MinnCAP Recognizes Community Action Leaders with Awards at Conference
Congratulations Minnesota CCAP Class of 2023!
* Gail Beckman, CCAP: KOOTASCA Community Action
* Amanda Busse, CCAP: Wright County Community Action
* Joe Burhite, CCAP: Lakes and Pines Community Action Council
* Meagan Hernandez, CCAP: MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership
* Jennifer Soule, CCAP: MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action Partnership
* Jonathan Marchand, CCAP: United Community Action Partnership
* Sierra Mcfaline, CCAP: Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership
* Sharon Millner, CCAP: Northwest Community Action
* Annie Shapiro, CCAP: MinnCAP
* Marcel Urman, CCAP: MN DHS - Office of Economic Opportunity
Congratulations 25 Year Honorees!
Deb Iwen
Home Base Teacher
MAHUBE-OTWA
Deb’s work experience was in the social services field before joining MAHUBE-OTWA. She joined Head Start to proactively work with families on upward mobility and self-sufficiency. She works as a Home Base Teacher and 25 years later it continues to be her dream job.
Julie Keocher-Wiener
Lead Home Visitor
Lakes and Pines CAC, Inc.
Julie began her career with Lakes and Pines in 1998 in the Early Childhood and Family Development Department as a Home Visitor Trainee. In 1999, Julie was promoted to Home Visitor. As a result of her hard work and dedication another well deserved promotion came again in 2020 bringing her to her
current position as a Lead Home Visitor. Julie is known for her enthusiasm, positive attitude and never ending energy. Julie focuses on family strengths and continues to build on those strengths throughout her work with each family. Thank you for your 25 years of "Gold Stars".
Jody Loher
Head Start Supervisor
West Central MN Communities Action
Jody Loher has provided 25 years of exceptional service, impacting West
Central Minnesota Communities Action Inc. and the Head Start program. From her role as a Head Start Family Education Specialist at the Morris Area Child Care Center in Morris, MN, to her position as a Head Start and Early Head Start Supervisor in Pope, Stevens, and Traverse Counties, Jody has demonstrated unwavering dedication as a preschool teacher and family
advocate. Her passion for Parent Family and Community Engagement,
including father involvement and support for the WCMCA Head Start Policy Council, has been instrumental in enhancing early childhood education and
empowering families.
Lynn Panitzke
Head Start Teacher
United Community Action Partnership, Inc.
As a Head Start Teacher, Lynn is responsible for planning, preparing and
teaching center days that include an organized series of experiences that align with the Head Start curricula. She also evaluates children’s progress, basing program planning and individualization on child outcomes data with the goal of improving children’s readiness for school. She has developed and maintained a system that ensures all component areas are integrated within the program. She is required to complete record-keeping, child assessments, communication, case notes, data collection and other participant documentation as required.
Debra Wege
Head Start Assistant Director
Scott Carver Dakota CAP Agency
Deb has worked with community action programs for more than 25 years. She began her work in community action at the Tri-Valley Opportunity Migrant Head Start program. She worked during the summer with Tri-Valley from 1988 to 1990, and continued her work with Tri-Valley from 1993 to 1999, and from 2001 to 2007. She had many roles during her time at Tri-Valley,
beginning as a Head Start Family Advocate and ending her time there as a
Social Services Manager. Deb continued her journey working with community action programs at the Scott Carver Dakota CAP Agency. She has worked with the CAP Agency for 17 years, from 1999-2001 and then again in 2008 until now. She began her work as a Head Start Family Service Coordinator and is currently the Head Start Assistant Director. Deb is also currently serving on the board of directors for the Head Start Region V Association and the
National Head Start Association. Deb is a valuable part of our CAP Agency team and has provided many years of service to community action and the Head Start program.
Michelle Wilkowski, CCAP
Head Start Director
MAHUBE-OTWA
As a licensed pre-K teacher, Michelle began her career as an Early Head Start Home Visitor, transitioned to a Head Start classroom Teacher, and then a Head Start Coordinator. After spending several years in program management, Michelle became Head Start Director in 2018 and earned her CCAP.
Amanda Robinson
Head Start Teacher
United Community Action Partnership, Inc.
As a Head Start Teacher, Amanda is responsible for planning, preparing and teaching center days that include an organized series of experiences that align with the Head Start curricula. She also evaluates children’s progress, basing program planning and individualization on child outcomes data with the goal of improving children’s readiness for school. She has developed and maintained a system that ensures all component areas are integrated within the program. She is required to complete record-keeping, child assessments, communication, case notes, data collection and other participant documentation as required.
Linda Rupp
Energy Assistance Program Service Specialist
West Central MN Communities Action
Linda has worked at WCMCA for 25 years. Linda’s many years of service are a true testimony of her dedication to the organization, our mission and Energy Program. Linda continues providing compassionate work to our communities served at WCMCA. Her humility, generosity and kindness are a constant source of motivation and inspiration. Linda’s dedication and work ethics are admirable. Thank you, Linda, for all that you do for our communities and WCMCA. We appreciate you!
Nancy Sosebee
Cook
Semcac
Nancy has been a cook at a Semcac senior dining site during her 25 year career. Now, as Nancy begins to look toward to retirement, she is remaining with the program until a new cook is hired to ensure seniors continue to receive their meals after she is gone.
Jennifer Soule, CCAP
Family Services Manager
MAHUBE-OTWA
Jen started her career as a licensed Toddler Teacher before transitioning to a Combo Teacher. She enjoyed several years as a Combo Teacher before
transitioning to Head Start Coordinator and then Program Manager where she passionately serves our Head Start families.
Britta Swenson
Teacher Assistant
Bi-County Action Program
Britta Swenson started her employment on 08/16/1998, and has been a great employee at BI-CAP. Britta shared the following when asked about her
experiences. “In my years with Bi-CAP’s Head Start program, I have held
several different roles from Family Service to teacher to even substitute bus driver! Each one has been rewarding in its own way. As I look back on my time, I realize maybe my greatest accomplishments are not the biggest obstacles
overcome, but rather the simple successes celebrated in the everyday life. While the big obstacles overcome are rewarding, it’s the simple day to day
accomplishments that are most rewarding for me and have kept me in Head Start as long as it has. In our classroom, I find accomplishment when we
understand classroom rules and responsibilities. I find accomplishment when we share… share in conversation, share toys, share a meal, share a smile, share a laugh. I find accomplishment when we take turns, use our words, ask for help, listen to others, have patience, lend a helping hand. My greatest
accomplishment I find is when we truly know what it means to be a friend.
Lisa Arenas
Child Care Assistance Case Worker
Anoka County Community Action Program, Inc.
Lisa has been with ACCAP since March 12th, 1998, on a pilot program to
combine Resource & Referral with Child Care Assistance. She works on teams with Income Maintenance and Employment Services with the County to help families that may need a little extra help with paperwork, job search and
obtaining required verifications. Lisa serves as a mentor case worker to new staff to train them in on having a caseload. While Lisa has always carried a high
caseload, she continues to be very accurate in her work to help clients avoid overpayments, and her error ratio is less than 1%. Lisa volunteered to be on a team that put together a training packet just for self-employment to assist in determining income. Lisa has been a great resource for new staff that have many questions about the CCAP program. She is always very patient and
knowledgeable about the rules and logistics of the MEC program. She has spent her 25 years with ACCAP dedicated to helping families and children in need.
Emily Celley
Chief Financial Officer
Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency
Emily began working in the Fiscal division of AEOA in 1998 as an Accountant/Auditor. Prior to AEOA, Emily obtained a BS in Accounting from Bemidji State College and gained fiscal experience at other companies before joining the AEOA team. For the past 25 years Emily has been an asset to the agency. Throughout her tenure with the agency, she has progressed through fiscal
positions which has led to her current job as the CFO! Along with her calming presence, Emily is dedicated, conscientious, efficient, and talented. She is a very valued employee and extremely loyal to the agency and its mission. AEOA is honored to have such a hardworking, dedicated, and caring employee.
Congratulations CALI Class of 2023!
* Alice Meyer, MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action
* Amanda Seehusen, United Community Action Partnership
* Andy Vue, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties
* April Cargo, MAHUBE-OTWA Community Action
* Beverly Scarver, Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties
* Danika Schwein, Minnesota Valley Action Council
* Elizabeth Granlund, Inter-County Community Council
* Jennifer Matteson, Anoka County Community Action Program
* Jennifer Michel, Lakes and Prairies Community Action Partnership
* Jessica Unkelhaeuser, Lakes and Pines Community Action Council
* Joann Covarrubias, Three Rivers Community Action
* Mark Tefrey, United Community Action Partnership
* Mohammed Alghamdi, Lakes and Pines Community Action Council
* Vanessa Isaacs, Lakes and Pines Community Action Council