OUR STRUCTURE

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Using the essential components of the StriveTogether model, Austin Aspires structure is intentionally designed for broad community participation, engagement and leadership. Each of the components of the structure play an essential role in ensuring growth toward our mission and vision. These essential parts include:
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  • Board of Directors
  • The Leadership Table
  • Partner Organizations
  • Collaborative Action Networks (CANs)
  • Youth Advisory Council
board of directors
  • Shelley King – President
  • Thad Kusick- Vice President
  • Jill Hart – Secretary
  • Jill Andrews – Treasurer
  • Sherri Dankert – Director
  • Varinh Van Vugt– Director
The leadership table
The Leadership Table group is comprised of leaders from all walks in our community. These individuals are committed to using their “organizational muscle” to champion collective impact, provide shared vision for Austin Aspires, and foster sustainability in our organization.
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  • Gema Alvarado-Guerrero, Parenting Resource Center, Executive Director
  • Dr. Adenuga Atewologun, Riverland Community College, President
  • Diane Baker, YMCA-Austin Community Rec Center, CEO
  • Dr. Mark Ciota, Mayo Clinic Health System Austin-Albert Lea, CEO
  • Tom Compton, Austin Education Association, President
  • Gail Dennison, Hormel Institute, Director of Development and Public Relations
  • Jeff Ettinger, The Hormel Foundation, Chair
  • Britt Fossum, HyVee Foods, Store Director
  • Elaine Hansen, Austin Chamber of Commerce, President
  • Trish Harren, Mower County, County Administrator
  • David Krenz, Austin Public Schools, Superintendent
  • Molly Lanke, United Way, Interim Executive Director
  • Jean McDermott, Pacelli Catholic Schools, President/Elementary Principal
  • David McKichan, Austin Police Department, Chief of Police
  • Jim Snee, Hormel Foods, Chairman of the Board, President, CEO
  • Tom Stiehm, City of Austin, Mayor
  • Paul Solomon, Welcome Center, Executive Director
  • Dale Wicks, QPP, Human Resource Recruiting and Hiring Specialist
Partner organizations
Our partner organization play a key role in doing the essential work of collective impact. They provide their time, treasurers, and talents to ensure we are working towards educational excellence from cradle to career.
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Education Partners
  • Austin Public Schools
  • Pacelli Catholic Schools
  • Riverland Community College
  • Minnesota Department of Education
Funding Partners
  • Hormel Foods
  • Mayo Clinic Health System Austin-Albert Lea
  • The Hormel Foundation
Community Partners
  • Austin Area Arts Center
  • Austin Education Association
  • Austin Human Rights Commission
  • Austin Police Department
  • Austin Public Library
  • Catherwood Childcare Center
  • The Chamber of Commerce
  • City of Austin
  • Head Start
  • The Hormel Institute
  • HyVee Foods
  • Math Masters
  • Mower Refreshed
  • Parenting Resource Center
  • QPP
  • Science Fair Mentoring Project
  • United Way of Mower County
  • Wee Learning Childcare and Preschool Center
  • Welcome Center
  • Workforce Development Center
  • YMCA at Austin Community Recreation Center
Collaborative Action Networks
Our Collaborative Action Networks (CANs) is where some of our most important work happens! Individuals from our collaborative partners and the community come together to develop strategy around one focus area. Using community data, these teams identify ways to leverage existing assets to eliminate locally defined disparities. Some real heavy lifting happens in these groups, and we are always welcoming new members to the table!

Our current CANs include:
  • Early Literacy
  • Achieving Academic Potential at the HS Level
CANs are open to all who are interested! Contact us to learn more and get started today!
 
Early Literacy CAN Members
  • Arielle Anderson, Pacelli Catholic Schools, Kindergarten Teacher
  • Diane Baker, YMCA, CEO
  • Amy Baskin, Community Member
  • Kristi Beckman, Austin Public Schools, Integration Coordinator
  • Mindy Bogle, Austin Public Schools, Paraprofessional at Woodson
  • Steph Bonjour, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at CLC
  • Ashley Dennison, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at Woodson
  • Sean Daugherty, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at Woodson
  • Gretchen Erickson, Readers’ Café Summer Reading Program, Organizer
  • Allie Gerhart, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at Sumner Elementary
  • Amy Goette, Austin Public Schools, Teacher/ECFE Coordinator
  • Jora Bothunz, Austin Aspires, Early Childhood Navigator
  • Katie Keller, Austin Public Schools, Instructional Coach at Woodson
  • Jennifer Lawhead, Austin Public Schools, Community Education Director
  • Jess Lind, Austin Public Library, Youth Librarian
  • Jean McDermott, Pacelli Catholic Schools, President/Elementary Principal
  • Lynsey O’Donnell, Wee Learning Center, Director/Teacher
  • MaKayla Oxley, Austin Aspires, Early Childhood Navigator
  • Kim Potter, Austin Public Schools, B3 Special Ed at CLC
  • Jill Rollie, Austin Public Schools, Principal at Woodson
  • Karem Ramirez, United Way of Mower County,
  • Dan Thiner, Parenting Resource Center, Parent Educator
  • David Wolff, Austin Public Schools, Principal at Neveln Elementary
 
Achieving Academic Potential at the High School Level CAN Members
  • Diane Baker, YMCA, CEO
  • Sheri Dankert, The Hormel Foundation, CPA
  • LeeAnn Ettinger, Austin Aspires, Board Member
  • Edwina Harder, Austin Public Schools, Principal on Special Assignment
  • Dr. Ted Hinchcliffe, The Hormel Institute, Leader of Cellular Dynamics Research Section
  • David Krenz, Austin Public Schools, Superintendent
  • Andrea Malo, Austin Public Schools, Principal at Austin High School
  • Jean McDermott, Pacelli Catholic Schools, President/Elementary School Principal
  • Patty Mueller, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at Austin High School
  • Kris Olson, Austin Public Library, Library Assistant/Volunteer Coordinator
  • Mike Postma, Workforce Development Center, Career Planner and Placement Specialist
  • Bill Spitzer, Austin Positive Action Coalition, Coordinator
  • Shandi Taylor, Austin Public Schools, Teacher at Austin High School
  • Dan Thiner, Parenting Resource Center, Parent Educator
Youth advisory council
This body will play an important role in ensuring the student voice is heard. This group plans to begin meeting in the fall of 2022. If you are an individual living in Austin, between the ages of 16-23, we would love to have your voice at our table! We will meet at locations and times selected by the group. Looking for youth that are looking to get involved to positively affect education in our community! If that is you, please contact us to learn more!
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Austin aspires staff
Thank you for being an engaged partner in our community -- you help make this a community where residents can live, learn, work and play. Strong schools and families also make this a great community and your support helps to ensure we maintain our high quality schools while accommodating our growing student population and providing a quality environment for our kids to learn.
“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals.” 
​– Jean Vanier
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