Leadership in the Valley Alumni Alliance

I am a registered nurse and the owner of Smart Start Childcare and Learning Center. At Smart Start I have combined my love for family, my connection with children and my interest in health and wellness to create a unique childcare center that focuses on quality through safety, education and health and wellness. I live in Stillwater with my husband, Ryan, and two daughters, Taylor and Jordan.

Robin serves as the President of the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce where she began in 2016. Prior to that she worked twelve years in local and state government, 8 years in global consulting, and 6 years as a small business owner building a business from the ground up. She is a self-starter and team-player fostering collaboration, ability to multi-task, and to successfully work in fast-paced organizations. She has a passion for the community and has lived in Stillwater for over 33 years. Robin has two children and two grandchildren. 

With a degree in Marketing and Communications from the College of Saint Catherine and over 10 years’ experience in client focused, service and administrative positions; I thrive in high-pressure, fast paced environments. I support honesty, dependability, communication and community at the center of all my work. It is always my goal to work hard and always continue learning, while upholding myself to a high ethical standard. Outside of work I am a creative, artsy, outgoing individual and mother of three. Both individually and as a family I volunteer my time in the efforts of feeding the homeless and ending diseases. Seasonally; I sing Second Soprano with the River City Chorale. 

When I moved to the Valley to go to SAHS, I had no idea how living here would impact my life. I came to find that this place and the people who lived here were my community. I developed life long friendships from my time at SAHS. I left the Valley in 2003. Although there were times of temporarily moving back here, I did not return to live here permanently until 2010 when I found a job at DiaSorin, Inc. When this happened, I came back to the community I called home and started my eldest son into the Stillwater School system at Withrow Elementary. Now both of my sons are in the Stillwater school system (Rutherford and Stillwater Middle School) and the schools continue to astonish me with their high quality staff and constant opportunity. The Valley is the place I live, work, shop, promote, entertain, play, you name it!

Jen Bertsch is a teacher, speaker and creator of LeadWell Academy where she coaches business owners and senior leaders to develop a culture of empowered leaders where people thrive. 

Lindsay Briggs DC, RN earned her doctorate of chiropractic from Northwestern Health Sciences University and a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from the College of St. Scholastica. She has worked in the health care field for 18 years starting as a paramedic, then RN, and now doctor. During that time she has served 12 years the military. She served in both the Army Reserve, as a combat medic and Air Force Reserve, as a flight medic. That service included two overseas deployments, one in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and one in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Dr. Lindsay Briggs is also blessed to have a supportive husband and two children, a 13 year old daughter and 14 year old son.

My name is Holly Corbid and I am the founder and owner of Capture Your Photos, where we help families celebrate life, tell stories and touch hearts with their photo and video collections by helping them to organize, preserve and share their lifetime of memories. I believe photos are a powerful force in building relationships and love helping families connect, while bringing the peace of mind that comes with knowing their memories are safe.
 

Alex is an experienced Operations Manager and Event Coordinator with a demonstrated history of working in the Hospitality Management Industry. He currently serves as the General Manager of the Historic Water Street Inn.
He is also skilled in nonprofit organizations, event management, fundraising, and volunteer management through his work supporting The Zephyr Theatre, Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, Discover Stillwater (CVB), United Way of Washington County East, Knights of Columbus co. 1632 and the American Cancer Society. 

I have been a lifelong resident of Stillwater and enjoy living in the St. Croix Valley area.  I have been a Police Officer for Stillwater for close to 30 years and I have had many different assignments and job responsibilities during my career.  My wife Debbie is a RN for Stillwater Medical Group and we have two adult children. 

Outside of work I like mountain biking, exercising, hunting and spending time with family and friends.
 

It is rare for someone in the 21st century to possess the natural qualities of the Heldentenor voice that is reminiscent of the golden age of opera. Obed Floan has been hailed as having a voice "with unforced power, purity of tone, and all the vocal bloom of youth" and possessing a "genuine helden sound" (Wagner Society of Ohio) and sang "Nothung! Nothung! from Wagner's Siegfried in a voice of spun gold" (Brooklyn Daily Eagle).

Floan is also a 2015 winner of The Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition - Wagner Division which resulted in Floan's Carnegie Hall Debut in April 2015.

Shawn Glaser was born and raised in Stillwater, Minnesota where he continues to live today with his family. December of 2006 graduated from UW-River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Finance emphasis. He started work at First State Bank and Trust as a part time teller while going to college in 2004 where he continues to work to this day as the Bank Services Director. He has served on several non-profit boards including the Bayport Public Library Foundation, Halos of the St Croix Valley and currently still serves on the Stillwater Public Library Foundation.

Stuart Glaser has been with the Stillwater Fire Department for over 33 years, the last fourteen of which he has served as fire chief. Chief Glaser has extensive emergency response experience through the fire service and as an emergency manager. In addition, Chief Glaser actively represents the City of Stillwater on a number of professional organizations.

Calyssa Hall has worked for many years as a freelance director, stage manager, musician, production coordinator, lighting designer, and technician for professional and community theatres throughout the greater Twin Cities area. She graduated Summa Cum Laude in music and musical theatre from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Ms. Hall has taught drama in the Stillwater Area School District and has directed community education theatre programs in Inver Grove Heights and South St. Paul. In 2013, she founded the company "Only a Dim Image Dessert Theatre" which performed at The Southern Theater, Ritz Theater, and The Music Box Theater in Minneapolis. She then converted the company into a non-profit, where she currently serves as Executive Director for The Zephyr Theatre, a professional production company in Stillwater, Minnesota.

Joe and his wife, Stephanie, and their 4 children live in Lake Elmo. Joe grew up in the East Metro and chose to move to the greater Stillwater/Lake Elmo area because of the amazing school district and the wonderful community. Joe has been in the United States Marine Corps Reserve since 2007, which has given him the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best leaders one could imagine. Joe currently works for a Managed Security Service Provider that helps small and medium sized business protect their companies by mitigating IT risk and managing their IT infrastructure. When Joe is not working or fulfilling his military obligation, you’ll find him doing one of the following: playing with (or chasing) his kids, playing sand volleyball with his wife, or doing a home project!

Entrepreneur 360 Award Recipient from Entrepreneur Magazine as a technology leader known for innovation and web product development expertise with deep experience in Compliance, Security, Amazon Web Services & Cloud technologies, along with DevOps and Agile methodologies.

Proud to be the communications manager for the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce.  My role at the Chamber allows me to bridge business and community through marketing of our members, mission and events.
At the Chamber, I am also Chair of the Women's Business Bridge, the largest gathering of women in the St. Croix Valley - currently 100+ women business professional members - who connect, learn & grow each month!
I put a creative twist on marketing, branding, and social media, to engage our audience!

I am a Certified Public Accountant and Partner with Forward Accounting. Forward Accounting is a tax and accounting firm with offices in Stillwater, MN, Centuria, WI and Frederic, WI. Our firm provides tax compliance, planning, accounting, bookkeeping and payroll services for both businesses and individuals. Prior to launching Forward Accounting, I worked for two other public accounting firms - Foley Kalseim, Ltd. in Lake Elmo and Grant Thornton, LLP in Minneapolis. Prior to my accounting career, I spent 10 years managing a small specialty sporting goods store in White Bear Lake. Additionally, I am an adjunct faculty member at Metropolitan State University, teaching accounting in the school’s College of Management.

REALTOR in MN and WI, with over 20 years of experience in a variety of related fields such as contract administration, construction, title insurance and portfolio lending. Combined with a passion for sustainable SMART living, natural health, water conservation and indoor air quality I focus on clean conscience real estate consulting.

Carissa has served as the Stillwater Area Public Schools' Community Engagement Manager since 2008. After working as a school communicator in several other school districts she was thrilled to have the opportunity to return to her alma mater and serve her hometown schools. Carissa holds a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Bethel University and a bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She has also earned her accreditation in Public Relations (APR). She lives in Lakeland with her husband, Bryan, and daughter, Emmie.

My wife and I have lived in the Hudson area for over 25 years. We have three children, a daughter (19) and two sons (17 and 13). We have enjoyed much of what the St. Croix River Valley has to offer and look forward to being apart of their continued growth. For the past 4 years, I've been working to establish branch office in Oakdale. I enjoy golfing and traveling with my family.

I completed training and have worked at specialty clinics such as community mental health, neurodevelopmental conditions (FASD, ASD, ADHD, LD, etc.), neurology (brain tumor, genetic syndromes, epilepsy, etc.), and intensive residential care (complex medical, neurodevelopmental, childhood, trauma, etc.).

I was initially licensed in 2010. Since then I have practiced in WI, CA, and MN.

I offer comprehensive pediatric neuropsychology assessment at my specialty private practice in Stillwater, MN.

Jaclyn works as Director of Donor Relations with The Zephyr Theatre. On the heels of more than fifteen years of management experience in the hospitality industry, she began a three year stint with U.S. Bank and quickly rose as a top performing banker, with equally strong overall client satisfaction. Before transitioning careers from U.S. Bank to The Zephyr Theatre, she finished with the highest, company-wide recognition and achievement. Jaclyn has a dual career as a versatile actress in the Twin Cities area. Film, theatre, music and modeling are all part of her artistic career. Dance, in every form, as well as stage combat, improv and martial arts are all ongoing pursuits that help round out her creative interests. 

Bob Manning serves as one of the new Career Pathways Coordinator for Stillwater High School. Until this year, he spent his 26 years in education teaching Global Studies and AP Human Geography in Stillwater. He has lived in Stillwater for 20 years with his wife, Chris (who teaches 2nd grade in Centennial School District), and sons Jack (23), Luke (21) and Joe (17). Bob spent over 15 years as a volunteer hockey and soccer coach in Stillwater and still enjoys watching, maybe as much as he enjoys playing golf. He and Chris are also owners of The Passport Club, a geography enrichment program for elementary and middle schools.

After nearly 15 years of working in nonprofits in Minneapolis and St Paul, I excitedly joined the team at The Partnership Plan in 2019. As the Office Manager, I combine my skills and expertise in the areas of volunteer and program management, grant writing, and data analysis to help fund the extras that make school fun for kids throughout the Stillwater Area School District. My husband and I have lived in Bayport for the past 11 years, just houses away from where he grew up. We have 2 kids who all attend Andersen Elementary school. I currently serve as president of the Bayport Community Action League and am an active volunteer with the Andersen Parent Group, the St Croix Valley Athletic Association and Bridge to Books.

 was born and raised in Woodbury, Minnesota where I graduated from East Ridge High School. I went on to attend the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, where I graduated with a B.S in Environmental Public Health. I've been working in the Valley for over 5 years now with DiaSorin. Previously I had spent 18 months in Seattle, Washington working as an EHS Manager. I enjoy hiking, fishing, and playing sports as well as spending time with my family and friends.

Lori Mueller is a Human Resources leader, passionate about employee engagement and development.  She has a Master's Degree in HR from Concordia University and is the Senior Director of HR Operations for LabConnect. Lori was a graduate of the inaugural LITV Program in 2020, and is honored to serve on the Steering Committee, currently as the Chair of the program.

Vianney Nguyen is the Youth Evangelization and Discipleship Coordinator at the churches of St. Mary's and St. Michael's in Stillwater, MN. Originally from Rochester, MN, he is the oldest of four and his parents work at the Mayo Clinic. Vianney studied at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona, MN from 2014-2015, then left and finished his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at St. Mary's University of Minnesota. He accepted the position in Stillwater after graduating from college and is beginning his third year of ministry this fall. Vianney lives in New Brighton, MN. He plays piano and vocals for In the Name Worship band, playing various gigs around the Twin Cities area. In his free time, he enjoys playing disc golf, volleyball, and racquetball. He also enjoys exploring coffee shops and breweries in the Metro area with his friends.

Ashley O'Neill is Stillwater local, along with with her husband, Dan, daughter, Josie, and Bernese Mountain Dog, Oakley. Ashley is the Vice President, Operations, of O'Neill Electric Inc. which her and her husband opened in March 2016, as well as an employee of The Croix Group, LLC., an office rental company in Stillwater. Ashley served as a Board of Director member for the Women's Business Bridge, the Volunteer Coordinator and Board Member for the Stillwater Lights project, and other various volunteer roles in the Chamber of Commerce. She also had the great honor of being nominated in 2019 at the Women's Business Bridge "Business Woman of the Year." Outside of running their business, time is spent raising their toddler, spending time with Family and Friends.

Dan O'Neill was born and raised in Scandia, MN, where his family still lives. He has three three brothers, one older and two younger. He now lives in Stillwater with his Wife, Ashley and Daughter, Josie. Dan became an Electrician Apprentice in 2006 and worked for a large contractor out of St. Paul for the majority of his career until he decided to leave that company and start his own Electrical Construction Company, along with his wife Ashley, in 2016. The company is called O’Neill Electric Inc. and operates with eight employees, growing quickly. The intended direction for O’Neill Electric Inc. is to grow into a 100+ employee company that intensely focuses on premium customer service in the Industrial and Commercial service areas, as well as emergency power generation sectors of the industry.

As an attorney and owner of JTO Legal, James works with entrepreneurs starting a business and small business owners growing their business as they proactively navigate risks together. He is also a member of the board at Chesterton Academy of the St. Croix Valley here in Stillwater. James received a B.A. in Comparative Literature: Media Studies from the University of Washington and his J.D. and an M.A. in Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas. He lives in Stillwater with his wife Martha, daughters Gianna and Katerina, and son, Lavrans.

With over 25 years of expertise in Insurance and Financial Services, John acts as President of Ostrowski Insurance Agency located in Stillwater. As an Independent Broker, John is licensed in Minnesota and Wisconsin where he offers products from over 50 insurance companies. Community involvement is a huge passion of John’s, serving on multiple Board of Directors over the past 25 years. John was a member of the Founding Steering Committee and student for the Leadership in the Valley Program. He also supports and volunteers for the Stillwater Area Chamber of Commerce  as well as many organizations in the St Croix Valley. Family is a high priority to John and enjoys his time with his granddaughter. In his free time, John likes spending time hiking, gardening, and traveling with his wife, Shelley.

Liza started at Royal Credit Union in July of 2011. Through her years with Royal she has worked extensively with consumer lending, home equity lines of credit and various account types. In 2017 she was excited to join the Mortgage Loan Team in the Somerset office. Liza understands the complex process of home buying and is dedicated to help create a positive experience throughout the process. Liza grew up in a small town and enjoys being actively involved in her community.

I was born and raised in South Dakota, graduating with my Bachelors Degree in Microbiology from South Dakota State University. I started my healthcare career in the Laboratory at the VA Medical Center in Hot Springs, SD. My leadership journey began to flourish with opportunities to; create and operate a mobile laboratory, develop leadership positions in Quality and Infection Control and finally, advancing to a Healthcare System Leadership position as Chief of Diagnostics Services. After a few years I found myself at Lakeview Hospital where I have the pleasure to lead a highly engaged team in Ancillary Services. My wife, Donnie and I have settled into the St. Croix Valley, enjoying everything it has to offer, from the magic of the St. Croix River to the diversity of the Twin Cities and surrounding communities.

I proudly own La Vie Est Belle, LLC.  La Vie Est Belle is a labor of love as a result of our own journey with our daughter courageously living with a panic disorder that has pivoted our lives.  Our Lake Elmo, MN gift and home decor store is not a financial endeavor, but a human endeavor.  In honor of our beautiful daughter, 20% of our net profits are donated to non-profit organizations raising awareness and transforming care for children and families experiencing a mental health condition.  

My name is Ashli Rode and I am a product manager at DiaSorin. I have worked at DiaSorin for 6 years starting as a product support specialist in 2014 and recently moving into my current role in 2020. I enjoy learning new skills and strongly believe in our company’s mission striving for quality and innovation to support laboratories and physician so they can focus on what matters most, patient care. I grew up in Stillwater, MN and have always felt a strong connection to the community. I am thankful for the support and love of my family, especially my parents and my husband. I have been blessed with two beautiful and strong willed children; Chris (2) and Annmarie (1) who inspire me daily.

I am a life long resident of the city of Stillwater, born and raised. My love for this town has guided me most my life. I have passed up many jobs and other opportunities outside of Stillwater, as part of my loyalty to our town. My wife Jen and I are very adventurous, constantly enjoying the wonderful activities, Stillwater has to offer. I have also spent many hours on the ball fields with my son Carter and daughter Charli. The St. Croix River seems to flow through all of our veins.

Heather Rutledge joined ArtReach St. Croix as Executive Director in October 2011. For the previous ten years, Heather was Assistant Director of Abington Art Center & Sculpture Park in suburban Philadelphia. Heather has also worked with the MidAtlantic Arts Foundation’s Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour Program and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. Heather completed professional development programs in cultural leadership and management with ArtsLab, Indiana School of Philanthropy, The Pew Charitable Trusts and Leadership Philadelphia. She is a resident of Stillwater, MN and a graduate of the University of Iowa. A former dancer, Heather recently joined the board of Franconia Sculpture Park. She also enjoys Tai Chi, bicycling and hiking 

I am a local Independent Insurance Broker with over 17 years experience as an insurance agent.  Specializing in Auto, Home, Life, Business.  I love to meet with people to review their current insurance coverage, explain they benefit from it and make any suggestions to insure all of their needs are met.
I live here in Stillwater with my wife and three daughters. We spend most of our time traveling for volleyball, soccer and softball.
Proud supporter of American Cancer Society's Relay for Life along with Stillwater Pony Athletics.  I am also a member of Stillwater Elks #179.

Annette Sallman is the Director of Community Education for Stillwater Area Public Schools.  She has more than 25 years of experience in education. After joining the Stillwater school district in 2004, Annette served in several roles before assuming the director’s position in 2014.  Although she does not live in Stillwater she considers this her community.  Beyond her work for the school district, she is a board member for United Way Washington County East, serves on the Lakeview Health Foundation Health and Well-Being Advisory Committee and is an active chamber member. 

My name is Todd Scheel Owner of Scheel's Catering & Stillwater Event Center. I truly love what I do and enjoy assisting clients with their special event / celebration.

Samantha is originally from West Central Wisconsin where she grew up on her family's dairy farm. She attended UW-River Falls where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology. After college, she moved to the Twin Cities area and has worked in the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and in-vitro diagnostics industries. Samantha has been employed with DiaSorin, Inc. for over six years. Her current role is as an Operational Excellence Specialist.

 I grew up in the St. Croix River Valley and have always enjoyed the small-town

feel of the Stillwater area, but also appreciate the abundant opportunities and resources it has to offer. I attended Stillwater Area High School, where I developed a passion for law while working with other students to form the Mock Trial Team that I now coach. Through this team, I was introduced to Eckberg Lammers, the Stillwater law firm I clerked at throughout school.

Jill has been the director of the Bayport Public Library since 2015. Her love of libraries is centered in sharing a love of books and reading with children (and their grown ups!). Early literacy is her passion, and supporting families with young children is a critical issue for our communities. She can help if you want assistance using library resources, especially eBooks and databases. Need a library card? Have a program idea? Want to recommend a book? Get in touch!  

Rachel Steil is a 22+ veteran English teacher at Stillwater Area High School. She has taught a variety of English courses, including Enriched 10, English 11, and the award-winning Newspaper Journalism class. Rachel has been named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2015 and 2020 and Minnesota Journalism Advisor of the Year in 2018. Prior to teaching, Rachel interned at the local NBC KARE 11 and ABC's "Nightline with Ted Koppel." Rachel has served as the Communications Chair for the St. Croix Education Association for 17 years. Four years ago, Rachel began working with the high school Innovations team, which is now connected with the Career Pathways program. She is one of two Career Pathways Coordinators, who are building a new, innovative program for students to explore their passions and interests in order to better determine long-term college and career planning.

Kelly Stenerson is the Development and Community Engagement Manager for the United Way of Washington County East. Her role is to educate the community on the importance of philanthropy, while bridging relationships and fundraising for the many agencies that United Way supports. A life-long resident of Stillwater, Kelly is active with the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and loves to contribute her time and talents with various local non-profit events. Kelly loves living in downtown Stillwater with her husband Christian and her black lab, Luna.

I have been working as the Development Director of the Zephyr Theatre for a little over a year now. Before that, I worked for the nonprofit Heart of Dance for three years as a teaching artist, educational liaison and was part of the opening of the Rochester branch. I also facilitated in fundraising and some community awareness. During the last six years, since I received my MFA in Performing Arts, I have worked in the Twin Cities as a fight director, vocal performer, actor, director, dance choreographer and professor. I'm very passionate about the arts and what they contribute to the human experience. I believe that every person and community not only needs, but deserves to have access to the arts for a truly fulfilled life.

Julia has years of experience working on both the agency and the client side of the media relationship. She has established herself as a multi-faceted Marketing and Social Media Consultant.  

Julia has a a successful track record of developing and implementing winning marketing and media strategies for a variety of businesses. From traffic driving promotions to social media engagement she knows how to help businesses speak to their customers in their own voice and in their own way. 

She studied Marketing Management and Innovation at Concordia University and was awarded Summa Cum Laude. She also has her Master Social Media Certification from one the the top social media schools in the nation, Splash Media University.

She enjoys sailing, running,  travel, spending time with my family at out lake place. 

My wife Alison and I have two dogs, a Pit Bull named Dahlia, a teacup Chihuahua named Tank (weighs 3lbs) and a cat we call Doo. We love Rat Rods, motorcycles and many other outdoor activities. We are also on the board for eRATicate Cancer Cruise, a non-profit where we raise money for Local patients, families and caregivers along with national research charities. We have a passion for helping people and enjoying time with family and friends alike.

I am Retired Army after 21 years and I am proud to offer a Military/Police/Fire/EMS discount.

I highly value my relationship with clients and enjoy that I get to partner with them in reaching their personal/family goals. 
 

Sheila-Marie Untiedt has been very active in the community and the St. Croix Valley. She works as a Mediator Neutral in her practice Clean Slate Mediation assisting clients to resolve disputes in a collaborative method. She volunteers at Minneapolis Institute of Arts as a docent guide and also performs in local theater. Sheila-Marie has been an elected Town Board Supervisor for 25 years. She is married to Jim Untiedt, lives in Stillwater Township and has two daughters, one a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College and the second a junior at St. Croix Preparatory Academy.

I have been in the financial services industry for 30 years spending much of this time in a leadership role. During this time I have worked in Rochester MN, Eau Claire WI and now Oak Park Heights where I am a Business Loan Officer at Royal Credit Union. My husband, David and I have two adult children and a 15 month old granddaughter. I love spending time with family, friends and my two dogs. I also enjoy nature, running, meeting new people and learning new things.

Michael is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and the Manager of Anesthesia Services at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater. Michael is professionally involved with the Minnesota Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the Minnesota Hospital Association. He also volunteers as a coach for his son's hockey team with the Stillwater Area Hockey Association and for the Valley Athletic Association Mountain Bike Club. Michael and his family have lived in Stillwater since 2013.

Hadley Wuertz, ArtSpoke’s Executive Director is the mom of three awesome girls. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Additionally, she has completed post-graduate courses in Montessori Education, Grant Writing, Writing for Public Relations, and Social Media. Hadley brings a unique mix of professional experience from the non-profit sector as well as both public & private education environments. Hadley served as the Events Director at an AIDS nonprofit based in Las Vegas. As Events Director, she also started and ran Camp Courage, a summer program for kids affected by HIV. In her spare time, you can find Hadley indulging her love of health & wellness, coaching CrossFit & running her dog Boone.

Marketing is multidimensional, ever-evolving and time consuming, but the rewards are limitless with the right team, resources and strategy in place! Peachiie partners with businesses in the St. Croix Valley and surrounding areas to bring forward modern ideas and strategies that deliver agency quality results without the associated, hefty fees. We bring you creativity and insights to ignite your brand.

Whether you take a big or little bite, the results will be juicy!