New Board Named For Chequamegon Bay Area Fund
The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation recently announced the appointment of eight initial advisory board members for The Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund serving the school districts of Ashland, Washburn and Bad River.
“The Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund board members bring a range of skills and experiences to serve our communities and are entrusted as stewards. This initial Advisory Board input is vital as we launch our new affiliate in this region. We are off to a successful start as demonstrated by our grantwriting workshop last week. It was attended by over 60 area non profits.” said Madelaine Karwoski, affiliate officer for the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.
Irene Blakely currently serves as the president for the Alliance for Sustainability Governing Board. She was twice elected to the office of Mayor of the City of Washburn, and she led the city to adopt the nation's first eco municipality resolution committed to sustainable planning and policy making.
Carla Bremner has worked in journalism, marketing, advertising, and the field of communications for numerous publications and corporations in Minneapolis and Canada. Her board experience includes the Loft in Minneapolis, the Chequamegon Bay Arts Council, the Washburn Cultural Center, Northern Lights Nursing Home, and the Washburn Heritage Association.
Karen Crowell has held instructor and lecturer positions in College Composition at Northland College, Knox College, Illinois State University, and Carl Sandberg Community College. She currently is a board member of the Bay Area Film Society and the Chequamegon Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Rick Geisen is the president of Bremer Bank's Washburn, Bayfield, and La Pointe offices. He serves as the president of the Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation, the chairman of the Washburn Development Authority, and a board member of the Northwest Business Development Corporation.
Ed Monroe is a former Ashland city councilor (15 years), Ashland County board supervisor (6 years), and Ashland mayor from 2006 to 2010. Ed worked for AT&T and Centurylink for 33 years before his retirement in 2005. He is currently the owner of Monroe Photography, and along with his wife, Maribeth, he is active with many community events.
Chantal Norrgard is an assistant professor of Native American Studies at Northland College. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. Her current research explores the relationships between federal Indian policy, labor, economic development, and treaty rights struggles in Ojibwe communities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Jason Kekek Stark is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. He is an attorney and policy analyst with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission. He received his J.D. from Hamline University. He recently addressed the issues of sovereignty and resource management at the Northland College mining forum.
The Chequamegon Bay Area Community Fund is an affiliate of The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, which promotes private giving for the public good. In 2011, The Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation awarded $61,272.00 to non profits in Ashland and Bayfield counties.
The community foundation is a permanent community endowment, built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations. The community foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations and to individuals for scholarships and provides leadership on important community initiatives in our area. Since its inception in 1983, it has distributed more than $35 million and currently manages over 300 different funds, each with its own charitable purpose. Other regional affiliates of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation include the Two Harbors Area Fund, the Apostle Islands Area Community Fund, the Cook County Community Fund, the Hermantown Community Fund and the Eveleth Area Community Foundation.