Staff & Board
Leadership
Anna M. Wasescha, Ph.D.
President
Dent, MN anna@wcif.org
Business & Economic Development
Greg Wagner, AICP
Director of Business & Economic Development
Fergus Falls, MN greg@wcif.org
Kate Mudge
Business Development Officer
Ashby, MN kate@wcif.org
Phil Hintz
Loan Officer
Fergus Falls, MN phil@wcif.org
Mark Kaelke
Community Planner
Underwood, MN mark@wcif.org
Deb Hegseth
Loan Specialist
Fergus Falls, MN deb@wcif.org
Communications
Sarah Casey
Director of Strategic Communications
Fergus Falls, MN sarah@wcif.org
Dana Anderson
Communications Officer
Wahpeton, ND dana.anderson@wcif.org
Ashley Quam
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Battle Lake, MN ashley@wcif.org
Development
Rebecca Lynn Petersen
Director of Development
Fergus Falls, MN rebecca@wcif.org
Samantha VanWechel-Meyer
Community Philanthropy Officer
Fergus Falls, MN samantha@wcif.org
Camille Pearson Walz
Development Officer
Maple Plain, MN camille@wcif.org
Amanda Quam
Grants Officer
Battle Lake, MN amanda.quam@wcif.org
Heather Weber
Development Specialist
Rothsay, MN heather@wcif.org
Rick Schara
Corporate Generosity Liaison
Fergus Falls, MN rick.schara@wcif.org
Early Childhood
Nancy Jost
Director of Early Childhood
Fergus Falls, MN nancy@wcif.org
Marsha Erickson
Early Childhood Specialist
Dalton, MN marsha.erickson@wcif.org
Finance & Accounting
Curtis Klotz
Fractional Chief Financial Officer
Minneapolis, MN curt@divergefinance.com
Kathy Nordick
Senior Accounting Manager
Rothsay, MN kathy@wcif.org
Deb Raasch
Accountant
Alexandria, MN deb.raasch@wcif.org
Organization and Operations
Jill Amundson
Impact Evaluator
Ashby, MN jill@wcif.org
Celeste Koppe
Rural Initiatives Strategist
Detroit Lakes, MN celeste@wcif.org
Lisa Turner
Executive Assistant to the President
St. Paul, MN lisa@wcif.org
Cedar Walters
Climate Officer
Fergus Falls, MN cedar@wcif.org
April Rog
Climate Officer
Minneapolis, MN april@wcif.org
Transportation Planning
Wayne T. Hurley, AICP, LCI
Director of Transportation Planning
Fergus Falls, MN wayne@wcif.org
Mallory Jarvi
Transportation Planner
Fergus Falls, MN mallory@wcif.org
West Central Initiative Board of Directors
Economic Development District Board of Directors
Aaliyah Helland
2023 -2024 Minnesota GreenCorps Member
aaliyah.helland@wcif.org
Brogan Ludwig
2023-2024 American Connection Corp Member
brogan.ludwig@wcif.org
John Runningen
2024 AmeriCorps Fellow
john@wcif.org
Mallory Jarvi
2020 Minnesota GreenCorps Member
mallory@wcif.org