Our Board of Directors brings a variety of operational and strategic experiences to the table, including operational expertise in non-profit works. Here are some brief bios of our current board members and program staff:
Betsy Tate (Scheurer) Anderson (Program Manager) – Betsy loves her job at Tix for Tots. Program Manager since January 2007, Betsy believes in the mission of Tix for Tots whole-heartedly. She has seen its impact up close as she works with our many non-profit agency partners. Betsy is thrilled to serve as “the woman behind the curtain” that makes the Tix for Tots machine run. Being the face of Tix for Tots to the agency partners, venue partners, volunteers, ticket/financial donors, and the greater community is an honor for Betsy.
Childhood memories like going to a Twins game with her dad and seeing live musical theater with her mom and step-dad make the Tix for Tots mission very important to Betsy. She believes that every child should experience the magic and wonder that athletic and cultural events can provide.
Betsy, a Twin Cities native, has a BA in Spanish from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. In 2005, she was elected to the Hopkins School Board and was re-elected to her second four-year term in 2009. Betsy is the Vice President & membership director for the Golden Valley Rotary Club, president of the Hopkins Alumni Association, and Chair of the Legislative Action Coalition for the Hopkins School District. Working on behalf of children in our community and around the world is a goal of Betsy's.
Alicia Cain - Ali works for the American Cancer Society, where she is a Patient Navigator at United Hospital. She works in the oncology department connecting patients to American Cancer Society resources and other cancer support programs in the community. Ali’s social work career has also included roles as an HIV Case Manager at the MN AIDS Project and as a Child and Family Advocate and Shelter Manager at Mary’s Place family homeless shelter in Minneapolis, MN, a long-term partner of Tix for Tots.
Ali completed her Bachelor’s degree in Family Social Science, followed by her Master’s degree in Social Work, both from the University of MN. Ali works on a project called Chic’s for Charity, an annual golf tournament and luncheon, to benefit local nonprofits, and volunteers for a variety of different organizations throughout the metro area.
Julie Dietlin (Chair) -Julie has been working in marketing and sales for 10 years in the technology and medical fields. She is currently staying home with her two boys and occasionally accepting contract marketing roles.
After receiving her MBA in Marketing and E-Business from Penn State University in 2003, Julie worked as a marketing manager for a small consulting firm in Washington DC. She then held both category and brand management roles with CDW in Chicago before moving to the Twin Cities. Julie has an undergraduate degree from Marquette University in Marketing and International Business.
Julie recently completed the Breast Cancer 3 day walk and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity rebuilding houses in New Orleans. She currently resides in Eden Prairie, MN.
Eric Fiedler - Eric is the Director of Learning and Organization Development at Uponor's North American headquarters in Apple Valley, MN. In his role, Eric provides expertise and consultation in areas such as: leadership development and coaching, strategic planning, individual and team development, employee engagement and change management.
Eric received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from St. Cloud State University and his Master of Arts degree in Human Resource Development from the University of St. Thomas. Eric serves as a volunteer for several non-profit organizations in Dakota County and spends much of his spare time as a volunteer youth baseball, basketball and football coach. Eric, his wife Laurie and their three children currently reside in Lakeville.
Michelle L. Gierke (Secretary) - Michelle is Senior Corporate Counsel for Target Corporation specializing in transactional real estate both domestically and internationally. Prior to joining Target Corporation, Michelle practiced in the areas of transactional real estate and land use for a private firm in San Diego, California. Michelle received her BA from St. Olaf College and her JD from the University of Minnesota Law School.
While in San Diego, as a member and graduate of LEAD San Diego, Michelle was involved with Barrio Logan College Institute and active in the Junior League of San Diego and the development and rollout of its fundraising cookbook California Sol Food. In the Twin Cities, Michelle is on the advisory committee for Target’s Women Business Council, MNACCA and is a mentor for the University of Minnesota Law School Business Law Clinic and Twin Cities Diversity in Practice Ambassadorial Program.
Jill Haspert (Treasurer) – Jill is a full-time graduate student at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management. In 2006, Jill joined Global Internal Audit at General Mills, Inc., where she lead audit teams in risk identification and control testing at business unit locations worldwide. Most recently, Jill worked in Marketing Finance in the Bakeries and Foodservice division of General Mills, where she performed profitability planning, pricing analysis, and new product launch support on a portfolio of over 1,200 products. Prior to her career at General Mills, Jill worked in Internal Audit, Brokerage Finance, and Mutual Fund Accounting for Ameriprise Financial, Inc.
Jill holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Gustavus Adolphus College and is a Certified Internal Auditor. She also serves as a volunteer mentor for Bolder Options, a local mentoring organization that partners closely with Tix for Tots. Jill lives in Plymouth, MN, with her husband, Patrick.
Heather McCants – Heather McCants has worked for Ameriprise Financial since 2004. She began as a member of the Finance Leadership Development Program (FLDP) where she rotated through various different areas in the Finance Department. Currently, Heather leads the FLDP and works with recent college graduates on professional, technical and leadership development to create a pipeline of leadership for the Finance organization and supports the campus recruiting program at Ameriprise. Heather received her undergraduate degree in both Finance and Management at the
University of Illinois. She also serves on the board for Arts Us, a nonprofit organization focused on using the arts to enrich the lives of children.
Laura Neuenschwander - Laura is a consultant in the Executive and Leadership Development group at Medtronic. In her role she is responsible for developing strong marketing talent at Medtronic through core competencies, education programs and other developmental experiences. Laura has more than 15 years experience as a marketer in the medical device industry. She has served various roles from product management, market development, physician education and marketing communications.
Laura has undergraduate degrees in Speech Communication and Mass Communications from St. Cloud State University and a Master of Business Communication from St. Thomas University. Laura resides in Hudson, Wisconsin with her husband Robb and three children – (Charlie, Maya, and Lauren).
Robb Neuenschwander (Founder and President) - Robb is a Senior Technical Architect with Target Corporation and also the founder and President of Voyageur Business Services, Inc., a Minnesota-based business and technology consulting company. Robb has over 16 years of experience in business strategy and systems design and integration consulting. He has consulted to large and small companies in a variety of industries. Robb has extensive expertise in web systems and business process design.
Robb has an undergraduate degree in Business Management from St. John's University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business. Robb has been a volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Minneapolis since 1996. Robb is a 2003 recipient of the Eleven Who Care award from KARE-TV.
Noah Rouen – Noah is founder and president of The Rouen Group, a Minneapolis based public relations firm. Rouen utilizes creativity and a forward thinking approach to help achieve his clients' communications needs. He brings skills in media relations, advocacy, event planning and issue advertising, to create effective campaigns. Throughout his career Rouen has worked for some of the biggest names in business and politics. Political leaders and CEOs trust Rouen and his team to manage their communications and position them and their companies positively with their customers and the general public. Prior to starting the Rouen Group, Noah served as Senior Vice President at Public Affairs Company. During his tenure the company grew to one of Minnesota’s largest Public Relations agencies. Rouen helped oversee the firm's growth while managing some of their largest clients.
Noah and his wife Keri, live in Minneapolis, MN, with their two children, Connor and Preston. Noah is an active member of the community serving on many non-profit boards and advisory committees including Tix for Tots, TwinWest Chamber Foundation and Interfaith Outreach.
Jill Schlofer (Vice Chair) - Jill is the Regional Director of Service for the Central and Southeast regions at Standard Insurance Company. The Standard is a nationally recognized insurance provider offering group disability, life, dental and vision insurance. She started with the company in 1996 and has carried various positions throughout the years. Jill has been recognized as a leader in her organization for providing her expertise in several company projects, mentoring others both formally and informally and consistently contributing to the office and company's sales and service goals.
Jill has been a lifelong resident of the Twin Cities and has been continuously involved in the community. Jill received her Bachelor's of Applied Science in Applied Business from the University of Minnesota and volunteers for various non-profits from time to time. Jill currently resides in Apple Valley, MN.
We thank all of our dedicated Board members for their hard work and committment to this fine cause!