About us

We’re the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, working to improve lives and communities in northeast Minnesota, northwest Wisconsin, and the seven sovereign nations in this region. We provide grants that finance good work in our region, scholarships to further education of people of all ages and leadership on important community issues.

Our Staff

We’re happy to connect with you. Contact us at 218-726-0232 or by email. Email addesses for all staff members are in their bios.

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Paige Bramstedt
Finance Director

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Amber Burns
Community Impact Specialist

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Mark Danielson
Development Director

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Anika Eide
Executive Assistant and Affiliate Liaison

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Shaun Floerke
President and CEO

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Kursula Harris
Senior Community Impact Associate

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Holly Herstad
Finance Assistant

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Erin Matts
Administrative and Database Specialist

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Michelle Morris
Community Impact Director

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Jessica Peterson
Development Director

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Isidore “Izzy” Ralaingita
Community Disaster Resilience Specialist

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Karen Sunderman
Communications Specialist

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Board of Trustees

The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation is guided by the efforts and commitment of our capable Board of Trustees.

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Katelyn Baumann
Board Member

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Brenda Brannan
Board Member

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Fred Friedman
Board Member

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Patrick Heffernan
Board Member

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Kerstyn Hendricks
Board Member

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Lee Jensen Bujold
Board Member

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Koresh Lakhan
Vice Chair

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David Montgomery
Treasurer

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Nels Ojard
Board Member

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Joscelyn Skandel
Chair

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Moira Villiard
Board Member

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Jane Vogt
Board Member

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Sandra Wright
Board Member

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Paige Bramstedt joined the foundation in May 2022 as the organization’s accounting associate. She later was named interim finance director and, in January 2023, became finance director.
Paige earned her bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting and management from the University of Wisconsin-Superior. While at UWS, she spent time studying and living in Scotland.
She loves spending time with her family and friends in the area and traveling whenever she can. She also enjoys reading, hiking and crafting.
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Amber Burns joined the foundation in 2022. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2011 with a bachelor of fine arts degree in arts education.
She has taught visual art, dance and theater at Marshall School, the Duluth Playhouse and many organizations around Duluth. In 2018, she finished her master’s degree in arts development and program management from the University of Denver.
She is passionate about advocating for the arts and youth as well as helping the local community.
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Mark Danielson  joined the foundation in 2012 after practicing law and working in the trust department of a national bank.
He volunteers his time as a board member of the Aftenro nursing home, and is a member of various musical organizations, including the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra and the Duluth Superior Symphony Chorus.
Mark is a graduate of St. Olaf College and William Mitchell College of Law. He and his wife, Theresa Smith, live in Duluth.
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Anika Eide joined the foundation in 2021. She has passion for social justice and for art as a means of healing.
After earning her bachelor of arts and master of fine arts degrees in creative writing from Hamline University, she served as mentor coordinator and creative writing mentor with the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop from 2013 to 2015.
Anika spent five years working in the veterinary field in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She became a certified veterinary technician and remains committed to the care of domestic and wild animals.
She loves spending time with her family, her partner and her old cat, Simon. She enjoys hiking, writing, reading, camping, traveling and cooking.
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The Board of Trustees named Shaun Floerke as the foundation’s leader in 2021 after he had served 16 years as a Duluth-based judge in Minnesota’s Sixth Judicial District.
As a judge, Shaun was a national leader in trauma-informed practice and strove to model and hold space for respect and dignity. He worked with other stakeholders to develop more thoughtful resources that considered equity as well as sustainable solutions for people and communities.
Shaun founded and presided over the South St. Louis County DWI Court, a national academy court with the National Association of Drug Court Professionals; the South St. Louis County Safe Babies Court; and the Duluth Domestic Violence Restorative Circles Process.
He has been a national leader and trainer in how courts handle cases involving substance abuse disorder, mental health and domestic violence. He has trained across the nation and internationally on recovery and resilience for individuals, systems and communities.
Shaun holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a law degree from the University of Minnesota. He and his wife, Sara, have five children and live in Duluth’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.
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Kursula Harris brings to the foundation a background and expertise in operations management and administrative support.
As an adult student, she earned her bachelor of science degree in kinesiology, with a minor in psychology, from Pennsylvania State University.
Kursula has six siblings, and one of her favorite things to do is spend time with her nieces and nephews. She also enjoys volunteering in the community, working on DIY projects, hiking and traveling the world.
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Holly Herstad is a lifelong Duluthian and a Duluth Central High School graduate.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Holly has three wonderful children, two grandchildren and many family members who reside in the Duluth area. She spends her time trail riding, gardening, raising chickens, goats, pigs and turkeys. She enjoys giving farm-fresh food to family and friends.
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Erin Matts is a Duluth native and a 2007 graduate of Duluth East High School.
After obtaining her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, she served as a teacher and worked in the nonprofit field before finding her way back to Duluth to raise her children with her wonderful husband.
Erin loves spending her free time with her family and three dogs. Their favorite place is the cabin in the summer. She couldn’t be more thrilled than to work for an organization making positive impacts in the community she loves.
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Michelle Morris advances the foundation’s mission of private giving for the public good by partnering with nonprofit organizations and community leaders to create positive outcomes through grants and scholarships.
She coordinates grantmaking for three initiatives:
  • Opportunity Rising, which builds a community that embraces diversity and inclusivity, where all children have abundant opportunities and feel respected, safe and secure
  • Ready North, which increases communities’ abilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters, while focusing on community members who are most vulnerable
  • Young Leaders Fund, which attracts and retains young adults in the region through civic engagement, entrepreneurship and high quality of life.
Michelle earned her master’s degree in public health from Columbia University, focusing on social determinants of health and health equity within health promotion. She brings experience in program design and management, evaluation through qualitative and quantitative research methods, community-based participatory research and grant-proposal writing and review.
In her free time, Michelle loves sailing (especially in the Apostle Islands), snowboarding, traveling, cross-country skiing, climbing and reading.
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Jessica Peterson joined the foundation in 2023.

She previously worked as development director at the Depot Foundation in Duluth, where she helped expand fundraising, grow community impact and support arts and culture nonprofits. Her work included leading that organization’s transition to a public foundation and raising more than $50,000 to create the Arts for All scholarship program that allows students to access Depot programming.

Before that, Jessica co-founded and oversaw development, fundraising and communications at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo, Minn. Her responsibilities included donor relations, grant writing, strategic planning, media relations and board recruitment. Throughout her career, she also has worked as a playwright, author and actor.

Jessica holds a bachelor of arts degree in English literature and theater arts from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She also holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from Hamline University in St. Paul. She grew up in Duluth and graduated from Denfeld High School.

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Growing up in Madagascar, Izzy Ralaingita witnessed the impact of a devastating natural disaster firsthand.
Inspired by the humanitarian aid workers he watched directing the massive recovery effort after Cyclone Bonita, he knew helping others would be his focus. Izzy vowed to pursue a career in disaster management and community resilience. It’s a decision that has led him around the world.
In 2022, Izzy joined the foundation as an AmeriCorps VISTA assistant to research and help the Ready North Network plan for and build inclusive, flexible communities in the Northland.
He is pursuing doctoral studies in community disaster resilience planning at Charles Darwin University, in Darwin, Australia. He also has done disaster recovery work with UNICEF, the International Red Cross and other aid agencies.
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Karen Sunderman is an award-winning storyteller with deep roots in broadcast media and communications. She shares stories about grant-supported programs that foster community growth and development as well as accounts of donor impact and possibility through giving.
Karen grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota. She earned degrees in English and journalism from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. At the college radio station, WRFW-FM, she learned to clearly enunciate “W.” During a semester abroad, she developed a love for travel and a profound curiosity about exploring the world.
Karen is a graduate of the Institute for Renewing Community Leadership (Wilder Foundation) and the Creative Community Leadership Institute (Springboard for the Arts). She brings a passion for artist-led, community collaboration and creative problem-solving. She received the Maddie Simons Arts Advocacy Award from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council in 2018. Her work with WDSE-TV, Duluth PBS, earned two regional Emmy awards.
A champion of the region’s arts and music, Karen is invested in the local scene, supporting homegrown talent across the Northland. She has served as host and a judge for numerous musical events, including the Duluth Does Dylan singer-songwriter competition, Sacred Heart Music Center’s From the Heart series and produced the long-running PBS/WDSE-TV series “The PlayList,” among other programs.
In her free time, she is a gardener with a love/hate relationship with the local deer herd.
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Katelyn Baumann is Outreach Program Manager in The Link Center, a resource for students as well as student programs and initiatives at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. She received her bachelor’s degree in international peace studies and mass communication from UWS in 2012. She is devoted to developing strategies to meet community priorities through partnerships and bridge-building.
Brenda Brannan is the Chief Wealth Management Officer at North Shore Bank in Duluth, where she oversees the Investments & Trust, Private Banking and Retirement Solutions Divisions. She also serves as a senior manager to 25 professionals specializing in these areas. She has been with North Shore Bank since 2000 and is a graduate of the School of Banking at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Fred Friedman served as the Chief Public Defender for northeast Minnesota before retiring in 2014. He was the longest-serving chief public defender in state history. He has worked as an attorney since 1972 and has taught college classes since 1975, including at the University of Minnesota Duluth. He is a Chicago native with a bachelor’s degree from UMD and a law degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Pat Heffernan has been with Duluth financial services firm Wheeler Associates since 2003 and is a certified employee benefits specialist as well as certified in long-term care. Pat is passionate about his community, city, and state and has been involved in programs at all levels. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, where he received the Donald R. Zander leadership award.
Kerstyn Hendricks is the AVP-Lead Signature Banker at National Bank of Commerce. In 2011, she graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a degree in Communication. Kerstyn has worked at NBC since 2008, where she began as a teller, and has held various positions, including personal banker and signature banking specialist. Kerstyn is a proud Superior resident.
Lee Jensen Bujold of Knife River is a retired business development director. She grew up on Lake Superior’s South Shore in Ashland. She and her husband, Jim, have lived in Knife River for more than 30 years. Bujold’s professional background is in Chamber of Commerce work and regional economic development.
Koresh Lakhan came to the United States in 1964 on a student visa to attend college. Upon graduation, he accepted a teaching position in the Central Hillside schools in Duluth. He retired from elementary education after 30 years. He and friends then founded the India Palace Restaurant, where he practiced and honed his culinary skills and helped support fundraisers for many organizations,
David Montgomery retired from the City of Duluth as its chief administrative officer, where he oversaw operations of city departments and served as the administration’s liaison with the City Council. Montomery served as interim president and CEO of the Community Foundation in 2020 while the foundation searched for a permanent leader.
Nels Ojard is President and CEO of Krech Ojard and Associates, a consulting, engineering and architecture firm focusing on resource development, mining, manufacturing, agribusiness, transportation Infrastructure and energy. He holds an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in structural engineering, both from the University of Minnesota.
Joscelyn Skandel (Joscy) is manager of regulatory compliance, policy and rates Superior Water Light & Power, a subsidiary of ALLETE Inc. that serves customers in Superior and nearby areas. She joined the company in 2014 as supervisor of rates, financial reporting and budgeting. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Superior and her MBA from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Moira Villiard is a visual artist and community organizer in Duluth. She works as a freelance creative on projects including murals, animation, graphic design, grant writing assistance for other creatives, consulting and teaching. She grew up playing in the woods on the Fond du Lac Reservation and feels at home wherever there are wetlands, pine trees, mossy forest floors and ice-cold creeks.
Jane Vogt retired in 2011 after more than 25 years with IBM and GE Healthcare. She now leverages her expertise for local community needs and opportunities. Vogt holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Catherine and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. She lives with her wife, Mary, on Madeline Island and in Palm Springs, California.
Sandra Wright was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She received her bachelor’s degree from Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State) and a master’s degree in education from Ball State University. She has served as an educator, including 36 years in elementary teaching and 10 years at the University of Wisconsin-Superior where she taught the Multicultural Nonsexist Education class.
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