This group, composed of leaders of the largest community institutions, meets quarterly and provides key leadership to Northfield Promise. Champions are committed to using their “organizational muscle” to advocate for Northfield Promise and access resources to help achieve Action Team plans.

• Erin Bailey, Northfield Public Schools Community Services Director
• Jane Bartho, Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce Interim President
• Carrie Carroll, Northfield Shares, Executive Director
• Elizabeth Child, Rice County Area United Way, Director
• Krista Danner, Northfield Area Family YMCA Executive Director
• Natalie Draper, Northfield Public Library Director
• Gretchen Ehresmann, WINGS Board
• Mark Elliott, Northfield Police Chief
• Kris Estenson, St. Olaf College Piper Center for Vocation and Career Associate Director
• Sandi Gerdes, Laura Baker Services Association Executive Director
• Claudia Gonzalez-George, Northfield Public Schools, School Board Chair
• Clarice Grabau, Northfield City Council
• Matt Hillmann, Northfield Public Schools Superintendent
• Ben Martig, City of Northfield City Administrator
• Rev. Rachel McIver Morey, Northfield Area Interfaith Association
• Rhonda Pownell, City of Northfield Mayor
• Deb Purfeerst, Rice County Public Health Director
• Christine Sammon – Rice County Child and Family Services Manager
• Kristin Stets, Northfield Promise Connectedness Action Team Co-Chair
• Simon Tyler, Prairie Creek Community School Director
• Steve Underdahl, Northfield Hospital & Clinics Chief Executive Officer
• Scott Wopata, Community Action Center Executive Director

This group is composed of committed community partners, HCI board members and the chairs of the Action Teams. The committee oversees day-to-day efforts, assists with framework development, leads communications efforts and recruits members and stakeholders.

• Erin Bailey, Northfield Public Schools Community Services Director
• Carrie Duba, Northfield Public Schools, PreK-12 Systems and Instructional Coach, Northfield Public Schools
• Mark Ensrud, Northfield High School Guidance Counselor
• Kris Estenson, St. Olaf College Piper Center for Vocation and Career Associate Director (Steering Committee Chair)
• Meleah Follen, Healthy Community Initiative Youth Engagement Coordinator
• Candace Godfrey, Northfield Promise Student Services Coordinator
• Hope Langston, Northfield Public Schools  Director of Instructional Services
• Sandy Malecha, Healthy Community Initiative, Interim Executive Director
• Rachel Matney, Accelerate Northfield Co-founder
• Connie Nelson, Retired Northfield Public Schools teacher
• Kristin Stets, Northfield Promise Connectedness Action Team Co-Chair
• Laura Turek, Healthy Community Initiative, Public Health Initiatives Director

• Tammy Anderson, Senior Assistant to the VP/Dean of Students, Carleton College
• Jane Bartho, Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce Interim President
• Jennyffer Barrientos, Growing Up Healthy Director, Mobile Home Rehabilitation Coordinator
• Erin Bailey, Northfield Public Schools Community Services Director
• Stacy Brumfield, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator at Workforce Development, Inc.
• Nate Carlson, City of Northfield Economic Development Coordinator
• Carrie Carroll, Northfield Shares, Executive Director
• Elizabeth Child, Rice County Area United Way, Director
• Natalie Draper, Northfield Public Library Director
• Gretchen Ehresmann, WINGS Board
• Mark Elliott, Northfield Police Chief
• Kristine Estenson, St. Olaf College Piper Center for Vocation and Career Associate Director
• Meleah Follen, Healthy Community Initiative Youth Engagement Coordinator
• Sara Folsted, Rice County Administrator
• Veronica Gamino, Community Advocate, Community Action Center
• Natalie Ginter, Allina Health Community Engagement Leader
• Sandi Gerdes, Laura Baker Services Association Executive Director
• Candace Godfrey, Northfield Promise Student Services Coordinator
• Claudia Gonzalez-George, Northfield Public Schools, School Board Chair
• Clarice Grenier Grabau, Northfield City Council
• Melissa Hanson, City of Northfield Housing Coordinator
• Matt Hillmann, Northfield Public Schools Superintendent
• Risi Karim, City of Northfield Assistant to the City Administrator
• Carolyn Livingston Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students at Carleton College
• Jenny Larson, Executive Director of Three Rivers Community Action
• Galen Malecha, Rice County Board of Commissioners
• Ben Martig, City of Northfield City Administrator
• Nalani McCutcheon, Senior Director Healthy Community Initiative 
• Mike Melstad, Northfield Area Family YMCA Interim Executive Director
• Hassel A Morrison, Vice President for Student Life St. Olaf College
• Rev. Rachel McIver Morey, Northfield Area Interfaith Association
• Jeff Mutz, Director of Human Resources/Education at Northfield Hospital + Clinics
  Sandy Malecha, Healthy Community Initiative, Interim Executive Director
• Michelle Mahowald, City of Northfield Communications & Human Resources Director 
• Pastor Michael Mandsager, Pastor-Chaplain/Director of Spiritual Care, Northfield Retirement Community
• Dayna Norvold, Executive Director of Rice County Habitat for Humanity
• Rhonda Pownell, City of Northfield Mayor 
• Kimberly Purscell, Outreach Specialist, Workforce Development, Inc
• Deb Purfeerst, Rice County Public Health Director
• Jake Reilly, City of Northfield Community Development Director
• Christine Sammon, Rice County Child and Family Services Manager
• Kristin Stets, Northfield Promise Connectedness Action Team Co-Chair 
• Jennifer Tonko, Clean River Partners Executive Director 
• Laura Turek, Healthy Community Initiative, Public Health Initiatives Director
• Simon Tyler, Prairie Creek Community School Director
• Steve Underdahl, Northfield Hospital + Clinics Chief Executive Officer
• Mar Valdecantos, Director of Rice County Neighbors United
• Joy Watson, Director Of Housing, Rice County HRA 
• Scott Wopata, Community Action Center Executive Director

Action Teams are composed of individuals or institutions interested in the Action Team’s focus area. Each team is charged with developing a plan to help see community change in 1 or 2 of the Northfield Promise benchmarks.

Active Action Teams include:

• Ready for Kindergarten
• Reading
• Career and College Readiness
• Social-Emotional Action Team

Teams are open to anyone who is interested in being involved. Contact us to learn more and sign up!

Data Team members have expertise in evaluation and data analysis. They work with the Action Teams to review and analyze data to assist each team’s work. Data Team members also help compile data for the annual Northfield Promise Report to the Community.

Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) serves as the backbone for Northfield Promise, providing the staff support for Northfield Promise. For a list of HCI Board members and staff, visit here