Moving to St. Paul from Nebraska in the late 80s, Deputy Chief of Staff at Office of Governor Tim Walz, and YWCA board member Kristin Beckmann used to think YWCA St. Paul was just a fitness club. It wasn’t until her work as Deputy Mayor of St. Paul with former Mayor Chris Coleman that she […]
Category: Spotlights
Board Spotlight: Barb Tretheway
Retirement for some means slowing down to enjoy life without work. For others, like YWCA St. Paul Board Member Barb Tretheway, retirement is just the next step in your career. The former Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Health Partners now serves on four boards of directors in the Twin Cities and Portland, Maine. […]
YW Board Spotlight: Angela Burns Finney
Creating opportunities and shaping communities where people can thrive is the mantra Angela Burns Finney lives by daily. A St. Paul native, Finney was raised in the Rondo community where she was infused with a generational legacy in community service. It is this legacy and the collective voices of mentors that guide her decisions of […]
Anika Ward – Board Spotlight
Leadership has been a theme throughout board member Anika Ward’s entire life. Her desire to constantly reimagine (and redesign) what is possible is at the core of her work, which is why she started Sankofa Leadership Network.
Mara Ascheman – Board Spotlight
After years swimming in YW’s pool, Mara Ascheman joined our board and regularly leads Xcel Energy Day of Service volunteer projects to give back to her community.
Tina Grant – YW Spotlight Profile
A self-described ‘child of St. Paul,’ Tina Grant grew up mere blocks from the YWCA St. Paul. But it wasn’t until a colleague invited her to a YW fundraiser in 2012, that she began to really understand the scope of YW’s work. Having served on the Board since 2013, Tina continues to be impressed by the work YW does.
Alison Lehman – Spotlight Profile
Timing is everything. Alison Lehman was in the midst of co-founding a women’s group at Securian Financial and seeking volunteer opportunities, when she was connected to YWCA St. Paul.
Cassandra Yarbrough – YWCA St. Paul Spotlight Profile
As a community-oriented professional, Cassandra Yarbrough’s board service is one way she could meaningfully give back and make a real difference.
Julie Guggemos – Targeting Ways to Help the Community
Julie Guggemos’ mom instilled in her an appreciation for how important family support services like those offered by YWCA St. Paul can be to a young family. “I’m really impressed with how the YWCA provides housing to women and families, offering stability and safety. Securing safe housing freed my mom to find employment as a […]
A Historian Looks to the Future – Yohuru Williams Profile
Dr. Yohuru Williams, YWCA St. Paul’s Board Chair takes a straightforward approach to allocating his time. “Part of my calculation is to ask, where is the greatest need and where can I have the greatest impact? Where I allocate my time is influenced by where I can create ripples—ripples that amplify the work that’s already being done.”