Our Team

  • Sarah is standing outdoors on a sunny day. She has shoulder length brown hair and is smiling.

    Sarah Casey

    Director of Strategic Communications

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Sarah
  • Marsha Erickson stands in tall grass smiling. She's wearing a brown dress with blue flowers. It is a sunny day.

    Marsha Erickson

    Early Childhood Specialist

    Dalton, MN

    Contact Marsha

  • Trevor Gervais

    Chief Financial Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Trevor
  • Deb Hegseth

    Deb Hegseth

    Loan Specialist

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Deb
  • Greta is standing outside in front of a green tree on a sunny day. She has blonde hair and is wearing a white blouse. She is smiling at the camera.

    Greta Hentges

    Marketing and Communications Specialist

    Morris, MN

    Contact Greta
  • Phil is standing outside on a winter day. He is wearing a neutral color sweater and has his arms crossed in front of his chest. Phil is wearing glasses, has a beard, and is smiling.

    Phil Hintz

    Loan Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Phil
  • Wayne Hurley

    Wayne T. Hurley, AICP, LCI

    Director of Transportation Planning

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Wayne
  • Justin is smiling. He's wearing brown round glasses and a blue and white plaid shirt. He stands in front of a green tree on a sunny day.

    Justin R. Moen

    Rural Democracy Network Coordinator

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Justin
  • Bianca Newell

    Bianca Newell

    Transportation and Sustainability Planner

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Bianca
  • Kathy Nordick stands in tall yellow grass. She is smiling. She has short blond hair and is wearing glasses and a pink shirt.

    Kathy Nordick

    Senior Accounting Manager

    Rothsay, MN

    Contact Kathy
  • Camille is smiling with long brown hair. She is wearing a white shirt and black blazer. She is standing in front of a green tree.

    Camille Pearson Walz

    Development & Philanthropic Services Officer

    Maple Plain, MN

    Contact Camille
  • Griffin stands outside with their arm on a railing. They have shoulder-length brown hair. They are wearing a grey polo shirt and clear glasses. They are smiling.

    Griffin Peck

    Energy and Adaptation Planner

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Griffin
  • Rebecca Lynn Petersen stands in tall grass on a summer day smiling. She is wearing glasses and a bright blue scarf.

    Rebecca Lynn Petersen

    Director of Development & Philanthropic Services

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Rebecca
  • Ashley Quam stands in tall grass smiling. She has brown hair and is wearing a blue blazer.

    Ashley Quam

    Marketing & Communications Officer

    Battle Lake, MN

    Contact Ashley
  • Amanda is standing in front of evergreen trees. She is smiling and wearing a green shirt and green scarf.

    Amanda Quam

    Grants Officer

    Battle Lake, MN

    Contact Amanda
  • Typhanie Schafer

    Typhanie Schafer

    Office Administrator

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Typhanie
  • Rick sits outside on a sunny day. He is wearing a white short sleeve button-up shirt with a blue abstract pattern. He is wearing glasses and smiling.

    Rick Schara

    Community Engagement Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Rick
  • Ben Schierer is wearing a navy blue suit, light blue shirt, and orange tie. He is standing in front of green trees and smiling.

    Ben Schierer

    Director of Civic Partnerships

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Ben
  • Lisa Turner is looking at the camera and smiling. She has bright red hair and is wearing a mulitcolored dress that has a black background. Lisa is standing in front of trees with green leaves.

    Lisa Turner

    Executive Assistant to the President & Board Liaison

    Minneapolis, MN

    Contact Lisa
  • Sam is standing outside on a sunny day. There is long grass around her. She has long brown hair. She is wearing a blue blazer and green glasses. She is smiling.

    Samantha VanWechel-Meyer

    Community Philanthropy Officer

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Samantha
  • Greg stands outside on a sunny day. There is a tree behind him. He is smiling at the camera and is wearing a light colored button down shirt.

    Greg Wagner, AICP

    Director of Business & Economic Development

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Greg
  • Cedar leans agains a birch tree with green leaves on a sunny day. She has shoulder length brown hair. She is wearing a blue short sleeve dress with a white pattern and glasses. She is smiling.

    Cedar Walters

    Senior Director of Community Programs

    Fergus Falls, MN

    Contact Cedar
  • Anna Wasescha smiles outdoors in front of greenery.

    Anna M. Wasescha, Ph.D.

    President

    Dent, MN

    Contact Anna
  • Heather Weber

    Heather Weber

    Salesforce Administrator & IT Coordinator

    Rothsay, MN

    Contact Heather

West Central Initiative Board of Directors

  • Laura has short brown hair and is wearing a pink cardigan and gray shirt. She is standing in front a tree with green leaves and is smiling.

    Laura J. Busian Schmidt

    Attorney, Schmidt Law & Consulting

  • Ryan Rooney stands outside on a snowy day. He is smiling. He is wearing a blue quarter-zip sweater and glasses. He has short salt-and-pepper hair.

    Ryan Rooney

    Energy Services and Business Development Manager, Runestone Electric Association

  • David Schornack

    David Schornack

    Director of Sales, Arvig Enterprises

  • Michele is wearing a bright red shirt. She has brown hair and is smiling. She is standing in front of a tree with green leaves.

    Shelly Staebler

    Coordinator, Traverse County Social Services

    Traverse County

  • Trina Starker has long brown hair and is wearing a floral shirt. She is smiling and standing in front of a green tree.

    Trina Starker

    Minnewaska Area School District

  • Lisa is standing outside on a winter day. She is wearing a royal blue cardigan and a black button up shirt. She has short light hair and is wearing glasses. She is facing the camera and smiling.

    Lisa Tillotson

    Senior Director of Centralized Sales and Operations, Forum Communications Company

  • Tyler Wirth

    Tyler Wirth

    Founder, FamilCare

Economic Development District Board of Directors

  • Jackie is standing outside on a winter day. She is wearing a back blazer and black turtle neck. She has short red hair. Jackie is facing the camera and smiling.

    Jackie Buboltz

    Detroit Lakes City Council Member

  • West-Central-Initiative

    Jonathan Green

    Wilkin County Commissioner

  • Anthony Hicks

    Anthony Hicks

    Mayor of Fergus Falls

  • West-Central-Initiative

    Jerry Johnson

    Browns Valley City Council Member

  • Paul Krabbenhoft

    Paul Krabbenhoft

    Clay County Commissioner

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    Bill LaValley

    Grant County Commissioner

  • Patricia is wearing a bright green shirt. She is standing in front of a brick wall and smiling.

    Patricia Lesmeister Nelson

    Stevens County Commissioner

  • Chad is standing outside in front of a tree. It is a sunny day. He is wearing glasses and a white shirt. He is smiling.

    Chad Metz

    Traverse County Commissioner

  • David Meyer

    David Meyer

    Becker County Commissioner

  • West-Central-Initiative

    Charlie Meyer

    Douglas County Commissioner

  • Emily Moore

    Emily Moore

    Moorhead City Council Member

  • Kurt is wearing glasses, a blue shirt, and a blue jacket. He is standing in front of a green tree and smiling.

    Kurt Mortenson 

    Otter Tail County Commissioner

  • West-Central-Initiative

    Bobbie Osterberg

    Mayor of Alexandria

  • Paul is kneeling in front of green cattails. Paul is wearing a dark green shirt and has a long white beard.

    Paul Wildman

    Pope County Commissioner

  • Kevin Wohlers

    Kevin Wohlers

    Mayor of Morris

  • Ryan Masog

    Ryan Masog

    Minnesota GreenCorps Member 2026-2027

    Contact Ryan
  • Isabel is smiling at the camera. She has brown hair and is wearing a white sweater.

    Isabel Fynboh

    Summer 2026 Digital Marketing & Brand Strategy Fellow

    Contact Isabel
  • Olivia stands outside on a summer day. She is smiling. She has blonde hair and is wearing a blue, white, and green striped shirt.

    Olivia Daniels

    Summer 2024 Climate Resilience Fellow & Summer 2026 Active Transportation & Environmental Change Fellow

    Contact
  • Jack Butler

    Jack Butler

    2025-2026 Minnesota GreenCorps Member

    Contact Jack
  • Aaliyah is standing amongst the branches of a tree, smiling. She is wearing overalls, a white shirt, glasses, and a black headband.

    Aaliyah Helland

    2023-2024 & 2024-2025 Minnesota GreenCorps Member

    Contact
  • John is standing in a wooded area on a spring day. He is wearing a white polo shirt, baseball hat, and glasses. He has a brown beard and is smiling.

    John Runningen

    2024 AmeriCorps Fellow

    Contact
  • Brogan is a young man with light brown hair. He is wearing a light color button up shirt and standing in front of green trees. He is smiling.

    Brogan Ludwig

    2023-2024 American Connection Corp Member

    Contact
  • Benjamin Velani has dark short hair and a short beard. He is wearing glasses, and a blue and white checked button-down shirt. He is leaning against a tree and smiling.

    Ben Velani

    2022-2023 Lead for America Climate Fellow – AmeriCorps

    Contact
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    Kallan Sandahl

    2021-2022 Minnesota GreenCorps Member

    Contact
  • Mallory Jarvi

    Mallory Jarvi

    2020 Minnesota GreenCorps Member

    Contact
  • Bjoern Vonderecken

    Björn von der Ecken

    2026 Energy Engineering Intern

  • Fares Obeid

    Ahmed “Fares” Obeid

    2026 Energy Engineering Intern

  • Roman Piper sitting in a field.

    Roman Piper

    2026 GIS & Data Analysis Project Intern

  • Zoe Graham

    Zoe Graham

    Fall 2025 Development Intern

  • Olivia Daniels

    Olivia Daniels

    Summer 2025 Transportation and Sustainability Intern

  • Isabel is smiling at the camera. She has brown hair and is wearing a white sweater.

    Isabel Fynboh

    Summer 2025 Marketing & Communications Intern

  • Tobias Buening

    Tobias Buening

    2025 Energy Engineering Intern

  • Magnus Holtmann

    Magnus Holtmann

    2025 Energy Engineering Intern

  • Stella Wilton

    Stella Wilton

    Summer 2024 Communications Intern

  • Greta Hentges

    Summer 2023 & 2024 Communications Intern

  • Aubrey Wookey

    Aubrey Wookey

    Summer 2022 Communications Intern

  • Yaiza Kinney

    2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern

  • Julia Dempsey

    Julia Dempsey

    2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern

  • Manzili Kokayi

    Manzili Kokayi

    2021-2022 Climate Action Project Intern

  • Ashley Quam

    Ashley Quam

    Summer 2020 & 2021 Marketing Intern

  • Reid Peterson headshot

    Reid Peterson

    Summer 2020 Sustainable Development Goals Intern