personal experiences growing up in greater Minnesota, Anita firmly believes in the talent and potential across our state.

Marcus Pope, a key figure at Youthprise since its 2011 inception, ascended from Director of Strategic Partnerships to President in 2022.

Nationally recognized in youth development, he shapes workforce policies on the Minneapolis Workforce Development Board and serves on the Andrus Family Fund board.

Marcus holds degrees from the University of Minnesota and a Mini-MBA from the University of St. Thomas. He is currently a Capella Fellow, pursuing a Doctorate in Human Services with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Management.

Rinal Ray, Assistant Commissioner for Housing Stability at Minnesota Housing, leads housing stability grant programs and supportive housing initiatives to prevent homelessness, informed by those directly impacted, providers, and community. 

Previously, she was CEO at People Serving People, addressing family homelessness through shelter, services, and early childhood education, and working to change systems.

Rinal also worked at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and Minnesota Justice Foundation, and was an adjunct faculty member at Metro State. She has a B.A. from Macalester College and a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. A Humphrey Policy Fellow, 2020 Women in Business Honoree, and 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award recipient, Rinal lives in Minneapolis with her family.

Malik Rucker, a fifth-generation Northsider, was born and raised in North Minneapolis. Now serving as Executive Director for V3 Sports, he views his role as deeply meaningful and impactful, aiming to unite the community and offer opportunities for growth and support to young people and families.

Malik joined V3 Sports in March 2020, previously as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement. In that role, he ensured V3 Sports met community needs, providing fitness, water safety and life skills programs, out-of-school time and STEAM options, and a gathering place.

A 2013 Cooper High School graduate, Malik played Division-I football for the University of Iowa and Western Michigan University, earning a Sports Management degree in 2018. He also holds an MBA from the University of North Texas. Malik is honored to lead V3 Sports, with a heart for elevating his community.

Nasibu, has progressed from Business Lender to Chief Financial Officer and now serves as Chief Executive Officer of the African Development Center. He is responsible for strategic, tactical, and operational management, leading programs for African immigrants and refugees. Previously, he worked for Volunteers of America, Cathedral Rock, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Soft-Tech Consulting.

He holds a certificate from the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program at Harvard, a BA in Accounting, and an MBA in accounting. The National Development Council certified him as an Economic Development Finance Professional. He was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage and serves on several Boards of Directors, including MCCD, PPL, MRCC, and AMPLIO’s Advisory Committee. He also served on the boards of Way to Grow and DICOTA, among others.

Nonoko Sato, President and CEO of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN), leads the largest state association for U.S. nonprofits. She directs MCN’s strategy for organizational and sector challenges through public policy, advocacy, educational programming, and research. 

Previously, as MCN’s associate director, she launched BenefitsMN, an association health plan aimed at increasing nonprofit vitality through affordable healthcare access. 

Before MCN, Nonoko was executive director of an organization supporting students in overcoming systemic barriers to college degrees. She serves on the boards of Theater Mu, Carleton College, and Rooted to Last, and is dedicated to enhancing cultural humility, creating inclusive spaces, and ending disparities in power, money, access, and resources.

Mai brings extensive experience in disability rights and advocacy, having worked with organizations like the Minnesota Disability Law Center and various State of Minnesota agencies. 

From 2021-2023, she was a Bush Fellow, focusing on race and disability intersections. Mai is a founding member of Amplify MN, a Disability Justice collective for multi-marginalized disabled individuals, including BIPOC, queer, and trans people. 

She holds a Master’s in Public and Non-Profit Administration from Metropolitan State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Augsburg University. Mai identifies as a disabled Hmong woman. In her free time, she enjoys Star Wars and Marvel, and occasionally bakes elaborate cakes. She lives in St. Paul with her partner, children, two dogs, and a cat.

Sandy Vargas, a consultant and coach since 2019, focuses on racial, social, and economic equity, and executive coaching for senior leaders in public and non-profit sectors. Her diverse clientele includes Ramsey County and LatinoLEAD, among others.

Before her practice, Vargas was President and CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation (2007-2016), one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations. She prioritized connecting the foundation to communities of color and integrating their voices into strategies. She also fostered donor engagement by creating committees and connections to align their charitable interests with the foundation’s work.

Paul Williams, recently retired President and CEO of Project for Pride in Living, Inc., has a rich background in affordable housing, economic development, equity, and organizational governance.

A St. Paul native, he previously served as the city’s Deputy Mayor, where he led initiatives like the creation of the CWS Ballpark, supported Green Line Construction, and launched the city’s equity framework.

Williams also spearheaded community development investments for LISC and spent a decade in philanthropy with organizations like the St. Paul/Minnesota Community Foundation and the Minneapolis Foundation. He chairs the board of HealthPartners, Inc., serves on the boards of Destination Medical Center and the Itasca Project, and is Deputy-Chair of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve. He is a graduate of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and St. John’s University.