Board & Staff

Our Board of Directors sets the strategic direction and ensures strong governance and management of the Minnesota Valley Trust. Our staff is the team that gets the work done in collaboration with the Refuge and other partners. You can join us. Find paid internships, apprenticeships, and job opportunities.

STAFF MEMBERS

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Mary Bren, Finance Director

Mary Bren joined the Minnesota Valley Trust in 2002 with responsibility for all accounting and financial reporting functions. As the Trust’s work expanded, Mary became Finance Director in 2016 and the Trust engaged an accounting firm to manage payroll and assist with other monthly accounting functions. For nearly fifty years, Mary has provided accounting services to many Twin Cities nonprofit organizations.
Mary is committed to community-based programs and believes good accounting and financial management supports and empowers nonprofits to achieve their goals. The Trust’s investments and land acquisitions have offered Mary unique accounting experiences not often found in small nonprofit organizations.
A proud grandmother of two young men, Mary enjoys plants and community activities.

Christopher Dunham, Community Engagement Manager

As a passionate advocate for conservation and community involvement, Christopher is thrilled to serve as Community Engagement Manager for the Minnesota Valley Trust and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. In this role, he aims to cultivate deeper connections between our organizations and the community, fostering a shared vision for environmental stewardship. By actively engaging with local residents, existing and new Refuge partners, and the next generation of conservation professionals, Christopher strives to create a vibrant network committed to preserving and protecting our natural resources. He looks forward to forging lasting partnerships, inspiring collective action, and promoting the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge as an asset for all in our community.
Christopher received his BS in Outdoor Education from Northland College. Prior to becoming Community Engagement Manager in June 2023, Christopher served as our Internship Coordinator and played a vital role in creating and expanding the “Mentoring the Next Generation of Conservation Professionals” program at the Refuge and Trust. When not exploring the waterways of Minnesota, Christopher can be found at his St. Paul home with his fiancée Maia and their dog Louie.

Elaine Larabee, Business Manager

Elaine Larabee is a finance professional who has partnered with individuals, small businesses and nonprofit organizations to help them achieve their long-term strategic goals. She has over 30 years’ experience in a variety of areas including tax, accounting and payroll.
Elaine was twice elected to the Eden Prairie School Board and served for five years as Chair of the Board. She currently serves as a board member and volunteer of several local non-profits organizations.
Elaine holds a BA in Business from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and an MBA from Augsburg University. In her spare time she likes to travel and spend time with her family.

Neal Feeken, Executive Director

With more than 25 years of conservation experience, Neal Feeken brings his passion for on-the-ground results and organizational management to the Minnesota Valley Trust as its Executive Director. Prior to the Trust, his recent experience included 15 years leading the Protect Lands & Waters Strategy for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. While at TNC, Neal also was asked to serve in several interim roles, including as the Director of Conservation for the Texas Chapter and as Director for the Land Protection Program in MN/ND/SD.
Prior to TNC, Neal served as the Assistant Central Regional Director for the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation based in Minneapolis. Early career experiences include several years as the District Manager for the Watonwan and Chisago Soil & Water Conservation Districts.
Neal has a B.S. degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Science from South Dakota State University and a M.A. in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University in St. Paul. He and his wife Jennifer live in Bloomington and enjoy easy and frequent access to the Refuge’s Bloomington Ferry Unit.

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Matthew McClanahan, Habitat & Wildlife Biologist

Since he joined the Trust in 2020, Matt McClanahan has been designing and implementing habitat restoration and enhancement projects for lands acquired by the Trust, as well as on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Wetland Management District in partnership with USFWS staff. Matt is frequently in the field leading and training our crew from the Conservation Corps Minnesota – Iowa crew. Matt received a BS in Rangeland Conservation from Brigham Young University and MS in Waterfowl Conservation from The University of Tennessee. Prior to working for the Trust, he was a private lands biologist in northwest Iowa for four years.
Though a native of North Carolina, Matt is an avid prairie, savanna, and wetland enthusiast who loves the thrill and challenge of restoring native habitats. Matt and his wife Michelle enjoy exploring the outdoors with their daughters, Adeline and Brielle, and they absolutely love living in Minnesota. In his spare time, Matt can be found waterfowl and pheasant hunting and fly-fishing.

Matthew Millett, GIS Specialist & Project Manager

Matt Millett has worked at the Trust since 2015, producing hundreds of maps, maintaining vast databases of geospatial information, and spearheading various projects for both the Trust and partners at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Matt has a strong commitment to land conservation and believes it is important to preserve natural places for future generations. He earned a BS in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and MA in Geography from the University of Oregon.
In addition to working for the Trust, Matt teaches Geographic Information System (GIS), as well as Human and Physical Geography at Twin Cities area universities and community colleges. A (nearly) lifelong Minnesotan, Matt lives in St. Paul with his wife, children, dogs and cats.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Wolf, President

John Wolf is an avid outdoors person who enjoys hunting, fishing and motorcycling along with many other interests. He is a retired Captain of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office after a 28 year career. John is active in several sporting clubs and the Scott - Le Sueur Waterfowlers organization. He also is a member of Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
John is a Minnesota Firearms Safety instructor and also sits on the Le Sueur County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment. He has one son and daughter-in-law. John and his recently-retired wife of 34 years are now enjoying exploring our great country.

Lois Norrgard, Treasurer

Lois Norrgard has been in the environmental advocacy field for over 20 years. Her present position is with Alaska Wilderness League as the National Field Organizer. In this role she supports members and volunteers across the country who wish to use their passion for wild Alaska to take meaningful action to help protect these special places. Previously, Lois worked as the regional Organizer for American Lands Alliance, focusing on federal forest protection, and advocated for Audubon Minnesota at the state level for policies to protect birds and other wildlife habitats.
Lois holds a number of positions on various boards and committees for partner organizations focused on climate change, conservation policy and land preservation in Minnesota. Before moving to the environmental field, Lois owned a business with five partners, Spectra Images Inc., a presentation graphics service bureau in downtown Minneapolis.

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Kari Lynn Anderson

Kari Anderson is an independent consultant who is passionate about helping nonprofits thrive. Her skills include program direction and management, building innovative collaborations, public speaking, staff and board training, and philanthropic advising. Her diverse career has included leadership roles at a private nonprofit foundation, a public nonprofit supporting immigrants and refugees, retail sales, and over 15 years in the wealth management sector.
Kari received her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Russian Area Studies from Augsburg University and her Masters of Public Affairs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. She is an avid outdoors person and active community volunteer. Kari and her spouse enjoy biking, rock and ice climbing, Nordic and alpine skiing, kayaking, hiking, and camping. She plays rhythm guitar in a band that writes and performs original songs about science and nature.
Volunteerism for Kari has included serving as a hurricane disaster volunteer with the American Red Cross, serving as a medical mission volunteer in Vietnam, establishing an English as a Second Language program at the Center for Victims of Torture, and holding numerous volunteer positions with the Harrison Neighborhood Association in North Minneapolis.

James Ische

Jim Ische has lived on his family's farm in rural Carver County his entire life. In addition to farming, Jim was elected to and served on the Carver County Board of Commissioners for 24 years (1996 through 2020). In that capacity, he also represented the county on a number of committees, including the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board Executive Committee, the Carver County Planning Commission, the Association of Minnesota Counties Board of Directors, the Mosquito Control District and the Carver County Fair Board. Prior to being elected to the Carver County Board, Jim served on the Hancock Township Board for 13 years.
Jim is a graduate of Central High School in Norwood. He and his wife, Pam, have been married 47 years.

Thia Xiong

Thia Xiong is a first-generation, Hmong American who was born and raised in Mni Sota Makoce. She received her English BA from Metropolitan State University and her Master of Arts in Natural Science and Environmental Education from Hamline University.
Thia was the first Community Outreach Apprentice with the Minnesota Valley Trust on the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. She is now working as the Conservation Program Manager at Urban Roots, a nonprofit partner of the Refuge. Thia’s work centers youth experiences and community through creativity and art, exploration and understanding sense of place, with emphasis on Indigenous narratives and cultural story sharing in relationship to land.
Outside of work, Thia is an avid hiker and has visited every state park in Minnesota. She is also an artist and photographer, enjoys planning and going on adventures, and loves being a full-time dog mom.

Paige Winebarger

Paige Winebarger had a 33-year career in law and banking, which she combined with her passion for conservation as a volunteer. She served Marquette Bancshares for 18 years and retired as its Senior VP and General Counsel. Before joining Marquette, Paige served as Deputy Commissioner of Banks for the State of Minnesota and spent over 12 years in the legal department of the Federal Reserve System’s Board of Governors in Washington, DC.
In retirement, Paige has served in numerous board leadership roles in the conservation community, including ten years as a trustee and board chair of the Minnesota Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. She has received gubernatorial appointments to serve on the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, Minnesota Forest Resources Council, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Board, and the Board of Water and Soil Resources. Paige and her late husband, Robert Teetshorn, were founding board members of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. She continues to serve on WRC’s board, as well as other corporate and nonprofit boards.
A native of Lynchburg, Virginia, Paige has lived in Minnesota for 42 years. She resides in Bloomington.

INTERNS & APPRENTICES

Oliver Cygan, Environmental Education Teaching Intern

Oliver Cygan was born and raised in south Minneapolis. He moved north to get his BA in Communications from the University of Minnesota - Duluth. After graduating in the spring of 2020, he joined AmeriCorps NCCC, a community service organization, where he worked and traveled with a team of young adults. During his internship with Minnesota Valley, he hopes to gain valuable experience that will allow him to continue to work in conservation. Outside of work, Oliver enjoys making art, cooking and sudoku puzzles.
Samantha Harden, Environmental Education Teaching Intern

Samantha (Sam) moved to Minnesota from Maine in September for the Teaching Internship opportunity on the Refuge. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in Environmental Planning and Policy. She also played competitive tennis. Sam has been working with children for over ten years and feels working for the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a great opportunity to develop her professional teaching skills.
Teagan Oxley-Hase, Environmental Education Teaching Intern

Teagan is originally from southeastern Wisconsin, near Milwaukee, but moved to Minnesota for college. She graduated in May 2021 from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and loved it here so much that she decided to stay. She now lives with several of her friends and their two cats. In her free time, she enjoys doing cross-stitch and writing.
Joann Wu, Environmental Education Teaching Intern

Joann grew up in Crystal, MN and attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities to study Conservation Biology. She became interested in environmental education when she saw how fun it was to answer questions about the natural world and handle nontraditional animals like cockroaches, snakes and tarantulas as an interpretive guide at the Bell Museum.
Dana Duran, Conservation Biology Apprentice

Dana grew up in the Twin Cities area and has always had a passion for learning about and being around animals. Many of her early experiences were spent at the Minnesota Zoo, where she volunteered with zoo camps. She attended the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities where she obtained a degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior and a minor in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. Through both academic and volunteer experiences, she quickly developed an affinity for birds and has since enjoyed both birdwatching and volunteering with captive birds whenever she can.
Prior to starting her apprenticeship with the Trust and Refuge in January 2022, Dana served with Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa, where she gained valuable skills in habitat restoration and developed a deep admiration for prairie ecosystems. She is looking forward to learning about the different habitat types present in the refuge and helping to restore and conserve land for all of the living entities that call the Refuge home.
Theresa Garrison, Conservation Biology Apprentice

Starting in 2022 as one of the Conservation Biology Apprentices, Theresa will be assisting USFWS staff on ecosystem management and habitat projects within the Refuge and Wetland Management Districts. Prior to starting with the Trust, Theresa earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with emphasis on Forest and Natural Resource Management as well as Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. During her time in college, she had internship opportunities with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and USDA Forest Service.
Born and raised in Tampa FL, Theresa spent all childhood summers in Minnesota with close family. Her fascination and admiration towards the environment started at a young age exploring the area around her home in Florida and cabin in Minnesota. When not out doing field work, Theresa likes to go fishing. She also enjoys acrylic landscape paintings, kayaking, gardening, and decorative baking.
Melisa Rodriguez, Visitor Services Apprentice

Melisa Rodriguez graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a degree in Bachelor of Science degree in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Initially, Melisa gained experience as a wildlife field technician where she surveyed deer, insects and birds. Next, she wanted to expand her communication skills and took a year of service as a MN GreenCorps member focused on community outreach. At her host site with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Get the Lead Out program, Melisa enjoyed creating resources and reaching out to community members on the impact of lead fishing tackle on the Common Loon. She is excited to learn more about the strategies of engaging the community to the Refuge through this apprenticeship.
Melisa is a native Minnesotan and has a cockatiel named Jasper. She enjoys birding, crafting and hanging out with her niece.
Mary Yang, Community Outreach Apprentice

Mary jump started her career in the environmental field during high school as a member of the Mississippi River Green Team. She learned early on she was passionate about conservation and education. Mary has explored opportunities through different organizations, including working with the National Park Service as a River Fellow Educator where she learned to stern a voyageur canoe carrying ten individuals and provide interpretation about the Mississippi River and the history behind it. Her pathway then led her to work with Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge as a Biology Intern.
In 2019, Mary gained experience in road structure and city planning as a Transportation Maintenance Repairs Intern with the City of Minneapolis. In 2021, she returned to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board as a Research Assistant, working in community outreach and master planning.
Mary is excited to bring her skills and experience back to Minnesota Valley in her new role as the Community Outreach Apprentice. She hopes to create partnerships between the public and nature so that friends and family will continue to protect and support wildlife.

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Are you a landowner?

If you own land and want to learn more about selling or donating to us, contact info@mnvalleytrust.org or 952-207-0247. Or read our Frequently Asked Questions.

Our Partners

The Minnesota Valley Trust thanks its funding partners that help us employ interns and apprentices, as well as acquire and restore land for the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge & Wetland Management District.