Staff

CEO
kredepenning@mnyouth.net
651.724.7221

Kori is responsible for directing all activities of Minnesota Alliance With Youth and works in partnership with the Board of Directors, staff, and other key stakeholders to develop and implement the Alliance’s strategic direction, work plans, and the financial and human resources required to fulfill the Alliance’s mission and goals. In addition, Kori is responsible for day to day operations, including resource and program management, communications, personnel oversight, partnership development, and budgeting/finances. She provides vision and direction for the Alliance’s values-driven work with Minnesota youth and those who serve them. Kori transitioned to the role of CEO in November of 2017, most recently serving as the Chief Strategy Officer. Prior to her time at the Alliance, Kori spent six years serving as the Director of the Massachusetts Promise Fellowship, at Northeastern University in Boston. She is also a proud AmeriCorps alumnus. Born and raised in Minnesota, Kori graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a BA in Entrepreneurship. Kori also holds an MBA from Northeastern University, with a concentration in marketing and entrepreneurship. Kori recently served as a 2015-2016 Policy Fellow at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. In her free time, Kori loves hanging out with her 14 nieces and nephews, and spending time with her son and wife.

AmeriCorps Promise Fellow Leader
sbarott@mnyouth.net

Sarah is a Promise Fellow Leader at the Alliance. She grew up in Northern Minnesota, and went to Bemidji State University. Sarah graduated with a B.S. in History and a M.A. in English with an emphasis on gender and medieval studies. She taught Composition and Argument/Exposition at Bemidji State for three years while obtaining her graduate degree, worked on student senate, and at various bookstores. After moving down to The Cities, she served a year at Inver Grove High School as a Promise Fellow and decided to serve again this year with The Alliance to help build the Promise Fellow communities and provide resources. Sarah loves reading medieval literature, reading romance novels, reading… well, pretty much anything, and hanging out with her daughter.

Compliance and Program Coordinator
bbenson@mnyouth.net
651.340.0758

Bette is a proud AmeriCorps alumna, having served with the Alliance as both a Promise Fellow and VISTA Leader. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a B.A. in Political Science, International Studies and Latin American Studies. Her interest in working in the non-profit sector was sparked through her studies which focused predominantly on economic development and its ties to public policy. In her free time, Bette likes to cuddle with her two cats, train for her next half marathon, listen to podcasts, and is on the hunt for the best burger in the Twin Cities (hint: it's Blue Door Pub).

Strategic Partnerships & Recruitment Manager
cberget@mnyouth.net
651.587.0531

Christina joins the Alliance with years of experience in youth-oriented employee recruitment/training and partnership cultivation. Most recently, she worked as the Education Director for a non-profit youth arts organization, where she designed programming, orchestrated training and hiring efforts, and managed school district and community partnerships. She has also worked in donor relations at St. Olaf College, and as the Camp Manager for Hidden Pines Ranch, a day camp located in Stillwater. She holds a B.A. in Human Resource Psychology from St. Olaf College. Christina enjoys traveling with her “adventure buddies,” exploring the Twin Cities theater scene, and is very passionate about finding the best chips and salsa in Minnesota.

Youth Policy Manager
bboelter@mnyouth.net

Bailey joined Minnesota Alliance With Youth in August 2016 with a position in collaboration with our friends across the hall, Minnesota Education Equity Partnership. As Youth Policy Manager, she focuses on the Solutions Not Suspensions Committee and building student voice at the state legislature through the Minnesota Youth Council’s Policy Committee. Bailey served 2 years as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, with Children’s Defense Fund-MN and the Minnesota Youth Council. Originally planning to be a history and geography teacher, Bailey’s plans changed while studying at UW-Eau Claire and going on the school’s Civil Rights Pilgrimage. Bailey hopes to attend graduate school at Humphrey School of Public Affairs someday and is the slowest coffee drinker you’ll ever meet.

Youth Education Partnerships Coordinator
bbrooks@mnyouth.net

Brandon, an AmeriCorps Public Allies alumni, supports the Education Committee of the Minnesota Youth Council. During his AmeriCorps term of service with Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, he supported the Solutions Not Suspensions Coalition as they centered youth voice in conversations around school climate and discipline. Brandon is currently enrolled at University of Minnesota, anticipating his Bachelors in Sociology and African & African American Studies. Brandon plans to attend graduate school with hopes of becoming a Sociology professor. When he's not studying, you can find him cooking, playing video games, watching documentaries, or napping.

Programming Intern
cbyrd@mnyouth.net

Clayton is a recent graduate of Augsburg University, with a degree in Sociology. As a student at Augsburg University he served in many leadership roles. He has enjoyed success being a part of the football team’s leadership council and team captain. Apart from athletics, Clayton has been involved in the Minneapolis Public School System and volunteering and getting field experience in urban education settings. He is also involved in creating the Byrd Family Scholarship, which is awarded to high performing students of color at Centennial High School who promote cultural diversity and social justice. With a passion for education, equality, and social justice, Clayton hopes to pursue a career in the education department, specifically in urban high schools.

GradMinnesota AmeriCorps VISTA
ccasey@mnyouth.net

Colin graduated from Macalester College, earning a degree in philosophy with an emphasis on politics and law. He now serves as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with GradMinnesota. Colin loves visiting his grandmother in Stillwater, going on runs, and cooking.

Office Coordinator
mfleck@mnyouth.net
651.528.8589

Maria is the Office Coordinator for the Alliance, and is responsible for managing the front desk and supporting the office team and Board of Directors. She received her B.A.s in Psychology and Philosophy from the University of Minnesota - Morris (or as she likes to call it, the little “school” on the prairie). Maria has been in the administrative field for eight years, and has worked for Global Minnesota, Seward Community Co-op and the University of Minnesota-Morris. Maria enjoys long walks through the public library stacks, trying to find pasta that is as good as her mom’s (she’s Italian, so the standards are high), and walking outside as much as possible in hope that there are dogs to pet.

STEP-UP Intern
bforsman@mnyouth.net

Bryan is from Minneapolis, and has served on the Minnesota Youth Council for the past two years (2016-2018). Bryan spends a lot of time playing video games, as he "finds something magnificent in somebody’s ability to create a gorgeous and rich universe." He is very interested in rap music and spends the majority of his time with his grandfather. During his STEP-UP Internship, he hopes to make connections with many new people, as well as do as much work as he can to help out at the Alliance, supporting the Minnesota Youth Council.

GradMinnesota Director
agoffe@mnyouth.net

Born in Jamaica, Alexis grew up in a family of educators and lawyers who shaped his passion for human rights. He has spent his entire professional career working with youth and families in various educational settings, most recently serving as Dean of Students at Paladin Career and Technical High School. Both in Minnesota and Jamaica, Alexis has been an advocate at the grassroots and policy levels. In Jamaica, he established an interdisciplinary task force focused on child rights and presented in front of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. At the Alliance, he oversees GradMinnesota, an initiative between the Alliance, the Office of the Governor and the Minnesota Department of Education aiming to increase Minnesota’s high school graduation rate. Alexis is a graduate of Macalester College and the University of St. Thomas. Alexis is a son, husband, djembe drummer and circle keeper.

Training Manager
rgreenwalt@mnyouth.net

Rachel grew up in Brainerd, MN and moved down to Minneapolis in 2010 to start her first year of service as an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. She served two years as a Promise Fellow and then was hired on at her host site, the Minneapolis American Indian Center (MAIC), where she subsequently became a Promise Fellow Supervisor. She worked at MAIC up through 2018 as a Youth Activity Coordinator and Tobacco Prevention Coordinator. She joined the Alliance team in February 2018 and brings with her a deep love for youth work and a passion for seeing youth succeed. Rachel is an iced coffee enthusiast, proud (perhaps obsessive) dog owner, and a lover of all things musical. She loves that Minnesota is home but she is always dreaming of her next big travel adventure.

Alliance VISTA Leader
shartzell@mnyouth.net

Sam is a graduate from Goucher College, Baltimore having earned his B.A. in International Relations and Philosophy. He was inspired to serve as a Promise Fellow and VISTA by his experiences as a tutor and mentor to youth in Baltimore. In his free time, Sam enjoys swing dancing, making a floury-mess of his kitchen while baking, and zooming around the Twin Cities on his trusty bike.

Strategy Intern
aphearman@mnyouth.net

Anna Phearman is a rising senior at Luther College who is pursuing a degree in Political Science. She first came into contact with the Alliance through her involvement in the Minnesota Youth Council from 2013- 2015. Her time in the MYC had a significant and lasting positive impact on her life and was a large part of what prompted her interest in politics. At Luther, Anna has founded an inter-disciplinary group on campus aiming to foster women’s leadership and Luther Platform, a chapter of the national organization that works to educate and empower women in politics. Anna is passionate about disability rights, youth voice in politics, and intersectional feminism. When she’s not getting overly excited about politics, she can be found canoeing, playing with her dog, or searching for the world’s best waffles.

Director of Development & Communications
ksuchomel@mnyouth.net
651.587.1085

Kate spearheads the development and communications activities at the Alliance, securing funding from a wide base of donors and aligning communications, media and advocacy to actively engage supporters. Before joining the Alliance team, Kate managed the development and community outreach programs at Women’s Advocates, Inc., the first domestic violence shelter in the nation. Kate serves as president of the board of Kulture Klub Collaborative and enjoys gardening, playing soccer and exploring her Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood with her husband and two sons.

National Service Director
sullmer@mnyouth.net
612.554.6019

Sarah is a 2000 graduate of Macalester College, and has worked for the past decade in youth and community development at local, statewide, and national levels. Having begun her career at YouthCARE/Camp Sunrise, her paths have since included working with youth and adults to organize community gardens with GardenWorks, teaching environmental education at Wolf Ridge Environmental Center, and facilitating trainings on service-learning and youth engagement from Minnesota to Qatar. She also has studied and practiced massage therapy and is currently pursuing certification as a life coach. She believes deeply in the power of people to create change for good in the world, and looks forward to fresh tomatoes and basil in the summer and sliding on frozen lake ice in the winter. She is proud to call Minnesota home, but sometimes — as a Colorado native — gets lost looking for the mountains.

AmeriCorps Promise Fellow- Minnesota Youth Council
kvance@mnyouth.net

Kullyn is a recent graduate from St. Olaf College having earned a B.A. in Political Science and Religion. She now serves as the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow for the Minnesota Youth Council. In her free time, Kullyn likes to hike, bake, and spend time with her dog Jubee.

Director of Training & Evaluation
nwiggs@mnyouth.net
612.599.6021

Noam joins the Alliance team after spending the last five years supporting youth in the Twin Cities. After graduating the University of Minnesota, he taught math for Minneapolis Public Schools. That path brought him to Breakthough, an educational nonprofit that provides academic enrichment programming to under resourced students. After serving as the Curriculum and Instruction Director for two Breakthrough nonprofits, Noam completed his Masters in Math Education. In his spare time, he is an avid cyclist and enjoys the year-round outdoor adventures that Minnesota has to offer. He also enjoys spending time exploring the Twin Cities with his wife and pug.

Chief Practice Officer
kyang@mnyouth.net
651.529.2013

Kita oversees the HR functions at the Alliance. She manages staff hiring, benefits, and work that supports the organizational culture. She supports the Board Governance committee and provides oversight in tracking Alliance-wide goals and outcomes. Kita is an Americorps VISTA alum and has over 15 years of experience working in HR. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family. Their favorite things to do include watching movies, playing board games, and scouring the Twin Cities food scene for delicious French fries.

Director of Training & Member Support
kyoung@mnyouth.net
651.272.7959

Kathy joined the Alliance staff in September and brings a wealth of past experience, including STEP-UP Work Readiness Trainer at AchieveMpls, Research Assistant at American University and Program Coordinator at Washington State Employment Security Department. At the Washington State Employment Security Department, Kathy managed a statewide AmeriCorps program that provided youth employment and training. Kathy is a proud alumna of both AmeriCorps Washington Service Corps and AmeriCorps VISTA. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from American University School of Public Affairs and a Certificate in Nonprofit and National Service Management from the University of Washington, Evans School of Public Affairs. Kathy enjoys exploring the great outdoors, especially the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Business Manager
hzelmer@mnyouth.net
651.528.8584

Hannah, a graduate of St. Olaf College, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Dance, and participated in the Great Conversation program, studying the evolution of literacy and artistic expression, philosophic thought, religious belief, and the sciences of human behavior from the ancient into the modern world. At the Alliance she manages grant compliance, assists the finance department, and supports the Promise Fellow initiative. When not organizing or cataloging, she is often romping through nature, exploring the cities for new treasures, or spending time reading favorite books.